I have evaluated other options, but QuickBooks is more appealing to my clients from their out-of-pocket-cost point of view.

When I first started, the only other options were the very expensive programs. QuickBooks Desktop you can find anywhere between $200 and $300 on Amazon or Costco. 

As a ProAdvisor I can offer discounts, but Amazon always sells it cheaper than I can, which is a good thing because I get no kickback from you buying the product. Therefore our relationship has more integrity because I'm not trying to sway you to buy my product because I will get $23, or something like that.

In comparison to Desktop, I have only used other Intuit products, i.e., Pro, Premier, Enterprise, and Accountant. I have used other online options, such as Xero, and feel that they are not comparable products to Desktop. For most small businesses, QuickBooks Desktop is the best solution. I recommend Premier over Pro.

Xero, AccountEdge

I asked around, but did not try any others, except TeamDesign, the industry specific accounting software that we were using previously.