The smarter choice for small
business owners
The smarter choice for small business owners
Wave is one of the more affordable, more you-friendly alternatives to QuickBooks. Make tax season easy with simple money management solutions at your fingertips, starting at $0. Choose Wave today!
fees
interface
to use
More time for what you love
Sign up in minutes and access the solutions you actually need, all in one place. Don’t waste time building your own tech stack or sifting through complicated tools you’ll never use.
Be the wiz of your biz
Wave's accounting and invoicing features allow you to create professional invoices on-the-go, track expenses, digitally capture receipts, and more, so you can run the numbers just as well as you run your biz.
Ditch imposter syndrome
Whether you’re viewing your smart dashboard or accessing key financial reports, you’ll love our simple interface. Wave is made for small biz owners first.
What are the differences between Wave and QuickBooks?
The main difference between Wave and QuickBooks is that Wave is more affordable. With Wave, you can access invoicing, accounting, and other business management features at a lower price point.
Why choose Wave over QuickBooks?
Wave is one-stop money management, including accounting and invoicing, that’s easy (and fun!) to use.
Wave is built for you — small business owners, freelancers, and contractors — not accountants.
Unlike QuickBooks, Wave has a free Starter Plan, so you can get the features you need without breaking the bank.
When you’re ready, upgrade to the Pro Plan for additional features — it’s 50% less expensive than QuickBooks’ comparable Simple Start plan!
When you’re ready, upgrade to the Pro Plan for additional features — it’s less expensive than QuickBooks’ comparable EasyStart plan!
QuickBooks is for larger businesses, and comes with a bigger price tag.
Wave vs. QuickBooks:
A detailed comparison
Expensive, complicated tools don’t pay off. Access Wave’s pocket- and small business-friendly solutions today, starting at free.
PROPlan
Solopreneur
Self-Employed
Simple Start
Easy Start
get paid automatically
Wave vs QuickBooks: Pros & Cons
Wave cons:
- Limited advanced features compared to QuickBooks
- Not as customizable as QuickBooks
QuickBooks pros:
- Advanced features for larger teams and businesses
- Extensive reporting options
Why choose the Wave Pro Plan?
Manage cash flow with ease
Send recurring invoices, set up deposit requests, and automate payment reminders so you get paid on time.
Save hours with bookkeeping automation
Automatically import and categorize bank transactions. Scan and digitize business receipts with OCR technology.
Be tax-ready year-round
Generate your profit & loss statement, balance sheet, and cash flow report automatically—no spreadsheets required.
Everything included in Wave Pro
No hidden fees. Cancel anytime. All the tools you need to stay organized, save time, and get paid faster—for less than the cost of a daily coffee.
Want to look more polished, save more time, and conquer cash flow? It’s Pro time.
Want to look more polished, save more time, and conquer cash flow? It’s Pro time.
Option to accept online payments at a discounted rate
2.9% + $0** per credit card transaction
3.4% + $0** per Amex transactionCreate unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, and bookkeeping records
Invoice on-the-go with the mobile app
Manage cash flow and customers in one dashboard
Automate late payment reminders
Auto-import bank transactions*
Digitally capture unlimited receipts and track expenses
Auto-merge and categorize bank transactions
Add users to your account
Access live-person chat and email support
New! Add attachments to invoices and estimates
New! Create reusable message templates
New! Manage accounting transactions in the mobile app
Real feedback from Wave users
"Wave's invoicing software makes your life a whole lot easier and takes that worry off you. I've tried Quickbooks—it's a bit more complicated and technical, and takes more time to set up."
“When I signed up with Wave it was a no brainer. It's been one of the best decisions I've made when it comes to making sure my accounting is on point.”
App Development
"It’s not just a cool piece of software, it is giving peace of mind to people. You deserve to know your taxes aren't something you have to sweat over the entire calendar year."
More reasons to love Wave
Make bookkeeping and tax time easy with solutions that are affordable, small biz friendly, and—dare we say—fun to use.
Get by with a little 1:1 help
Built for small business owners like you
Freelancers
Solopreneurs
Contractors
Consultants
Wave vs. QuickBooks:
Final verdict
If you’re a freelancer or small business owner, Wave offers easier, more affordable accounting software. For more complex businesses with a bigger budget, QuickBooks might be more suitable. Explore Wave today — getting started is free!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wave's software something I need to install?
Wave's tools are web-based, so you just need an Internet connection and browser—no installation is necessary for our online software!
If you're looking for an on-the-go solution, you can install our mobile app to help you manage invoices and payments. Download our mobile app on iOS and Android today!
Is my data secure when I use Wave?
Our servers are protected physically and electronically. Any connections between you, your bank accounts, and Wave are protected by 256-bit SSL encryption. Wave is a PCI-DSS Level 1 Service Provider.
Do you provide customer support?
We provide different levels of support, depending on the plan and/or the add-on features you choose. Learn more about how Wave support works here.
Is Wave’s software free?
Wave’s Starter Plan is free, and all its features are available immediately, with no trial period or time limits. This includes:
- Accounting: Transactions, reports, adding sales taxes, and more.
- Invoicing: Creating and editing invoices and estimates, and sending them using a link or PDF. You can create as many invoices, estimates, payment receipts, customers, vendors, and products as you need.
As your business grows, you can save more time and reduce admin work with Wave’s Pro Plan. Explore the Starter Plan and the Pro Plan today.
Which is better for freelancers, Wave or QuickBooks?
Wave is better for freelancers, because it’s easy to use and offers free accounting and invoicing features with the Starter Plan. QuickBooks might be better for businesses with more complex needs and a bigger budget.
Are there any other fees for online payments?
With online payments enabled on your invoices, you can accept bank payments for 1% per transaction, Visa and Mastercard payments for 2.9% per transaction, and American Express payments for 3.4% per transaction. Each transaction also has a $0.60 fee, but with the Wave Pro Plan, your first 10 transactions each month have a $0 fee. Learn more here.
Do I need to enter my credit card details to sign up?
If you are signing up for our free Starter Plan, no credit card info is required! If you are signing up for our Pro Plan, you’ll need to provide credit card details during the sign up process.
*Offer only available to new Pro Plan subscribers when purchasing a monthly subscription through Wave’s website, and is limited to one offer per customer. Discount applied to the listed monthly price for Wave’s Pro Plan, starting from the date the Pro Plan is purchased and continuing for three monthly payment periods. Following the offer period, your account will automatically be charged at the listed monthly price until you cancel your subscription. You can cancel your subscription up until one (1) day before your renewal date through Wave. If you choose to cancel your subscription, it will remain active until the end of your current billing period. This discount can't be combined with any other promotional offer from Wave. Offer available from September 22, 2025 until October 31, 2025. Please see Waves Paid Subscription Terms of Service for more details. Offer Terms and Conditions subject to change without notice.
**While subscribed to Wave’s Pro Plan, get 2.9% + $0 (Visa, Mastercard, Discover) and 3.4% + $0 (Amex) per transaction for the first ten cumulative transactions in a monthly subscription period, then 2.9% + $0.60 (Visa, Mastercard, Discover) and 3.4% + $0.60 (Amex) per transaction thereafter. Discover processing is only available to US customers. See our Payments Terms of Service for more details.
***We use Plaid to facilitate bank connections. Not all financial institutions are supported so we can’t guarantee that you will be able to connect an account. Check Plaid's troubleshooting guide for more information or learn more about how bank connections work at Wave.
