Wave review (2026): features, pros and cons, pricing
Free-to-start bookkeeping and invoicing for tiny businesses that makes money on payments and a $19 Pro tier.
Verdict at a glance
Wave offers free bookkeeping and invoicing aimed at freelancers and micro businesses, plus a paid Pro tier. It stands out for a simple interface and a free core product, with the company earning money from card payments and optional add-ons.
Pros
- Free core bookkeeping.
- Simple interface.
Cons
- Slow customer support.
- Payment fees replace subscription revenue.
- Limited depth for growing firms.
What is Wave?
Free-to-start bookkeeping and invoicing for tiny businesses that makes money on payments and a $19 Pro tier. It is built for freelancers and micro businesses wanting free bookkeeping and service businesses collecting card payments through invoices. Wave was founded in 2009 and is based in Toronto, Canada.
Category: Accounting Software, Invoicing Software
Wave key features
| Feature | What we found |
|---|---|
| Invoicing and billing | Invoicing on both tiers; online payments are paid by transaction. |
| Bank feeds and reconciliation | Automatic bank imports on Pro per Gappsy; not confirmed by the vendor. |
| Expense and bill management | Receipt capture add-on $11 or $8/month. |
| Payroll and sales tax support | Payroll add-on from $25 or $40/month. |
| Accountant access and integrations | Block Advisors tax pros can be added free on Starter. |
| Online payment acceptance | 2.9% + $0.60 per card on Starter. |
| Accounting integration | Native accounting. |
Wave pricing
Wave Starter is $0. Pro is $19 a month or $190 a year, about 17% off the $228 monthly total. Invoicing is on both tiers, but online payments are paid per transaction, 2.9% + $0.60 per card on Starter. Add-ons are separate: payroll from $25 or $40 a month, receipt capture at $11 or $8 a month and Wave Advisors from $149 or $199 a month. The page lists no numeric user limit, and Pro roles of admin, editor and viewer imply several users, so confirm the limit for your team.
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $0 | Card processing 2.9% + $0.60 (Amex 3.4% + $0.60) | |
| Pro | $19/month or $190/year | 2.9% + $0 for first 10 transactions per month, then 2.9% + $0.60 | |
| Wave Advisors | from $149 or $199/month | Dedicated bookkeeper |
Payroll from $25 or $40/month. Receipt capture $11 or $8/month. Page lists no numeric user limit.
Who Wave is best for
Best for
- Freelancers and micro businesses wanting free bookkeeping.
- Service businesses collecting card payments through invoices.
Not ideal for
- Teams wanting a wide app ecosystem or inventory.
- Buyers needing fast support (slow support is the main G2 complaint)
Wave alternatives
QuickBooks OnlineSmall businesses that work with an outside accountant who already uses QuickBooks.
XeroTeams that need unlimited users without per-seat cost.
FreshBooksFreelancers and service businesses billing a limited number of clients.
Zoho BooksSmall firms already on Zoho CRM or other Zoho apps.
Invoice NinjaFreelancers and small firms comfortable self hosting to avoid per seat fees.
Bill.comFinance teams that run both bill pay and invoicing in one tool with approval chains.
What Wave really costs
- Billing
- Monthly and annual.
- Annual discount
- About 17% ($190 per year vs $228 monthly, computed)
- 20 users per year
- Pro $190 per year flat; page lists no user cap, so 20-user fit unconfirmed.
- Recent price change
- Pro tier introduced (Wikipedia: two tiers as of June 10, 2024)
Add-ons and extras to budget for
- Payroll from $25 or $40/month.
- Receipt capture $11 or $8/month.
- Wave Advisors from $149/month.
Questions to ask about price
- Is there a minimum number of seats or a minimum annual spend?
- How much can the price rise at renewal, and is the increase capped in the contract?
- Are there one-time costs for implementation, onboarding or data migration?
Is Wave worth the price?
Wave is good value for freelancers and micro service businesses that want free bookkeeping and collect card payments through invoices, as long as the percentage fees are acceptable. It gets expensive if most revenue flows through card payments, since fees replace a subscription, and awkward for growing firms, because reviewers cite limited depth. Slow support is the main G2 complaint, and teams wanting a wide app ecosystem or inventory will outgrow it.
Worth it if
- Freelancers and micro businesses wanting free bookkeeping.
- Service businesses collecting card payments through invoices.
Look elsewhere if
- Teams wanting a wide app ecosystem or inventory.
- Buyers needing fast support (slow support is the main G2 complaint)
Pricing details most reviews leave out
- Owned by H&R Block, which reports Wave Pro tier momentum in fiscal 2026.
- Starter is free but card payments cost 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction.
- Pro roles (admin, editor, viewer) imply multi-user, but the page gives no numeric user limit.
- Wave Advisors adds a dedicated bookkeeper from $149/month.
- A $9.50/month Pro promo ran Dec 2025 to Jan 2026.
Our verdict on Wave
Wave is bookkeeping and invoicing for freelancers and micro businesses, and the Starter plan is free. The Pro plan costs $19 a month or $190 a year. Wave is owned by H&R Block. For a solo operator with simple books, the software itself can cost nothing, which is hard to beat. The catch is that Wave earns money on payments, so the real cost depends on how many customers pay you by card.
Card processing on Starter is 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction (Amex 3.4% + $0.60). Pro charges 2.9% + $0 for the first 10 transactions a month, then 2.9% + $0.60. Add-ons stack up: payroll from $25 or $40 a month, receipt capture at $11 or $8, and Wave Advisors with a dedicated bookkeeper from $149. G2 rates it 4.3 from 327 reviews; reviewers like free core bookkeeping but note that payment fees replace subscription revenue.
Wave FAQ
What is Wave used for?
Wave offers free bookkeeping and invoicing aimed at freelancers and micro businesses, plus a paid Pro tier. It stands out for a simple interface and a free core product, with the company earning money from card payments and optional add-ons. It suits freelancers and micro businesses wanting free bookkeeping.
Is Wave really free?
Starter costs $0 for bookkeeping and invoicing. Card payments still cost 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction (Amex 3.4% + $0.60), and payroll and receipt capture are paid add-ons.
How much does Wave Pro cost?
Pro is $19 a month or $190 a year, about 17% less than monthly billing. It also lowers the card fee on the first 10 transactions each month to 2.9% + $0.
How much does Wave cost for 20 users?
Pro is $190 per year as a flat price. The pricing page lists no user cap, so confirm with Wave that 20 users fit before relying on that figure.
About Wave
- Founded
- 2009.
- Headquarters
- Toronto, Canada.
- Employees
- 370 (Jan 2023, per Wikipedia)
- Funding or owner
- Acquired by H&R Block.
Listed in: Accounting Software, Invoicing Software
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Wave's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.