Wave Accounting

Wave is small-business financial software for accounting, invoicing, estimates, receipts, payments, and payroll. Its Starter plan provides core bookkeeping and invoicing for free, while Pro adds automated bank transaction imports, merging and categorization, receipt capture, expense tracking, and late-payment reminders. Optional payment, payroll, and advisor services extend the platform but have separate fees and availability.

✨ Key Features

• Double-entry accounting — Track income, expenses, accounts, and cash flow with bookkeeping records and reports.
• Invoices and estimates — Create unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, and recurring billing workflows in supported regions.
• Online payments — Let customers pay invoices by card or bank payment, with transaction fees applied according to the selected service.
• Bank connections — Pro can automatically import transactions; Wave uses Plaid and supported institutions can vary.
• Transaction matching — Pro can merge and categorize imported bank transactions to reduce manual bookkeeping.
• Receipt capture — Digitally capture receipts, attach them to transactions, and track expenses; availability depends on plan and region.
• Cash-flow reporting — Review financial reports and month-to-month or year-to-year trends.
• Payroll — In supported locations, pay employees or contractors, manage tax calculations/filings, direct deposit, and employee access through a separate payroll subscription.
• Mobile access — Create and send invoices and manage core business tasks from the Wave app.
• Advisors — Add bookkeeping and financial guidance from Wave experts for a separate monthly service.

💳 Pricing

• Starter Plan — $0; unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, bookkeeping records, mobile invoicing, and customer/cash-flow dashboard.
• Pro Plan — $190 USD/year in the US or $250 CAD/year in Canada on the reviewed annual pricing page; includes Starter plus automated bank imports, transaction merging/categorization, unlimited digital receipt capture, expense tracking, and late-payment reminders.
• Receipts — In the US, $8/month or $72/year when purchased as a separate receipt-scanning subscription; Pro includes the feature.
• Payroll — Separate monthly subscription with regional pricing; Wave advertises a 30-day trial after the first approved payroll in its help documentation.
• Wave Advisors — Expert bookkeeping service starting at $149/month or $199/month for the listed service levels.

Pricing note — Prices are region-specific, per business profile, and exclude applicable taxes. Online payment processing, payroll, and advisor services can add separate charges. Confirm supported countries, bank connectivity, tax filing scope, and current terms before relying on Wave for compliance work.

⚖️ Alternatives Compared

🎯 Use Cases

• Freelance bookkeeping：Track income, expenses, invoices, and receipts in one small-business account.
• Client invoicing：Create estimates, recurring invoices, and online payment options for customers.
• Cash-flow review：Use reports and categorized bank transactions to understand business performance.
• Receipt management：Capture and attach receipts to transactions for expense records.
• Small-team payroll：Pay employees or contractors in supported regions and manage payroll records.
• New-business setup：Start with free accounting and upgrade only when automated imports or receipt tools are needed.
• Advisor-supported accounting：Combine Wave software with optional bookkeeping guidance for tax preparation and ongoing maintenance.