Wave

waveapps.com
Accounting Software
Few Days

Know your numbers. Lead your business with confidence.

How to Replace Wave

Overview

Wave is a small business accounting software that combines invoicing, payments, and bookkeeping in one platform. It helps small business owners and solopreneurs track income and expenses, create professional invoices, accept online payments, and manage payroll without the complexity of traditional accounting software.

Features

27 features across 18 categories

Automation(3)

Auto-Merge and Categorize TransactionsPremium

Automatically merge and categorize bank transactions for streamlined bookkeeping

Automated Late Payment RemindersPremium

Automate reminders to deploy 3, 7, and 14 days after invoices are due

Reusable Message TemplatesPremium

Create customized email messages and save them as reusable templates for automatic sending

Also in: monday.com, Notion, Airtable

Banking Integration(1)

Auto-Import Bank TransactionsPremium

Automatically import bank transactions from connected bank accounts via Plaid

Bookkeeping(1)

Income and Expense Tracking

Track income and expenses with bookkeeping records and manual transaction entry

Collaboration(1)

Multi-User AccessPremium

Add users to account with different permission levels (admin, editor, viewer, payroll manager)

Also in: Notion, Airtable, Obsidian

Customization(2)

Brand CustomizationPremium

Add your logo and brand colors to professional invoice templates with drag-and-drop editing

Remove Wave BrandingPremium

Remove Wave branding from invoice footers for a fully branded experience

Also in: monday.com, Obsidian, Smartsheet

Expense Management(1)

Receipt DigitizationAIPremium

Digitally capture unlimited receipts via mobile app, desktop, or email using OCR technology

Financial Management(1)

Cash Flow Management

Manage cash flow and monitor financial health with dashboard insights

Integration(1)

Third-Party IntegrationsPremium

Set up third-party integrations to connect Wave with other business tools

Also in: monday.com, Notion, Airtable

Invoicing(3)

Invoice AttachmentsPremium

Add attachments to invoices and estimates

Recurring Invoices

Set up recurring invoices and payments for repeat clients

Unlimited Invoices and Estimates

Create unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, and bookkeeping records

Mobile(1)

Mobile App

Invoice on-the-go and manage transactions from iOS and Android mobile apps

Onboarding(1)

Accounting Software OnboardingPremium

Onboarding assistance when switching from other accounting software like FreshBooks

Payments(1)

Online Payments

Accept online payments via credit card, bank transfer, or Apple Pay directly through invoices

Payroll(1)

Payroll ManagementPremium

Run payroll to reliably pay employees and contractors with legal compliance

Reporting(3)

Dashboard InsightsPremium

View organized dashboard showing business performance and key metrics

Financial ReportingPremium

Access key reports including profit and loss statements and business health analytics

Monthly Financial StatementsPremium

Receive monthly financial statements prepared by experts as part of Wave Advisors

Services(1)

Dedicated BookkeeperPremium

A dedicated bookkeeper keeps books accurate and up to date as part of Wave Advisors service

Support(2)

Expert Tax SupportPremium

Expert support to answer bookkeeping and tax questions available anytime

Live Chat and Email SupportPremium

Access to live-person chat and email support Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 4:45 PM Eastern

Support & Services(2)

Accounting CoachingPremium

Optional packages for one-on-one guidance from an accounting coach

Wave AdvisorsPremium

Access to in-house bookkeeping, accounting, and payroll experts for coaching or outsourced work

Tax Management(1)

Tax Time PreparationPremium

Get ready for tax season with clean, organized books and reports

Pricing

Starter

Free
  • Create unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, and bookkeeping records
  • Option to accept online payments
  • 2.9% + $0.60 per credit card transaction
  • 3.4% + $0.60 per Amex transaction
  • Invoice on-the-go with mobile app
  • Manage cash flow and customers in one dashboard

Pro

Popular
$19/mo or $190/year
  • Everything in Starter, plus
  • Option to accept online payments at discounted rate
  • 2.9% + $0 per credit card transaction (first 10 transactions/month)
  • 3.4% + $0 per Amex transaction (first 10 transactions/month)
  • Auto-import bank transactions
  • Auto-merge and categorize bank transactions
  • Digitally capture unlimited receipts
  • Automate late payment reminders
  • Add your logo and brand colors
  • Remove Wave branding from footers
  • Add attachments to invoices and estimates
  • Create reusable message templates
  • Invoice and estimate in mobile app
  • Add users to your account
  • Manage transactions on-the-go
  • Get insights via dashboard and reports
  • Set up third-party integrations
  • Access live-person chat and email support

Wave Advisors

Starting at $199/month
  • Includes Pro Plan features
  • A dedicated bookkeeper to keep books accurate and up to date
  • Monthly financial statements prepared for you
  • Expert support to answer bookkeeping questions anytime
  • Be ready for tax time with clean, organized books and reports
  • Onboarding when switching from other accounting software
  • Optional packages for one-on-one guidance from accounting coach

Cost Calculator

Keep Paying Wave

Monthly$19/mo
Yearly$228/yr
5-Year Total$1.1k

Build It Yourself

Est. Build Time~3 hrs
Hosting$20/mo
DifficultyEasy

Total Cost Comparison

1 Year
SaaS
$228
DIY
$240
3 Years
SaaS
$684
DIY
$720
5 Years
SaaS
$1.1k
DIY
$1.2k

DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 27 features at easy complexity.

Build vs Buy

Should you build a Wave alternative or buy the subscription? Estimate based on 27 features.

Buy Wave

Better Value
Monthly cost$190/mo
3-year total$6,840
Time to deployDays

Build Your Own

Development cost$24,000
Maintenance$360/mo
3-year total$36,960
Dev time~2 months

Buying Wave saves ~$30,120 over 3 years vs building.

Estimates based on 27 features and a BuildScore of 4/5. Actual costs vary.

Integrations

2 known integrations

Block AdvisorsPlaid