Replacement Guide

How to Build Your Own Wave

Replace Wave with a custom build. Know your numbers. Lead your business with confidence.

Few Days
27 features2 integrations3-5 days

Estimated Timeline

Based on 27 features at Few Days difficulty, expect about 3-5 days with AI-assisted development.

1
Architecture & setup
Half day
2
Core features
2-3 days
3
Testing & polish
1 day

Recommended Tech Stack

Next.js 14

Full-stack React framework with API routes and server components

Supabase

PostgreSQL database, auth, and real-time subscriptions

Tailwind CSS

Utility-first styling for rapid UI development

Key Features to Replicate

Top features across 8 categories. See all 27 features

Automation(3 features)

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

Invoicing(3 features)

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

Reporting(3 features)

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

Customization(2 features)

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

Support(2 features)

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 features)

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

Banking Integration(1 features)

Auto-Import Bank TransactionsPremium

Automatically import bank transactions from connected bank accounts via Plaid

Bookkeeping(1 features)

Income and Expense Tracking

Track income and expenses with bookkeeping records and manual transaction entry

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.

Ready to Build?