--- title: "Wave Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about Wave Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Billing and Invoicing products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/178021/Wave-Apps/" page_type: "product" language: "en" --- # Wave Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on August 10, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Users](#users)[Pros and Cons](#pros-cons)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Wave ## What is Wave? With Wave’s small business software, users can automate bookkeeping tasks, create invoices and simplify tax preparation. It offers bookkeeping tools from within a unified platform. The platform streamlines decision-making through financial reports. Users can track payments, view customer information, and manage cash flow with the dashboard and mobile application. ## What is Wave used for? [Billing and Invoicing](https://www.capterra.com/billing-and-invoicing-software/)[Accounting](https://www.capterra.com/accounting-software/)[Financial Reporting](https://www.capterra.com/financial-reporting-software/) Recognitions Shortlist Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 1,728 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 87% Neutral 6% Negative 6% Pros & cons Free and affordable options Tailored for small businesses Unreliable customer assistance Slow and limited email support Starting price $19 Flat Rate, Per Month Free trial available Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... - Accounting / 2026 - Billing and Invoicing / 2026 - Direct Deposit Payroll / 2026 - Expense Report / 2026 - Financial Reporting / 2026 - Accounts Receivable / 2025 - General Ledger / 2025 - Recurring Billing / 2025 Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Wave?[Manage this product listing](https://digitalmarkets.gartner.com/get-listed/claim-bx?url=https://www.waveapps.com&name=Wave) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Wave 4.4 (1,728) VS. [4.4 (3,317)](https://www.capterra.com/p/120109/Xero/reviews/) Starting Price $19 Flat Rate, Per Month Starting Price $25 Flat Rate, Per Month Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.5 (1,644) Ease Of Use 4.4 (7,742) Value For Money 4.6 (1,289) Value For Money 4.2 (6,651) Customer Service 4.0 (1,132) Customer Service 4.0 (6,356) ## Wave alternatives [4.2 (2,062)](https://www.capterra.com/p/135757/NetSuite/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 85% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars Highest Rated [4.7 (823)](https://www.capterra.com/p/163114/Zoho-Invoice/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 96% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.0 (623)](https://www.capterra.com/p/174753/Sage-50cloud/reviews/) Starting price $124.42 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 76% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [QuickBooks Online](https://www.capterra.com/p/190778/QuickBooks-Online/) [4.3 (8,507)](https://www.capterra.com/p/190778/QuickBooks-Online/reviews/) Starting price $38.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 86% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/178021/Wave-Apps/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Wave Overview ### What problems does Wave solve? Wave solves small-business bookkeeping headaches like manual invoicing, late payment follow-up, disconnected bank transactions, receipt clutter, and tax-time record scrambling. Freelancers, solopreneurs, consultants, nonprofits, and very small finance teams use it to send branded recurring invoices, accept payments, reconcile accounts, track expenses, and monitor cash flow without expensive accounting software. Answer based on 1339 reviews Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from Wave? Wave is most used by small business owners, founders, and executives who need simple accounting, invoicing, and cash flow visibility without a full finance team. Accountants and office managers rely on it for bookkeeping, expense tracking, and payroll support, while freelancers and creative professionals use it to bill clients and manage day-to-day finances. Answer based on 1592 reviews Talk to an expert ### More questions? Ask our experts Overview ### What company size and industries is Wave built for? Wave is built for small business owners, freelancers, solopreneurs, and consultants, with 93% of reviewers from small businesses. It is used most in Marketing and Advertising at 11%, followed by Accounting at 6% and Information Technology and Services at 5%, with limited use among midsize and enterprise companies. Answer based on 1726 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Wave? Wave includes core accounting features like invoicing, bank reconciliation, expense tracking, and financial reporting. Its most-discussed differentiators are online payments tied to invoices, recurring invoices with reminders, bank account integration for transaction imports, and mobile receipt capture, making it a practical fit for small-business bookkeeping. Answer based on 810 reviews Pricing ### How much does it cost and what fees or limitations are included? Wave offers a free Starter plan for basic bookkeeping and invoicing, plus a free trial and a Pro plan at $19/month. Pro adds automation and bank imports; payment processing costs 2.9% per card transaction for the first 10 monthly, then 2.9% + 0.60, while some reviewers call the free tier basic and limited for inventory or multiple businesses. Answer based on 524 reviews Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does Wave integrate with? Wave integrates with PayPal, Stripe, Zapier, Google Sheets, Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, and Shoeboxed. Reviewer mentions also reference Square Point of Sale and Zoho Mail. These cover payments, email, spreadsheet reporting, receipt capture, and automation, with users most often citing PayPal, Stripe, and Zapier. Answer based on 155 reviews Getting Started and Support ### How easy is it to onboard and train a team on Wave? Wave is generally quick to onboard for small teams, freelancers, and administrative staff, especially users familiar with bookkeeping. It offers in-person training, live online sessions, webinars, documentation, and videos. Non-accountants and first-time bookkeepers often need more time during setup, especially for payroll, taxes, categories, and accounting terms. Answer based on 47 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Wave offer, and how do users rate the experience? Wave offers email/help desk, FAQ/forum, a knowledge base, and chat. Users often describe support as helpful, responsive, and quick to answer, especially through chat, but others report slower replies, limited direct assistance for urgent issues, and documentation that can make simple problems harder to solve. Answer based on 237 reviews Security ### How does Wave handle data security and access control? Wave uses secure storage for financial and customer data, fingerprint unlock on mobile, automatic logout after idle time, identity verification, and strongly encrypted read-only bank connections, with optional manual CSV imports instead of direct linking. Some reviewers note no two-factor authentication, limited permission granularity, and occasional bank-connection disruptions tied to security changes. Answer based on 31 reviews ## Who uses Wave? Based on Capterra reviews from the past 2 years Talk to a software expert to get a free software list tailored to your business needs ## Pros and Cons Free and affordable options 94% positive reviews out of 401 Most reviewers appreciate pricing, emphasizing the free tier, cost savings, and valuable features without high fees. Anonymous User Consultant, 1 employee. "Generous free starter plan with everything needed for a startup." Unreliable customer assistance 53% negative reviews out of 190 Some reviewers describe customer support as inconsistent, difficult to reach, and slow to resolve problems or answer questions. Tailored for small businesses 95% positive reviews out of 329 Most reviewers describe small business use as ideal, citing affordability, essential features, and suitability for startups. Christian W. Founder, 1 employee. "These features are more than essential to the small business owner and are easy to generate on the go quickly with the mobile application." Slow and limited email support 67% negative reviews out of 86 Most reviewers report email support is slow, often unresponsive, and lacks timely, effective communication for urgent needs. Aaron G. Owner, 2 - 10 employees. "However towards the end of 2024 the customer support has disappeared - no response on the live chat and no response via email." Straightforward setup and navigation 96% positive reviews out of 242 Most reviewers find ease of use valuable, highlighting simple setup, intuitive navigation, and accessible tutorials. Frequent slowdowns and lag 82% negative reviews out of 76 Most reviewers indicate performance and speed issues, mentioning slow load times, freezing, and occasional crashes during use. ## Features AI summary Based on 16,165 Billing and Invoicing reviews Capterra reviewers highlight these features as the top priorities when choosing billing and invoicing software: - **Invoice Processing** (**53%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Invoice Creation** (**55%**) - **Quotes/Estimates** (**56%**) Wave supports **Invoice Processing** and **Invoice Creation**, making it easier to send bills and manage invoicing tasks in one place. However, it does not offer **Quotes/Estimates**. Instead, it provides other important features that reviewers also value, including **Online Invoicing** (**51%**), **Invoice History** (**44%**), and **Payment Processing** (**52%**). These features help businesses track past invoices, accept payments more efficiently, and manage billing activity with better visibility, helping teams keep cash flow organized and reduce manual follow-up. Invoice Processing 4.6 (128) 69.53% of 128 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Creation, processing, verification, and execution of invoices till the payment is made Invoice Creation 4.6 (237) 70.04% of 237 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Wave offers a simple and flexible way to create and customize invoices, including adding logos and branding. Users think invoice creation is fast, intuitive, and professional-looking, with options for recurring billing, duplicating invoices, and editing client or item details easily. Online Invoicing 4.7 (240) 67.08% of 240 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important With this capability, you can quickly send professional invoices via email, track payments, and set up automated reminders. Reviewers appreciate the convenience of invoicing from any device, real-time notifications, and online payment options, making it easier to get paid promptly. Invoice History 4.5 (198) 70.71% of 198 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important It gives you comprehensive access to past invoices, letting you filter, search, and review records for clients or tax purposes. Some users say it's easy to track paid and unpaid invoices, duplicate previous ones, and generate statements, though search fields could be more robust. Billing & Invoicing 4.6 (313) 63.58% of 313 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important This aspect helps you manage payments, send reminders, and track outstanding balances efficiently. Reviewers indicate it's easy to use, integrates with payment processing, and supports recurring billing, though some mention limited template flexibility and challenges with canceling recurring invoices. Expense Tracking 4.4 (219) 60.27% of 219 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important You can efficiently categorize, track, and report expenses, attach receipts, and sync with bank accounts. Reviewers appreciate the ease of use, customizable categories, and mobile access, but some mention missing receipt import capabilities and limited bank integrations. Wave 86 features ### All Features - Access Controls/Permissions: Define levels of authorization for access to specific files or systems - Accounting: Built-in accounting to manage ledger, accounts payable/receivable, financial reports, etc. - Accounting Integration: Integrate with a third-party accounting system - Accounts Payable: Track money owed to a company's creditors/suppliers - Accounts Receivable: Track outstanding invoices and the money owed from clients - ACH Payment Processing: Accept electronic bank-to-bank transfers using a network called the Automated Clearing House (ACH) - Activity Dashboard: Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities - Activity Tracking: Track and document all activities across devices, networks, and other systems - Alerts/Notifications: Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges - Automatic Billing: Setup and send recurring or automated bills - Bank Reconciliation: Compare and match accounting/financial records with corresponding bank statements - Billing & Invoicing: This aspect helps you manage payments, send reminders, and track outstanding balances efficiently. Reviewers indicate it's easy to use, integrates with payment processing, and supports recurring billing, though some mention limited template flexibility and challenges with canceling recurring invoices. - Budgeting/Forecasting: Create budgets based on historical data and future projections - Cash Flow Management: Monitoring, analysis, and projection of the movement of cash into and out of a business over a specific period - Cash Management: Process of managing an organization's cash resources, including cash on hand, investments, and bank account balances - Chart of Accounts: A financial statement that lists a company's accounts and details the account type and balance - Collaboration Tools: Provides a channel for team members to share AI models, media files, communicate, and work together - Commission Management: Tracking, calculating, and paying commissions and earnings to employees - CPA Firms: Software for Certified Public Accountants to aid clients in achieving financial goals. - Credit Card Processing: Accept and process credit card transactions - CRM: Built-in customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities or integration with a third-party CRM system - Currency Conversion: Change one currency to another based on real-time rates/values - Customer Statements: Reports that show customers their invoices, payments, and balance on the account - Customizable Branding: Add customized logos and colors to align with company branding - Customizable Templates: Pre-designed layouts that can be customized to match preferences and requirements - Dashboard: Assembly of graphs and charts for visualizing and tracking statistics/metrics - Data Import/Export: Import and export data to and from software applications - Data Security: Protect sensitive data for digital privacy - Direct Deposit: Digitally deposit correct payroll amounts into individual employee's bank accounts - Electronic Payments: Electronically collect payments for goods or services - Email Reminders: Reminders sent via email - Encryption: Convert data into a code for security - Estimating: Estimate expected cost based on various factors before a project begins - Expense Tracking: You can efficiently categorize, track, and report expenses, attach receipts, and sync with bank accounts. Reviewers appreciate the ease of use, customizable categories, and mobile access, but some mention missing receipt import capabilities and limited bank integrations. - Financial Analysis: Evaluate units, projects, budgets, and other finance-related data to gauge their performance and potential risk - Financial Management: Plan, manage, and track the financial activities of an individual or organization - Financial Reporting: Generate reports to assess the financial performance of an organization - Fixed Asset Management: Centralized database to track details of fixed assets such as depreciation and maintenance scheduling/history - For Legal Professionals: Specifically designed to address the needs of law firms and legal departments - For Medical Purposes: Intended for medical use such as diagnosis, treatment, and consultation - For Real Estate: For realtors, real estate investors, property managers, and other real estate professionals. - For Religious Organizations: Primarily serving churches and religious organizations - For Small Businesses: Designed for small businesses - Fund Accounting: Manage revenue acquired through grants, donations, and other sources (accountability vs. profitability) - General Ledger: Centralized accounting record which tracks all financial transactions - Income & Balance Sheet: A statement detailing the financial position of a business including assets, liabilities, and equity at a certain point in time - Inventory Management: Track and manage inventory levels to maintain proper supply - Invoice Creation: Wave offers a simple and flexible way to create and customize invoices, including adding logos and branding. Users think invoice creation is fast, intuitive, and professional-looking, with options for recurring billing, duplicating invoices, and editing client or item details easily. - Invoice History: It gives you comprehensive access to past invoices, letting you filter, search, and review records for clients or tax purposes. Some users say it's easy to track paid and unpaid invoices, duplicate previous ones, and generate statements, though search fields could be more robust. - Invoice Management: Captures invoice data and maintains comprehensive records for auditing and reporting purposes - Invoice Processing: Creation, processing, verification, and execution of invoices till the payment is made - Mobile App: Access the system via a mobile application - Multi-Currency: Manage and handle various international currencies - Online Invoicing: With this capability, you can quickly send professional invoices via email, track payments, and set up automated reminders. Reviewers appreciate the convenience of invoicing from any device, real-time notifications, and online payment options, making it easier to get paid promptly. - Partial Payments: Allow customers to make a partial payment on an invoice and track remaining debt - Payment Reconciliation: Reconcile payments with corresponding invoices or orders for accounting purposes - Payment Tracking: Track sent and received payments, invoices, and bills. - Payroll Management: Manage employee salary processes, data, taxes, and records administration efficiently - Payroll Reporting: View and track payroll metrics including tax liabilities, pay rates, working hours, deductions and more - PCI Compliance: Store, process, and transmit cardholder data in compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) - Profit/Loss Statement: A type of financial statement used to record and report an organization's revenues, costs, and expenses over a specific amount of time - Project Accounting: Manage and track financials on a project-to-project basis - Projections: Estimate or forecast of a future scenario based on the study of present trends - Purchase Order Management: Create, send, and track purchase orders and their statuses - Real-Time Notifications: Notifications that are delivered to users as soon as an event occurs - Real-Time Updates: Receive system updates as soon as any changes are made - Receipt Management: Upload, track, and submit receipts in a central database - Receivables Ledger: A list of customers and their payments due updated on a monthly basis - Recurring Invoicing: Generate recurring invoices - Recurring/Subscription Billing: Automated process of charging customers at regular intervals for repeated access or use of a product or service - Reminders: Timed notification for any upcoming task, deadline, appointment, or activity - Remote Access/Control: Access work applications remotely, for when working away from the office and/or traveling - Reporting & Statistics: Collection, analysis, and representation of numerical data and generation of reports to understand various patterns - Reporting/Analytics: View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data - Revenue Recognition: An accounting principle that identifies the specific conditions in which revenue is recognized and determines how to account for it. - Sales Tax Management: Calculation of consumption tax imposed on the sale of goods/services - Spend Management: Track the amount of money spent on a certain product or with a certain supplier - SSL Security: Security protocol that ensures secure, encrypted communication over the internet, safeguarding sensitive data from unauthorized access - Status Tracking: Track the status over time for a request, process, asset, or transaction - Tax Compliance: Track tax-related transactions, tax remittance and tax reporting for various groups of employees and contractors - Tax Filing: The completion of documentation that calculates earned income and the taxes to be paid, also called a tax return - Tax Management: Implementation of various strategies to manage tax obligations via planning and maintaining compliance - Third-Party Integrations: Set up connections to third-party platforms to improve business processes - Time & Expense Tracking: Log and record hours worked and costs spent to assist in billing and invoicing - Transaction History: Record of all transactions such as purchases, deposits, withdrawals and transfers within a specific period - Transaction Management: Manage, record and track all business exchanges in form of money and its related interactions in the system --- Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.2 (1,588) 4.2 Based on 1,588 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.6 (1289) Free Trial Free Version [View pricing plan details](https://www.capterra.com/p/178021/Wave-Apps/pricing/) Pro $19.00 Flat Rate,Per Month It includes: - Manage Cash Flow With Ease - Send Recurring Invoices - Set Up Deposit Requests - Automate Payment Reminders - Save Hours With Bookkeeping Automation - Automatically Import And Categorize Bank Transactions - Scan And Digitize Business Receipts With OCR Technology - Add Attachments To Invoices And Estimates - Create Reusable Message Templates - Manage Accounting Transactions In Mobile App Value for money 4.6 (1,289) 4.6 Based on 1,289 reviews ## Integrations [ PayPal](https://www.capterra.com/p/207944/PayPal/)[ Gmail](https://www.capterra.com/p/202338/Gmail/)[ Google Sheets](https://www.capterra.com/p/169718/Google-Sheets/)[ Zapier](https://www.capterra.com/p/130182/Zapier/)[ Microsoft Outlook](https://www.capterra.com/p/227138/Microsoft-Outlook/)[ Shoeboxed](https://www.capterra.com/p/222840/Shoeboxed/) Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.0 (1132) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.0 (1,132) 4.0 Based on 1,132 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.4 Based on 1,728 reviews Filter by rating 5(1055) 4(451) 3(110) 2(34) 1(78) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent TR Trey R. Founder Sports ### "Best bookkeeping for small businesses " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 August 12, 2026 Great. I love this software so much and has been a game changer for my small business and bookkeeping without paying a huge fee. Pros I love the simplicity of this platform for book keeping and being able to track payments. It is simple straight forward and easy to use even on a free plan. Cons I do not have any complaints or things I do not like about this software. It is perfect for a small business. Switched from [Google Sheets](https://www.capterra.com/p/169718/Google-Sheets/) Needed something easier and a way to send invoices over to clients and bookkeeping Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RW Ronald W. Graphic Designer Design ### "Wave payments" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 August 12, 2026 Pros So far, Wave has been wonderful for me to use. I mostly use the invoicing system and it works great for my needs. Cons The con that I've had is that the debit card feature that was once offered was ended. I looked forward to using it more. Switched from [QuickBooks Solopreneur](https://www.capterra.com/p/212141/QuickBooks-Self-Employed/) My free trial was up and I needed a free invoicing product. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AC Amanda C. Association Manager Non-Profit Organization Management ### "Still a Top Choice!" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 August 2, 2026 Pros The cost of Wave compared to other similar options, is far better. The integration with a variety of banking institutions makes accounting in real-time possible. Cons I would like to see more reports available under the reporting tab. It does not allow for budget input making it slightly more difficult to measure true spending against what was planned. Alternatives considered [FreshBooks](https://www.capterra.com/p/142390/FreshBooks/) [QuickBooks Online](https://www.capterra.com/p/190778/QuickBooks-Online/) [Zoho Expense](https://www.capterra.com/p/142384/Zoho-Expense/) Reasons for choosing Wave The price and the ease of use were the deciding factors. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. ML Marsha L. Worker Hospitality ### "Wave us for small businesses " 1.0 Overall Rating 1.0 1.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 1/10 July 23, 2026 Wave is good for small businesses just getting started. It has free accounting and invoicing that helps new business owners. Pros The best thing about Wave is the mobile app. Wave can track income expenses and receipts. The free accounting and invoicing us a good feature sldi. Cons The least favorable thing about Wave is the customer support. At times, it can be slow. I feel Wave us vest used for small business. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Salina T. Owner Information Technology and Services ### "Comprehensive Accounting SaaS With Appealing Design" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 July 7, 2026 Pros I was looking for a cost effective option to recommend to a family member, and I really find the value of Wave's free tier to be amazing. There are also trials for different add-on features like recurring invoices and their payroll which you can try for 30 days. I find in comparison to its competitors like Quickbooks, the web app user experience is smoother and the design is easier to look at with the different blue colours. It was very quick to connect my banking unlike with Quickbooks which took a couple of days, Wave only took a few minutes to verify my account. Cons I tried to recommend my friend to use Wave but they were unable to sign-up as my friend works in healthcare, and there were some data storage restriction due to HIPAA and Wave's data policies, which prevented the registration to continue. Finding out that information made me feel slightly less secure with how the data is stored, and I had to research more to determine if I felt comfortable with Wave still. Switched from [QuickBooks Online](https://www.capterra.com/p/190778/QuickBooks-Online/) I was asked my opinion on Wave by a family member, so I tried the free trial. I ended up enjoying the overall user experience flow and the design more so I switched to Wave. I think the platform is a couple of dollars cheaper overall but their add-ons are comparable or more expensive. Alternatives considered [Zoho Invoice](https://www.capterra.com/p/163114/Zoho-Invoice/) Reasons for choosing Wave I tried Wave after trying Zoho Invoice and I liked the sleek design more than Zoho, and I also required a payroll feature. The Wave option connects to your Payroll account and can accumulate fees during the payroll process which simplifies my responsibilities. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. EK emir K. Principal Environmental Services ### "Do Not Use Wave Payments — Funds Held After Customer Paid" 1.0 Overall Rating 1.0 1.0 Ease of Use 1.0 1.0 Features 1.0 1.0 Customer Service 1.0 1.0 Likelihood to Recommend 0/10 June 25, 2026 My overall experience with Wave was extremely negative and damaging to my business. I used Wave for the first time to create a proposal and invoice for a legitimate completed project. My customer paid through Wave by ACH/bank payment, and the funds were withdrawn from the customer, but Wave did not release the payment to my business account. Instead, Wave later claimed they were unable to verify my business and stated that the funds could be held for 70 days. They did not provide a clear explanation, did not request specific verification documents before holding the payment, and did not give me a meaningful opportunity to resolve the issue. As a small business owner, this is completely unacceptable. I rely on timely payment for completed work, and this experience caused unnecessary disruption, stress, and damage to my customer relationship. I would never use Wave again under any circumstances, and I strongly recommend that other businesses look for other invoicing and payment processing options. Pros Nothing significant. The proposal and invoice setup seemed simple at first, but that became irrelevant once Wave accepted my customer’s ACH payment, withdrew the funds, and then refused to release the payment to my business account. Cons The worst part of Wave was the payment processing experience. I used Wave for the first time to create a proposal and invoice. My customer paid by ACH/bank payment through Wave, the funds were withdrawn from the customer, and then Wave refused to release the payment to my business account because they claimed they could not verify my business. Wave did not first request specific documents, did not explain exactly what verification failed, and did not give me a meaningful opportunity to resolve the issue. My company is a legitimate registered and insured business, and I can provide EIN documentation, LLC registration, insurance, business banking information, invoice, proposal, customer payment confirmation, and proof of completed work. Instead of releasing the payment, Wave stated that the funds could be held for 70 days and then refunded to the customer. This is unacceptable for a small business. Based on my experience, I would not recommend Wave Payments to any business that depends on timely access to customer payments. Alternatives considered [Square Payments](https://www.capterra.com/p/170278/Square-Payments-Processing/) Reasons for choosing Wave I chose Wave because it appeared to be a simple and convenient option for creating proposals, invoices, and accepting customer payments. In hindsight, that was a mistake. I should have used a more reliable payment processing option with better verification, communication, and protection for small businesses. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. BT Brianna T. Editor Writing and Editing ### "Do not use this software for payroll " 1.0 Overall Rating 1.0 1.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 1.0 1.0 Customer Service 1.0 1.0 Likelihood to Recommend 0/10 June 7, 2026 Pros Wave was a fine and affordable accounting and payroll service that was user-friendly and easy to navigate. Cons Wave underwent a merger/acquisition over the summer in 2025 that completely ruined their operations. They messed up our tax reporting and left us with outstanding taxes due. Customer service was not helpful. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. SA Suman A. Owner,Bookkeeper,TAxPreparer Accounting ### "The Best Free Accounting Software for Small Businesses" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 June 4, 2026 Reliable and cost-effective for invoicing, expense tracking, and bank reconciliation. Great value for small businesses. Pros Free core features, clean interface, easy invoicing, and solid financial reports. Perfect for freelancers and small businesses. Cons Limited customer support on free plan, fewer integrations than QuickBooks, and no inventory management. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. ST Sai Teja E. Construction Project Manager Construction ### "Easy-to-use accounting software for small businesses" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 May 29, 2026 Overall, my experience with Wave has been positive. It is a good option for small businesses that need an easy accounting and invoicing system without too much complexity. It helps save time with daily bookkeeping tasks, invoicing, and tracking payments. While it may not have all the advanced features of bigger platforms, it works well for basic business accounting needs. Pros Wave is simple and easy to use for basic accounting, invoicing, and payment tracking. It is helpful for small businesses because the layout is straightforward and it does not take much time to create invoices, record payments, and review financial information. Cons Some features are limited compared to larger accounting software. Reporting and customization options could be better, and customer support response times can sometimes be slower than expected. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. NC Nilsa C. Music Therapist, Owner Health, Wellness and Fitness ### "Excellent for small business owners! " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 24, 2026 Overall, I have nothing but positive feedback and have recommended the software to some of my small biz owner friends. Pros What I like most about wave is how it's helped me organize my sole-proprietor finances without costing me anything. I did try the receipt scanning feature which is less than$10 a month, and enjoyed it, but don't need it at the moment. The invoices are super professional and at the end of the month I download the data and categorize it as needed. I like how I can ask to consult a bookkeeper at any given time! Cons What I like least is that I can't select multiple invoices to mark as paid or duplicate at once. This slows me down when I'm invoicing or reconciling accounts. Switched from [QuickBooks Solopreneur](https://www.capterra.com/p/212141/QuickBooks-Self-Employed/) It was too expensive for my practice needs. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/178021/Wave-Apps/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Popular comparisons [QuickBooks Online vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/178021-190778/Wave-Apps-vs-QuickBooks-Online)[PayPal vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/178021-207944/Wave-Apps-vs-PayPal)[Abby vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/178021-268623/Wave-Apps-vs-Abby)[Xero vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/120109-178021/Xero-vs-Wave-Apps)[QuickBooks Enterprise vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/174984-178021/QuickBooks-Enterprise-vs-Wave-Apps)[NetSuite vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/135757-178021/NetSuite-vs-Wave-Apps)[Bookipi vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/178021-195165/Wave-Apps-vs-Bookipi)[Zoho Invoice vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/163114-178021/Zoho-Invoice-vs-Wave-Apps)[Sage 50 Accounting vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/174753-178021/Sage-50cloud-vs-Wave-Apps)[Elorus vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/152770-178021/Elorus-vs-Wave-Apps) [QuickBooks Online Advanced vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/178021-189398/Wave-Apps-vs-QuickBooks-Online)[QuickBooks Desktop vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/178021-212058/Wave-Apps-vs-QuickBooks-Desktop-Pro)[FreshBooks vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/142390-178021/FreshBooks-vs-Wave-Apps)[Sage Accounting vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/168740-178021/Sage-One-UK-vs-Wave-Apps)[Refrens vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/178021-204191/Wave-Apps-vs-Refrens)[Sage Intacct vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/76-178021/Intacct-vs-Wave-Apps)[Dynamics 365 vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/157279-178021/Dynamics-365-vs-Wave-Apps)[Zoho Books vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/163115-178021/Zoho-Books-vs-Wave-Apps)[Odoo vs Wave](https://www.capterra.com/compare/135618-178021/Odoo-vs-Wave-Apps)