Wave alternatives
Top Accounting & Invoicing like Wave
The most popular alternative to Wave is QuickBooks. Other great alternatives to Wave are FreshBooks, Zoho Books, Xero, and Invoice Ninja.
Most alternatives to Wave are in the Accounting & Invoicing category, compared here by price, platform and features.
All Wave alternatives
QuickBooks is Intuit's accounting software for small businesses and self-employed people, offered mainly as the cloud-based QuickBooks Online, with desktop editions for Windows. It handles invoicing, bank feeds, expense and receipt tracking, sales tax, reports and payroll, and connects to many third-party apps and accountants. Intuit Assist adds AI help, and plans are paid after a free trial.
12 QuickBooks alternativesPros
- Widely known by accountants, which eases collaboration
- Large ecosystem of connected third-party apps
- Covers invoicing, bank feeds, sales tax and payroll
Cons
- Subscription costs add up, especially with payroll on top
- Features vary a lot between countries and editions
- Takes longer to learn than simpler invoicing apps
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesFreshBooks is cloud accounting software from Toronto designed for freelancers, consultants and small service businesses. It is centred on invoicing, with time tracking, project billing, expense capture, online payments and bank reconciliation, plus double-entry reports for an accountant. Plans are paid by subscription after a free trial.
11 FreshBooks alternativesPros
- Polished invoicing designed around service businesses
- Time tracking and project billing built in
- Easy to use for freelancers without accounting training
Cons
- No free plan once the trial ends
- Lower plans limit the number of billable clients
- Less suited to inventory-heavy or larger businesses
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesZoho Books is cloud accounting software from Zoho for small and growing businesses. It covers invoicing and quotes, bank feeds and reconciliation, expenses, projects and time billing, multi-currency transactions and local tax reports in supported countries, and connects natively with Zoho CRM, Inventory and other Zoho apps. A free plan is available for very small businesses.
11 Zoho Books alternativesPros
- Native links with Zoho CRM, Inventory and other Zoho apps
- Free plan available for very small businesses
- Handles projects, time billing and multi-currency transactions
Cons
- Best value comes when you already use the Zoho ecosystem
- Local tax features only cover supported countries
- The many settings can feel overwhelming at first
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesXero is a cloud accounting platform from New Zealand used by small businesses together with their accountants and bookkeepers. It reconciles bank feeds, sends invoices and quotes, tracks bills and expenses, handles multiple currencies and offers payroll in several countries, with a large marketplace of connected apps. It is a paid subscription with a free trial.
9 Xero alternativesPros
- Fast bank reconciliation driven by live bank feeds
- Large marketplace of connected apps
- Built for working closely with accountants and bookkeepers
Cons
- No free plan after the trial
- The entry plan caps how many invoices and bills you can create
- Payroll is only available in some countries
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesInvoice Ninja is an invoicing and billing platform for freelancers and small businesses, offered as a hosted service or as software you can install on your own server. It creates quotes, invoices and recurring billing, tracks time, tasks and expenses, supports many currencies and connects to dozens of payment gateways through a client portal. The source code is available under the Elastic License.
8 Invoice Ninja alternativesPros
- Self-hostable or available as a hosted service
- Connects to dozens of payment gateways through a client portal
- Recurring invoices, quotes, time and expense tracking included
Cons
- Not a full double-entry accounting system
- Elastic License code is not open source in the strict sense
- Many settings make the initial setup time-consuming
Cost / LicenseFreemiumSource availableCategoriesPlatformsGnuCash is a free, open source desktop accounting program for tracking personal finances or keeping small-business books with double-entry accounting. It manages bank and credit card accounts, investments, multiple currencies, customers, vendors, invoices and bills, and can import QIF, OFX and CSV files or fetch transactions online. It runs offline on Windows, macOS and Linux and is licensed under the GPL.
7 GnuCash alternativesPros
- Free, open source double-entry accounting
- Works offline, with your data kept on your own computer
- Imports QIF, OFX and CSV files from banks
Cons
- Dated interface that feels clunky next to modern apps
- Double-entry concepts can confuse non-accountants
- No built-in cloud sync between devices
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesAkaunting is web-based accounting software for small businesses and freelancers that can be installed on your own server or used in the cloud. The core handles invoices, bills, expenses, customers, vendors, multiple currencies and reports, while paid apps from its marketplace add features such as payroll, inventory and bank feeds. Its source code is published under the Business Source License.
8 Akaunting alternativesPros
- Can be self-hosted on your own server or used in the cloud
- Core covers invoices, bills, expenses and multiple currencies
- Marketplace apps add payroll, inventory and bank feeds
Cons
- Many useful features are paid add-ons from the marketplace
- Business Source License code is not open source in the strict sense
- Self-hosting requires technical skills to install and maintain
Cost / LicenseFreemiumSource availableCategoriesPlatformsSage is a UK software company whose range spans small-business accounting such as Sage Accounting and Sage 50, payroll and HR tools, and Sage Intacct for mid-sized finance teams. Products and features vary by country, covering invoicing, bank feeds, tax returns, payroll and reporting, often used alongside an accountant. Most products are paid subscriptions, some with a free trial.
8 Sage alternativesPros
- Range scales from small-business books to mid-market finance
- Payroll and HR tools available from the same vendor
- Long-established and familiar to many accountants
Cons
- Confusing product lineup that varies by country
- Older desktop products feel dated next to cloud rivals
- Mostly paid subscriptions, with no lasting free plan
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesIndy is a French bookkeeping app built for independent workers such as micro-entrepreneurs, liberal professions and small companies. It syncs bank accounts, categorises transactions automatically, creates quotes and invoices and helps prepare tax returns, and it also offers a business bank account. The core features are free, with paid plans that add advanced management and filing of tax returns.
7 Indy alternativesPros
- Core bookkeeping features are free
- Synced bank transactions are categorized automatically
- Built around the tax obligations of French freelancers
Cons
- Designed for France, so of little use elsewhere
- Filing tax returns requires a paid plan
- Less suited to companies with complex accounting needs
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategories
Wave vs its alternatives at a glance
Pricing, platforms and the key features of Wave, compared with its most popular alternatives.
| App | Pricing | Platforms | Bank sync | Expense tracking | Invoicing | Payroll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Wave | Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android | ||||
 QuickBooks | Free trial | Web, Windows, iPhone, Android | ||||
 FreshBooks | Free trial | Web, iPhone, Android | ||||
 Zoho Books | Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android | ||||
 Xero | Free trial | Web, iPhone, Android | ||||
 Invoice Ninja | FreemiumSource available | Web, iPhone, Android, Self-hosted |
Wave alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Wave?
The most popular alternative to Wave is QuickBooks: Intuit's accounting software for small businesses. Other great alternatives are FreshBooks, Zoho Books, Xero, and Invoice Ninja.
Is there a free alternative to Wave?
Yes, 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including Zoho Books, Invoice Ninja, GnuCash, and Akaunting.
Is there an open source alternative to Wave?
Yes, one open source alternative is listed: GnuCash.
Is Wave free?
Wave has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.
Compare Wave with its alternatives
Sponsored listings and products made by the publisher of this site are always labeled. How we rank · Know a good alternative? Submit it