It offers a wide variety of features that helps you gain control over your finances. At $19 a month, you’ll get all the main features we’ve outlined above, such as invoicing, project management, time tracking, among others. Wave is better for freelancers, because it’s easy to use and offers free accounting and invoicing features with the Starter Plan. QuickBooks might be better for businesses with more complex needs and a bigger budget.
While it may be overkill for a solo consultant, it’s perfect for those scaling operations and dealing with payroll, inventory, and taxes. Xero is an ideal replacement for Wave if you need a scalable, professional-grade tool that doesn’t sacrifice user experience. It offers strong reporting and is especially valuable for businesses with international operations or complex workflows. If you were drawn to Wave because of its price, QuickBooks Solopreneur and its features are designed specifically for you at a small monthly cost.
This feature allows you to take on projects without the fear of being ripped off. And if you have several repeat clients, the app can help create recurring invoices for them. Today, you can’t imagine efficient accounting management without using accounting software.
Personally, I need reporting, bank transactions, invoicing/estimating, and payroll assistance and automated payroll tax payments. Kirk Simpson, an entrepreneur with two thriving tech companies, wanted to make a simple and free free wave accounting alternative financial program for small businesses. Simpson and James Lochrie initiated Wave in 2010 with only eight employees.
You didn’t start your business tobe a bookkeeper
- Still, it’s worth mentioning that Wave can integrate with third-party time-tracking tools, but it might require additional effort and expenses.
- Choose the template that best reflects your business, load your own logo, and choose a color for your invoices.
- The flexibility of Synder’s pricing plans allow businesses to smoothly scale their accounting management as their operations grow and evolve.
In 10 years, Wave has grown to more than 250 workers with more than 500,000 clients of entrepreneurs and freelancers around the globe. Wave’s mission is to empower small business owners and believe in their journey and ability to change the world. Mobile applications are available for Wave Receipts and Wave Invoices, which will allow you to scan receipts and send an invoice on the go. With the Plus and Advanced plans, you gain access to over 60 reports that give you an overview of your business’s financial health. You can use this free trial to understand its key features, get a feel of the app, and see if it’s worth a shot.
The good thing about Sage Accounting is that it’s one of the three Sage accounting products in the Sage universe; the other two software solutions are Sage 50cloud and Sage Intacct. Small businesses can start with Sage Accounting, and from there, it’s very easy to scale up and upgrade to 50cloud or Intacct if your business grows. We voted myBooks as the best cheap alternative to Wave for several reasons. One of the reasons is that it comes with a free plan that supports one user and allows for up to 25 monthly transactions. The software lets you import your transactions for streamlined monitoring.
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For one, its pricing can be out of reach for most small businesses or freelancers who are strapped for cash. Another thing that makes QuickBooks Online a worthwhile Wave alternative is the sheer number of integrations the platform offers. It gives you access to over 600 apps that include third-party platforms and QuickBooks add-ons — a far cry from only 4 available Wave integrations. These integrations can help minimize the possibility of duplicated work across different platforms. That said, the most impressive feature that the app offers for freelancers is invoicing.
- Whether you’re viewing your smart dashboard or accessing key financial reports, you’ll love our simple interface.
- FreshBooks allows businesses to customize their invoices and easily track billable hours, enabling accurate and timely billing to clients.
- FreshBooks is one of the best alternatives to Wave Accounting software due to its automation and project management capabilities.
- For freelancers, Freshbooks may be a better option than Wave because of its project management features.
Best Wave Alternatives 2025 (Top 10 Similar Competitors)
FreshBooks allows businesses to customize their invoices and easily track billable hours, enabling accurate and timely billing to clients. The platform also offers mobile apps for on-the-go access, making it convenient for busy entrepreneurs to manage their finances from anywhere. FreshBooks also integrates with popular payment gateways, ensuring smooth payment processing for both businesses and their clients.
Its familiarity among bookkeepers and accountants makes it a reliable go-to for businesses needing both flexibility and scalability. Zoho Books offers six affordable pricing plans ranging from $0-$275/month. The larger the plan, the more invoices, features, and user seats you have access to. Payments are made monthly, although there is a discount for purchasing an annual subscription. FreshBooks and Wave both offer easy-to-use software with professional invoices and good expense tracking. They each offer contact management, strong client portals, and time tracking as well.
The one thing the navigation bar lacks is a quick-add button, which you can only find on the dashboard. The only applications Wave can integrate with are PayPal, Etsy, Shoeboxed, Zapier and Google Sheets. QuickBooks is easily one of the most recognizable names in the online accounting industry. Its parent company, Intuit, has been developing accounting software for small businesses for over 30 years. You can use the app to track 1099 expenses, identify possible tax deductions, and estimate your quarterly taxes. When you input your information on the app, it automatically imports all your expenses from your bank and credit cards, then organizes your tax receipts.
Setting reminders to be sent to clients for payment is the most important feature from wave in my opinion. Also being able to create recurring invoices you you don’t have to do the same thing every week or every month. Pulling out customer statements and sending to your clients gives you points in terms of professionalism. I also appreciate that when Wave stopped operating in South Africa they recommended Zoho and gave us a year of free use of Zoho. ZipBooks is a free Wave alternative that offers essential accounting features to small businesses. Its user-friendly interface and automation capabilities make it an attractive option for entrepreneurs seeking simplicity and efficiency in their financial management.