Review · Finance & accounting
Wave review
Free invoicing and bookkeeping for small businesses, with a paid Pro plan that automates bank imports and receipts.
By the TopToolAdvisor research desk · Updated November 6, 2026
- Features (35%)
- 7.6
- Ease of use (35%)
- 8.8
- Value (30%)
- 9.6
Wave is the strongest free option for freelancers whose main job is billing clients. Starter costs nothing and allows unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records, with a dashboard for cash flow and customers and a mobile app for invoicing on the go. Online card payments on Starter cost 2.9% plus $0.60 per transaction. Pro, at $19 a month or $190 a year, drops the fixed $0.60 part of the card fee, imports and categorizes bank transactions automatically, captures unlimited receipts and sends late payment reminders. Wave also sells Wave Advisors, a done-for-you bookkeeping service starting at $149 a month that includes Pro features and monthly statements. The trade-off is depth: there is no mileage tracker or tax estimate tool on the pricing page, and on the free plan you enter bank transactions yourself. For a freelancer who invoices a handful of clients and keeps simple books, Wave is hard to beat on price.
Who it is for
Freelancers on a tight budget who mainly need invoices, estimates and simple books.
Price
Free Starter plan; Pro $19 per month or $190 per year.
It’s Pro time. $19 USD/month Billed monthly
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 6, 2026.
Key features
- Unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records on Starter
- Online card and bank payments on invoices
- Mobile app for invoices, expenses and receipts
- Pro: auto-import, auto-merge and categorization of bank transactions
- Pro: unlimited receipt capture and automated late payment reminders
Strengths and weaknesses
- Strength: The free plan has no cap on invoices or records
- Strength: Pro is $190 a year if you pay annually
- Strength: Wave Advisors adds a dedicated bookkeeper when you outgrow doing it yourself
- Weakness: Bank transaction import is a Pro feature
- Weakness: Card fees on Starter include an extra $0.60 per transaction
- Weakness: Fewer tax-specific tools than QuickBooks Solopreneur or Keeper
Key facts
- Free plan: Yes, Starter
- Pro: $19 per month or $190 per year
- Card fee on Starter: 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction
Where it ranks
Wave is No. 2 in our Best Accounting Software for Freelancers verdict and No. 4 in Best Accounting Software for Small Business.
Alternatives we scored
Visit waveapps.com · Questions or corrections: editorial@toptooladvisor.com