Wave
Wave · Finance & Accounting
Free accounting software from Canada, acquired by H&R Block for $537M in 2019. Positioned as the alternative to QuickBooks for freelancers and micro-businesses that can't justify a paid accounting subscription. Distinctive for its genuine forever-free accounting/invoicing (competitors moved everything to paid). Monetizes through payments (2.9% + 60¢), payroll ($20-$40/mo), and advisor services. Popular with side hustlers, freelancers, and micro-businesses under $50K annual revenue.
In other words, Wave is worth it for US/Canada freelancers and solo entrepreneurs who want completely free accounting + invoicing + receipt scanning — particularly for early-stage founders bootstrapping before they need QuickBooks. Free forever for core accounting and invoicing; charges per transaction for payments and payroll. Extremely easy setup. Native integrations with Stripe (for payments), Zapier for third-party workflows. Downside: US/Canada only, no time tracking or inventory, and payroll (separate paid add-on) is US-only.
Pricing summary
$15.83/mo billed annually
Both
Main metered limit
2026-08-31 daily refresh — VERIFIED CLEAN, no change applied. Wave Pro re-confirmed at $19/mo billed monthly by two independent sources (erpresearch.com, trustradius.com, one dated 2026-07-16), with the annual rate reported as 'about $16/mo' against stored $15.83 ($190/yr) — the same number, rounded. Starter remains genuinely free with unlimited users. No movement, no Weekly Price Changes row written. --- Free Starter plan; Pro is $19/mo billed monthly or $190/year ($15.83/mo). US pricing in USD (a separate CAD rate of $25/mo is also shown). Per-transaction payment-processing fees are charged separately.
No separate trial
Need international support? Pick Xero. US/Canada scaling past freelancer? QuickBooks. Freelancer wanting invoicing-first? FreshBooks.
All plans
See a plain-English answer to “How much does Wave cost?” →
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Key limit |
|---|---|---|---|
Starter | Free | Free | invoicing + accounting basics |
ProEntry tier | $19 | $15.83Save 17% | auto bank imports + collaborators, $190/yr |
All tier prices verified September 19, 2026 · View source →
Price history
Price tracking is just getting started for Wave. Full history will build as we log changes. See what we have so far →
Common questions about Wave
- How much does Wave cost in 2026?
- Does Wave have a free plan?
- How often does Wave change prices?
- What are the best Wave alternatives in 2026?
- Is Wave worth it?
- Wave is worth it for US/Canada freelancers and solo entrepreneurs who want completely free accounting + invoicing + receipt scanning — particularly for early-stage founders bootstrapping before they need QuickBooks. Free forever for core accounting and invoicing; charges per transaction for payments and payroll.
- What are the pricing tiers of Wave?
- Wave has 2 plans: Starter (free), Pro ($19/mo).
- Does Wave offer annual discounts?
- Yes. Paying annually brings the entry plan from $19/month down to $15.83/month — about 17% cheaper.
Frequently asked questions
About Wave pricing.
Alternatives in Finance & Accounting (19)
See how Wave compares to other Finance & Accounting tools we track. Prices verified daily.
At a glance
- Key limit metric
- Features
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