FreshBooks vs Wave — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
FreshBooks starts at $23/mo. Wave starts at $19/mo. Wave is $4/mo cheaper on the entry tier than FreshBooks.
See price history: FreshBooks · Wave
SMB accounting positioned as the alternative to QuickBooks for service-based businesses and freelancers. Distinctive for its focus on invoicing UX and time-tracking-to-invoice workflow (unusual in accounting software). Priced $21-$65/mo. Owned by JMI Equity (private equity) since 2015 — expect steady annual price increases. Popular with consultants, agencies, and service businesses that need to invoice clients more than manage inventory.
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.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | FreshBooks monthly | FreshBooks annual | Wave monthly | Wave annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | — / Starter | — | — | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Lite / Mobile Receipts | $23 | $20.7 | $8 | Free |
| Mid tier | Plus / — | $43 | $38.7 | — | — |
| Pro / power | Premium / Pro | $70 | $63 | $19 | $15.83 |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
FreshBooks is worth it if… freelancers and small service businesses (1-15 people) that need invoicing + expense tracking + light bookkeeping — particularly if QuickBooks feels like overkill and Wave is too basic. Lite covers up to 5 billable clients; Plus adds recurring billing and proposals; Premium removes client limits.
Wave is worth it if… 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.
Bottom line: Choose based on how you want to pay — FreshBooks is per seat, Wave is freemium.
Choose FreshBooks over Wave if…
Choose FreshBooks if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $23/mo).
- You match the profile FreshBooks is built for: freelancers and small service businesses (1-15 people) that need invoicing + expense tracking + light bookkeeping — particularly if QuickBooks feels like overkill and Wave is too basic.
- You need a general-purpose finance & accounting option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Wave if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (freemium, from $19/mo).
- You match the profile Wave is built 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.
- You need a general-purpose finance & accounting option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| FreshBooks | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Entry price | $23/mo | $19/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | No |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | Freemium |
| Verification | Checked October 3, 2026 | Checked September 28, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified October 3, 2026. Tracked daily.