Maxio vs Wave — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Maxio starts at $599/mo. Wave starts at $19/mo. Wave is $580/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Maxio.
SaaS billing + revenue operations platform, formed from the 2022 merger of SaaSOptics and Chargify. Positioned as the alternative to Chargebee for B2B SaaS specifically — deep integration with QuickBooks/NetSuite/Xero + revenue recognition (ASC 606) built in. Grow tier at $599/mo flat scales up to $100K monthly billings; Enterprise custom pricing based on volume. Popular with Series B-D B2B SaaS finance teams needing GAAP-compliant revenue recognition.
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 | Maxio monthly | Maxio annual | Wave monthly | Wave annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Build (developer sandbox) / Starter | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Grow / Mobile Receipts | $599 | $599 | $8 | Free |
| Pro / power | — / Pro | — | — | $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
Maxio is worth it if… B2B SaaS finance teams (Seed to Series C) that need subscription billing + revenue recognition + SaaS metrics (MRR, ARR, churn) — without building it in-house. Grow is the flat entry tier ($599/mo up to $100K in billings, unlimited users); Enterprise for higher volumes with monthly/quarterly billing options.
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: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Maxio over Wave if…
Choose Maxio if…
- You're comfortable with Maxio's from $599/mo entry point.
- You match the profile Maxio is built for: B2B SaaS finance teams (Seed to Series C) that need subscription billing + revenue recognition + SaaS metrics (MRR, ARR, churn) — without building it in-house.
- 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
| Maxio | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Entry price | $599/mo | $19/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | No |
| Pricing model | — | Freemium |
| Verification | Pricing under review | Checked September 28, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 28, 2026. Tracked daily.