QuickBooks vs Wave — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
QuickBooks starts at $38/mo. Wave starts at $19/mo. Wave is $19/mo cheaper on the entry tier than QuickBooks.
See price history: QuickBooks · Wave
Small business accounting from Intuit, dominant in the US SMB market (~85% share). Distinctive for its accountant network — most US CPAs recommend it as the default, creating an ecosystem lock-in. QuickBooks Online priced $30-$200/mo across four tiers. Recent AI features add auto-categorization and cash flow forecasting. QuickBooks Desktop still exists for legacy users; new sign-ups pushed exclusively to Online. Real cost bloat comes from add-ons: Payroll, Payments, TSheets.
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 | QuickBooks monthly | QuickBooks annual | Wave monthly | Wave annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | — / Starter | — | — | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Simple Start / Mobile Receipts | $38 | $30 | $8 | Free |
| Mid tier 1 | Essentials / — | $85 | — | — | — |
| Mid tier 2 | Plus / — | $140 | — | — | — |
| Pro / power | Advanced / Pro | $340 | — | $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
QuickBooks is worth it if… QuickBooks Online is worth it for US-based SMBs (1-50 employees) that need bookkeeping + invoicing + basic reports — the household-name accounting default with strong accountant ecosystem. Simple Start covers solo/small; Essentials adds bill pay and time tracking; Plus adds inventory and project profitability; Advanced adds custom permissions.
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 — QuickBooks is per seat, Wave is freemium.
Choose QuickBooks over Wave if…
Choose QuickBooks if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $38/mo).
- You match the profile QuickBooks is built for: QuickBooks Online is worth it for US-based SMBs (1-50 employees) that need bookkeeping + invoicing + basic reports — the household-name accounting default with strong accountant ecosystem.
- 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
| QuickBooks | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Entry price | $38/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.