Recurly vs Wave — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Wave starts at $19/mo. Recurly uses custom pricing — request a quote to compare.
Subscription billing platform positioned as the alternative to Chargebee for teams that want dunning + retention analytics as the core value prop, not just billing infrastructure. Distinctive for its focus on reducing involuntary churn (failed payment recovery) which historically claims 3-8% of MRR. Core $249/mo + Professional $1K+/mo + Elite custom. Popular with subscription businesses where churn recovery ROI is measurable and material.
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 | Recurly monthly | Recurly annual | Wave monthly | Wave annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Starter | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | — / Mobile Receipts | — | — | $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
Recurly is worth it if… mid-market consumer subscription businesses (streaming, media, publishing) that need recurring billing + dunning + revenue recognition at scale — particularly for teams that outgrew Stripe Billing. Core covers small SaaS; Professional adds revenue recognition and multi-entity; Elite for enterprise scale.
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 Recurly over Wave if…
Choose Recurly if…
- You're comfortable with Recurly's a free entry tier entry point.
- You match the profile Recurly is built for: mid-market consumer subscription businesses (streaming, media, publishing) that need recurring billing + dunning + revenue recognition at scale — particularly for teams that outgrew Stripe Billing.
- 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
| Recurly | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | Custom pricing | $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.