Sage Intacct vs Wave — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Wave starts at $19/mo. Sage Intacct uses custom pricing — request a quote to compare.
See price history: Sage Intacct · Wave
Cloud accounting/ERP positioned as the mid-market alternative to NetSuite for finance-heavy organizations (nonprofits, professional services, SaaS). Distinctive for its multi-entity consolidations and dimensional GL structure that SMB tools like QuickBooks lack. Owned by Sage. Pricing opaque, quote-only, typically $15K-$50K+/year plus implementation. Popular with 50-500 employee finance teams that outgrew QuickBooks but can't justify Oracle.
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 | Sage Intacct monthly | Sage Intacct annual | Wave monthly | Wave annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | — / Starter | — | — | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | — / 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
Sage Intacct is worth it if… mid-market companies (100-1,000 employees) that need cloud accounting + financial reporting + multi-entity consolidation — particularly if you've outgrown QuickBooks and need CFO-grade reporting. Custom-quoted per module + user count; typical mid-market implementations $30-150K/year.
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 — Sage Intacct is per seat, Wave is freemium.
Choose Sage Intacct over Wave if…
Choose Sage Intacct if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, a free entry tier).
- You match the profile Sage Intacct is built for: mid-market companies (100-1,000 employees) that need cloud accounting + financial reporting + multi-entity consolidation — particularly if you've outgrown QuickBooks and need CFO-grade reporting.
- 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
| Sage Intacct | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Entry price | Custom pricing | $19/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | No |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | Freemium |
| Verification | Checked September 27, 2026 | Checked September 19, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 27, 2026. Tracked daily.
Frequently asked questions
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Common questions about Sage Intacct and Wave
- How much does Sage Intacct cost in 2026?
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- How often does Sage Intacct change prices?
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- 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?