Wave
Free invoicing and accounting software for small businesses and freelancers.
Wave Referral Code & Link
No referral code or link is currently available for Wave.
Quick Summary
Wave offers free invoicing and accounting software for small businesses and freelancers, monetizing instead through paid payment processing and payroll add-ons. It's a common starting point for very small businesses not ready to pay for a full accounting platform.
Wave at a Glance
| Category | Invoicing Tools |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium |
| Starting price | $0 (free plan available) |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android |
| Launched | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Canada |
| Best for | Free invoicing and accounting software for small businesses and freelancers. |
| Community votes | 154 |
Pros
- Genuinely free core invoicing and accounting, not just a limited trial
- Unlimited invoices and bank account connections on the free tier
- Clean, simple interface suited to non-accountants
- Payment processing and payroll available as paid add-ons if needed later
Cons
- Customer support is more limited on the free tier
- Fewer advanced features (inventory, deep reporting) than paid competitors
- Payment processing fees apply when accepting payments through invoices
Wave Pricing Plans
Official pricing as published by Wave. Verify current rates before purchasing.
Wave’s free-forever core product makes it the practical first step for freelancers and very small businesses not yet ready to pay for accounting software at all.
Who Should Use Wave
Freelancers and very small businesses wanting genuinely free invoicing and basic accounting, without needing advanced features yet.
Expert Verdict
Wave is the best free starting point for small business invoicing; expect to outgrow it and move to FreshBooks or QuickBooks as your business scales.
Best Alternatives to Wave
1 alternatives listed. Looking for a Wave alternative? Here are the top options our community recommends, ranked by popularity and editorial score.
Quick comparison: Wave vs FreshBooks
| Feature | Wave | FreshBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Freemium | Paid |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Community votes | 154 | 176 |
Invoicing and accounting software built for freelancers and small service businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Wave, answered by our editorial team.
- Is Wave really free?
- Yes, core invoicing and accounting are free indefinitely — Wave monetizes through optional paid payment processing and payroll add-ons, not the core software.
- Is Wave good enough for a growing business?
- It's a strong starting point for very small businesses and freelancers, but growing businesses needing inventory management or deeper reporting will likely outgrow it.
- Does Wave charge fees for invoicing?
- Invoicing itself is free; fees apply only if you use Wave's built-in payment processing to let clients pay invoices directly through the platform.
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