Best Wave Alternatives in 2026
Why People Leave Wave
No inventory tracking, no project costing, no time tracking — you get what you pay for (nothing)
Wave free: Free accounting and invoicing | easy learning curve
QuickBooks
30-day free trialHow it's different: US small businesses that want the most widely supported accounting software with massive accountant network
Price comparison: Wave: Payroll $20/mo + $6/person | QuickBooks: Simple Start $30/mo
Xero
30-day free trialHow it's different: International small businesses that need multi-currency support and a cleaner UI than QuickBooks
Price comparison: Wave: Payroll $20/mo + $6/person | Xero: Starter $15/mo
FreshBooks
30-day free trialHow it's different: Freelancers and service businesses that want gorgeous invoicing and time tracking without accounting headaches
Price comparison: Wave: Payroll $20/mo + $6/person | FreshBooks: Lite $19/mo (5 clients)
Zoho Books
Free for businesses under $50K annual revenueHow it's different: Small businesses already in the Zoho ecosystem who want accounting that plugs into their existing stack
Price comparison: Wave: Payroll $20/mo + $6/person | Zoho Books: Standard $15/org/mo
Sage
No free planHow it's different: Established small businesses that want traditional accounting software from a brand that’s been around since 1981
Price comparison: Wave: Payroll $20/mo + $6/person | Sage: Sage Accounting Start $10/mo
Bench
Essential $299/moHow it's different: Busy founders who want to outsource bookkeeping entirely to humans instead of learning accounting software
Price comparison: Wave: Payroll $20/mo + $6/person | Bench: Essential $299/mo
Akaunting
Free and open source (self-hosted)How it's different: Tech-savvy small businesses that want free, self-hosted accounting with full control over their financial data
Price comparison: Wave: Payroll $20/mo + $6/person | Akaunting: Cloud hosting $9/mo
Kashoo
TrulySmall Invoices FreeHow it's different: Freelancers and micro-businesses that want real accounting software without the QuickBooks learning curve
Price comparison: Wave: Payroll $20/mo + $6/person | Kashoo: TrulySmall Invoices Free