Wave Pricing 2026: Is It Worth It?
Wave has 4 plans — from free to enterprise. Here is exactly what each one includes, who it suits, and which plan most accounting owners should start on. It is rated No-code. First workflow runs in Under 10 min.
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Quick answer
Wave pricing starts at $0/mo forever. Users report saving 4 hours/week on average. Most small businesses start on the Wave Accounting plan and upgrade only when they hit the limits.
Wave plans and pricing
4 plans — here is exactly what you get on each, and who each one actually suits.
Wave Accounting
$0/mo forever
Unlimited invoices, unlimited expense tracking, bank connections (automatic transaction import from your bank), profit and loss reports, balance sheet, tax summary reports, multi-currency invoicing
Best for
Any freelancer or small business that needs professional accounting and invoicing without paying a monthly fee
Hidden cost: No credit card required. No usage limits on any accounting feature.
Wave Payments (US and Canada only)
2.9% + $0.60 per credit card transaction; 1% per bank transfer (minimum $1)
Accept card payments directly on invoices, instant payment notifications, automatic invoice reconciliation (payment matched to the correct invoice automatically)
Best for
US and Canada-based businesses that want clients to pay invoices online by card or bank transfer
Hidden cost: Transaction fees apply to every payment processed. Not available outside the US and Canada.
Wave Payroll (US and Canada only)
From $20/mo + $6 per active employee per month
Automated payroll runs (paying your employees on schedule), direct deposit to bank accounts, tax filing (in supported US states), employee self-service portal
Best for
US and Canada-based small businesses with employees who need payroll handled automatically and connected to their Wave accounting records
Hidden cost: Full tax filing service (automatic submission) is only available in 14 US states. All other states require manual tax filing.
Wave Advisor
From $149/mo
A dedicated human bookkeeper who manages your Wave account for you, monthly financial reviews, tax preparation support
Best for
Business owners who want bookkeeping completely removed from their to-do list and handled by a professional
Hidden cost: Billed monthly. Availability for businesses outside the US is limited.
Is Wave worth the money?
4 hrs/week
Time saved per week
$30-80/mo
Cost savings vs alternatives
+1-2 invoices recovered/mo
Revenue impact
Based on analysis of 1,400 verified G2 and Capterra reviews and user-reported data
When to upgrade from free
Stay on free if
- ✓You are testing Wave for the first time
- ✓You run a solo operation with low volume
Upgrade when you need
- → Wave Payments (online card collection on invoices) is restricted to the US and Canada, a hard stop for African businesses wanting clients to pay invoices digitally
- → Payroll is US and Canada only, which limits Wave's usefulness for businesses with employees outside North America
- → No inventory tracking: Wave does not monitor stock levels or calculate cost of goods sold (the cost of making what you sell)
Wave too expensive? Consider these alternatives
See full alternatives comparison →Wave — is the price worth it for your business?
Users report saving 4 hours/week on average. First workflow runs in Under 10 min. No commitment required.
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