About Wave
Wave offers genuinely free accounting software — not a trial, not freemium, but free forever. It includes double-entry accounting, unlimited invoicing, receipt scanning, and financial reporting at no cost. Wave monetizes through paid add-ons for payroll and payment processing. The platform is best for solopreneurs, freelancers, and very small businesses that need basic but capable accounting without a monthly fee. It's not as feature-rich as QuickBooks or Xero, but for what it costs (nothing), it's remarkably capable.
What's Great
- ✓Completely free accounting and invoicing — no credit card required
- ✓Clean, easy-to-use interface for non-accountants
- ✓Unlimited invoicing with online payment acceptance
- ✓Receipt scanning via mobile app included free
- ✓Bank connections and automatic transaction import
Watch Out For
- !No inventory management at all
- !Limited integrations compared to QuickBooks/Xero
- !Customer support is limited on the free plan
- !Payroll and payments are paid add-ons
Common Use Cases
Freelancer needing free invoicing and expense tracking
Side business that doesn't justify a monthly subscription
Startup wanting to minimize costs in early stages
Pricing Model
Free
100% free to use — no credit card required.
Category
Small Business Accounting
All-in-one accounting for small businesses covering invoicing, expenses, and taxes.
Tags
Wave Alternatives
See all →QuickBooks Online
The most popular accounting software for small businesses in the US
FreshBooks
Invoicing-first accounting software built for service businesses and freelancers
Xero
Beautiful cloud accounting for small businesses and their advisors
Zoho Books
Affordable cloud accounting that's part of the Zoho ecosystem