Pilot vs Wave Pricing (2026)
How do these two stack up on price? Here's what each one costs, what you get, and where the value sits.
Essentials
- Cash-basis bookkeeping using data from your bank and credit cards
- Standard chart of accounts
- Year-end package for your tax preparer
- Instant AI answers about past transactions and current cash flow, plus run scenarios to plan ahead
- Support through in-app messaging
Core
- US-based bookkeeper who handles, explains, and reviews your books
- Cash or accrual-basis bookkeeping that pulls from your bank, credit cards, payroll, AP, inventory, and payment platforms
- Bill management for up to 10 vendor bills per month
- Custom chart of accounts
- Reports on the 10th business day
- Support from your dedicated team in-app, email, and over the phone
Custom
- Keep your existing QuickBooks account and historical data
- Support for complex business structures
- Custom workflows and reporting
- Reports on the 6th business day
- Full accounts receivable
- Full accounts payable
- Payroll administration
- CFO advisory, financial planning, and fundraising support. Connect with your dedicated CFO in-app, by email, phone, or Slack
For Single Member LLCs
- Free tax extension
- Federal income tax filing
- State income tax filing
- Quarterly tax payments (safe harbor)
- Schedule C for your LLC's income and loss
- Reporting for one of each income sources: W-2, K-1, rental property, and 1099
- Year-round email support
For Partnerships and S-Corps
- Free extension
- Federal income tax filing
- State income tax filing
- Delaware franchise tax filing
- Up to 25 1099-NEC filings
- Year-round email support
For C-Corps
- Free tax extension
- Federal income tax filing
- State income tax filing
- Delaware Franchise tax filing
- Up to 10 1099-NEC filings
- Year-round email support
Basic
- Custom financial model with strategic insights
- Budget vs actuals variance analysis
- Scenario planning model
- Industry-specific KPI dashboard
- Monthly call with your CFO
Essentials
- Cash and runway optimization
- Investor & board reporting support
- Basic fundraising and M&A support
- Ad-hoc strategy support
- Bi-weekly call with your CFO
Custom
- 13-Week Cash Flow Analysis
- Investor updates & board presentations
- Fundraising insights & equity story
- Compensation planning and benchmarking
- Acquisition and GTM strategy
- Monetization and pricing strategy
- Strategic planning & OKRs
- Weekly calls with your CFO
Starter
- Business incorporation through Stripe Atlas
- Banking setup with Mercury
- Setup for a payroll system that actually works
- Pilot bookkeeping system setup
Essentials
- Everything in Starter (if you need the setup)
- Banking support when things get messy
- HR, payroll, and benefits that work
- Invoice collection
- Bill payment on time
Custom
- Invoice collection (high volume)
- Bill payment on time (high volume)
- State payroll and tax compliance that actually works
- Plus whatever complexity your business demands
- Stock administration without the legal bills
STARTER Plan
- Create unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, and bookkeeping records
- Option to accept online payments 2.9% + $0.60 per credit card transaction 3.4% + $0.60 per Amex transaction
- Invoice on-the-go with the mobile app
- Manage cash flow and customers in one dashboard
Pro Plan
Popular- Option to accept online payments at a discounted rate 2.9% + $0** per credit card transaction 3.4% + $0** per Amex transaction
- Auto-import bank transactions***
- Auto-merge and categorize bank transactions
- Digitally capture unlimited receipts and track expenses
- Automate late payment reminders
- And more!
Pilot vs Wave FAQ
- Which one is cheaper?
- Wave is the cheaper option, starting at $19/mo vs $99/mo for Pilot.
- Can I use either one for free?
- Wave has a free plan. Pilot doesn't — you'll need to pay from day one.
- How do they charge?
- Both use a flat-rate model, so the comparison is straightforward — it comes down to features and limits at each price point.
- Which one is a better deal?
- Depends on what you need. Pilot: Pilot sits firmly in the premium tier of startup-focused accounting services — $299/mo for bookkeeping alone puts them well above DIY tools like QuickBooks and above most local bookkeepers, but they're competing on 'we know startups' against players like Bench or Kruze Consulting. They're going after VC-backed founders who want a credible finance partner, not a cheap back-office fix. Wave: Wave is firmly the budget-friendly play in small business accounting — going up against QuickBooks Simple Start (~$35/mo) and FreshBooks (~$19/mo), they're competitive on price but lead with the free tier as the real hook. They're targeting bootstrapped founders and solopreneurs who flinch at $50+/mo tools.
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