QuickBooks 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.
| QuickBooks | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | $38/mo | $19/mo |
| Number of plans | 5 | 2 |
| Free plan | ||
| Free trial | — | |
| Pricing model | per-seat | flat-rate |
Free
- 1 user
- No accountant access
- Track income and expenses
- Send 2 invoices per month
- Run profit & loss report
- Connect 1 bank
- Chat support
Simple Start
- 1 user
- With access for 2 accountants
- Run general business reports
- Automated bookkeeping
- Invoice and get paid
- Automate bill pay with free ACH
Essentials
- 3 users
- With access for 2 accountants
- Run enhanced reports
- Add employee time to invoices
- Integrate third-party data into KPIs and dashboards
- Collect leads from a custom form on your website
Plus
Popular- 5 users
- With access for 2 accountants
- Run comprehensive reports
- Plan budgets
- Track project profitability
- Track and manage inventory
- Track classes and locations (40)
Advanced
- 25 users
- With access for 3 accountants
- Free 1099 e-filing and approval workflows with Bill Pay Elite**
- Construction financials solution
- Advanced project financials
- Customize user permissions and access
- Automate workflows
- Sync data with Excel
- Batch invoices and expenses
- Get priority support and training
STARTER Plan
- Create unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, and bookkeeping records
- Option to accept online payments
- 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
- Auto-import bank transactions
- Auto-merge and categorize bank transactions
- Digitally capture unlimited receipts and track expenses
- Automate late payment reminders
QuickBooks vs Wave FAQ
- Which one is cheaper?
- Wave is the cheaper option, starting at $19/mo vs $38/mo for QuickBooks.
- Can I use either one for free?
- Both offer free plans, so you can try each without paying. Start with whichever fits your workflow better and upgrade when you hit the limits.
- How do they charge?
- Different approach here. QuickBooks uses per-seat pricing, while Wave goes with flat-rate. That changes the math depending on your team size and usage.
- Which one is a better deal?
- Depends on what you need. QuickBooks: QuickBooks sits at the premium end of small-business accounting software, especially once you're past Simple Start — $85-140/mo is a big step up from competitors like Wave or even FreshBooks at similar tiers. They're leaning on brand trust and accountant ubiquity to justify the premium, targeting businesses that want the default choice their bookkeeper already knows. Wave: This is a budget play through and through, undercutting QuickBooks and Xero by a wide margin — those run $30-90+/mo before add-ons. Wave's betting that freelancers and micro-businesses will trade some polish and depth for a near-free (or literally free) tool, then get sticky enough to pay $19 once cash flow allows.
Still deciding? See the best QuickBooks alternatives or the best Wave alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.
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