Xero 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.

Xero pricing Wave pricing
Starts at $25/mo $19/mo
Number of plans 3 2
Free plan —
Free trial — —
Pricing model flat-rate flat-rate

Price is one row. To weigh the features too, use our feature comparison template →

Early

$25/mo
  • Send quotes and 20 invoices†
  • Accept online invoice payments^
  • 5 bills
  • Reconcile bank transactions
  • Smart Document Capture
  • View real-time reports
  • W-9 + 1099 management
  • Sales tax
  • Visualize performance with basic graphs
  • 30 day cash flow forecast
  • Make online bill payments (Domestic - Free ACH)
  • Make online bill payments (Cross Border)

Growing

$55/mo
  • Send invoices and quotes
  • Accept online invoice payments^
  • Automate bill entry and track bills
  • Reconcile bank transactions
  • Smart Document Capture
  • View real-time reports
  • W-9 + 1099 management
  • Sales tax
  • Visualize performance with graphs
  • 60 day cash flow forecast
  • Make online bill payments (Domestic - Free ACH)
  • Make online bill payments (Cross Border)
  • Customize performance dashboards
  • Tailored financial health scorecards
  • Budget with smart suggestions
  • Auto-reconcile transactions

Established

Popular
$90/mo
  • Send invoices and quotes
  • Accept online invoice payments^
  • Automate bill entry and track bills
  • Reconcile bank transactions
  • Smart Document Capture
  • View real-time reports
  • W-9 + 1099 management
  • Sales tax
  • Visualize performance with graphs
  • 180 day cash flow forecast
  • Make online bill payments (Domestic - Free ACH)
  • Make online bill payments (Cross Border)
  • Customize performance dashboards
  • Tailored financial health scorecards
  • Analyze KPIs and ratios
  • Use multiple currencies
  • Track time and costs for projects
  • Employee expense and mileage claims
  • Benchmark against the industry
  • Make online bill payments (International)
  • Budget with smart suggestions
  • Auto-reconcile transactions

STARTER Plan

$0/mo
  • 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
$19/mo
  • 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

Xero vs Wave FAQ

Which one is cheaper?
Wave is the cheaper option, starting at $19/mo vs $25/mo for Xero.
Can I use either one for free?
Wave has a free plan. Xero 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. Xero: Xero sits mid-market against QuickBooks and FreshBooks — not the cheapest accounting tool out there, but positioned as more approachable than enterprise ERP-lite platforms, targeting small businesses that'll eventually outgrow spreadsheets but aren't ready for NetSuite. 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 Xero alternatives or the best Wave alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.

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