BambooHR vs Wave: which one fits your business?
Side-by-side comparison of BambooHR and Wave — fees, features, ease, support, and which one fits your business. Scored on the same rubric.
Short answer: it's a tie on our scorecard — pick on fit, not score.
| Scored on | BambooHR | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Right fit for small biz | 8 | 8 |
| Ease of use | 9 | 9 |
| Fees & pricing | 6 | 9 |
| Customer support | 7 | 5 |
| Features | 9 | 7 |
| Essentials Plan | Quote Required | — |
| Advantage Plan | Quote Required | — |
| Payroll Add-on | Per Employee / Month | — |
| Implementation Fee | Varies by Size | — |
| Starter Plan | — | $0/mo |
| Pro Plan | — | $16/mo |
| CC Processing (Visa/MC) | — | 2.9% + $0.60 |
| CC Processing (Amex) | — | 3.4% + $0.60 |
| ACH Processing | — | 1% ($1 min) |
| Payroll (Tax Service) | — | $40 + $6/employee |
BambooHR in one paragraph
BambooHR is the best-in-class choice for growing teams that value employee experience over the absolute lowest price point.
Skip it if: Skip it if you have fewer than 10 employees or need a low-cost, all-in-one payroll-first solution.
Wave in one paragraph
Wave remains the gold standard for free invoicing and simple bookkeeping for solo service providers, provided you don't mind limited support.
Skip it if: Skip it if you sell physical inventory or plan to scale to a 10+ person team within the next year.
Frequently asked questions
Who should skip BambooHR?
Skip it if you have fewer than 10 employees or need a low-cost, all-in-one payroll-first solution.
Who should skip Wave?
Skip it if you sell physical inventory or plan to scale to a 10+ person team within the next year.