Expensify vs Wave: which one fits your business?
Side-by-side comparison of Expensify and Wave — fees, features, ease, support, and which one fits your business. Scored on the same rubric.
Short answer: Wave wins on our scorecard (7.8/10 vs 7.3/10).
| Scored on | Expensify | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Right fit for small biz | 8 | 8 |
| Ease of use | 7 | 9 |
| Fees & pricing | 7 | 9 |
| Customer support | 6 | 5 |
| Features | 8 | 7 |
| Collect Plan (with card) | $5/user/month | — |
| Control Plan (with card) | $9/user/month | — |
| Collect Plan (no card) | $10/user/month | — |
| Control Plan (no card) | $18/user/month | — |
| 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 |
Expensify in one paragraph
Expensify is a powerful automation tool for teams, provided you are willing to use their branded card to keep software costs down.
Skip it if: You prefer using a high-rewards external credit card and don't want to be penalized with higher software fees.
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
Which is better, Expensify or Wave?
On our five-axis scorecard, Wave scores higher (7.8/10 vs 7.3/10). Wave remains the gold standard for free invoicing and simple bookkeeping for solo service providers, provided you don't mind limited support.
Who should skip Expensify?
You prefer using a high-rewards external credit card and don't want to be penalized with higher software fees.
Who should skip Wave?
Skip it if you sell physical inventory or plan to scale to a 10+ person team within the next year.