FreshBooks vs Wave: which one fits your business?
Side-by-side comparison of FreshBooks 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 7.6/10).
| Scored on | FreshBooks | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Right fit for small biz | 8 | 8 |
| Ease of use | 9 | 9 |
| Fees & pricing | 6 | 9 |
| Customer support | 7 | 5 |
| Features | 8 | 7 |
| Lite Tier (Monthly) | $19.00 | — |
| Plus Tier (Monthly) | $33.00 | — |
| Premium Tier (Monthly) | $60.00 | — |
| ACH Payment Fee | 1% | — |
| Credit Card Fee | 2.9% + $0.30 | — |
| Starter Plan | — | $0/mo |
| Pro Plan | — | $16/mo |
| Credit Card Processing | — | 2.9% + $0.60 |
| Full-Service Payroll | — | $40/mo + $6/employee |
FreshBooks in one paragraph
FreshBooks is the best-in-class choice for service-based solos and small teams who value a beautiful UI and automated billing over deep accounting complexity.
Skip it if: You run a high-volume retail shop or have more than 50 low-value clients that would trigger expensive tier jumps.
Wave in one paragraph
Wave is the gold standard for free accounting software, provided you are comfortable with self-service support and don't need complex inventory tracking.
Skip it if: You have more than 10 employees or require robust, human-led phone support for your daily banking and bookkeeping.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, FreshBooks or Wave?
On our five-axis scorecard, Wave scores higher (7.8/10 vs 7.6/10). Wave is the gold standard for free accounting software, provided you are comfortable with self-service support and don't need complex inventory tracking.
Who should skip FreshBooks?
You run a high-volume retail shop or have more than 50 low-value clients that would trigger expensive tier jumps.
Who should skip Wave?
You have more than 10 employees or require robust, human-led phone support for your daily banking and bookkeeping.