Justworks vs Wave: which one fits your business?
Side-by-side comparison of Justworks 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 | Justworks | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Right fit for small biz | 8 | 8 |
| Ease of use | 7 | 9 |
| Fees & pricing | 7 | 9 |
| Customer support | 6 | 5 |
| Features | 8 | 7 |
| Basic Tier (per employee) | $59/month | — |
| Plus Tier (per employee) | $99/month | — |
| Contractor Fee | $49/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 |
Justworks in one paragraph
Justworks is the best-in-class PEO for small businesses that value transparent pricing and a modern interface over the absolute lowest price point.
Skip it if: You only have 1-2 local employees and don't plan to offer health insurance.
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, Justworks 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 Justworks?
You only have 1-2 local employees and don't plan to offer health insurance.
Who should skip Wave?
Skip it if you sell physical inventory or plan to scale to a 10+ person team within the next year.