Sage Business Cloud Accounting vs Wave: which one fits your business?
Side-by-side comparison of Sage Business Cloud Accounting 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 6.8/10).
| Scored on | Sage Business Cloud Accounting | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Right fit for small biz | 7 | 8 |
| Ease of use | 6 | 9 |
| Fees & pricing | 8 | 9 |
| Customer support | 5 | 5 |
| Features | 7 | 7 |
| Accounting Start | $17/mo | — |
| Accounting (Full) | $39/mo | — |
| Payroll Add-on | From $15/mo | — |
| 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 |
Sage Business Cloud Accounting in one paragraph
A solid, ledger-first accounting tool that offers better value for inventory-based businesses than its primary competitors.
Skip it if: Skip it if you do most of your bookkeeping on a smartphone, as the mobile app is far less capable than the desktop version.
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, Sage Business Cloud Accounting or Wave?
On our five-axis scorecard, Wave scores higher (7.8/10 vs 6.8/10). 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 Sage Business Cloud Accounting?
Skip it if you do most of your bookkeeping on a smartphone, as the mobile app is far less capable than the desktop version.
Who should skip Wave?
Skip it if you sell physical inventory or plan to scale to a 10+ person team within the next year.