Wave review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ForgeCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Wave suits small businesses that want plain accounting and a free way in, and it sits above most rivals on price. Its paid plan starts at $16, it has a free plan and a free trial of 30 days, and payroll is sold as an add on.
Key facts
- Best for
- A small business that wants a free plan and pays only when payroll comes up.
- Price from
- $16 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free trial length
- 30 days (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Payroll
- Add on (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Bank feeds
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- iOS (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Canada (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2010 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Audience
- Small business
- Pricing model
- Free plan, Free trial
- Official website
- waveapps.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- A free plan is there, and the free trial runs 30 days, so a new business can test the product before paying.
- Bank feeds are on, which takes the retyping of transactions off the owner.
- It is built for small business, so the reporting reads the way a small shop already runs.
Cons
- Payroll is not in the base plan: it is sold as an add on, so payslips mean a second payment.
- A free trial of 30 days ends well before the 365 the longest trials in this category run.
- The paid plan starts at $16, above the €13.15 the field starts at, so the free plan does the early work.
Who it suits
- Owners of a small shop who keep the books themselves and want bank feeds to do the entry.
- Businesses that will pay at the point payroll appears, since the free plan carries the start.
- Single traders who check invoices from a phone, given the ios app.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers after the lowest entry price: Qonto at €9 and Accountable at €9.90 both start below Wave's $16.
- Shops that need payroll inside the base plan rather than as an add on, and anyone comparing against Billy's DKK 160 without checking the currency.
- Readers who need a wider platform list than the ios app.
How Wave compares
Wave vs Riibase9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 9.1- 9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.5
9.1 vs 9.0Qonto's €9 sits below Wave's $16, which matters once a business leaves the free plan.
- Wave vs Fraispro9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 9.2- 9.1 vs 9.0
- 9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.0
Frequently asked questions
What does Wave cost at entry?+
Wave's paid plan starts at $16, and the same product also runs as a free plan and a free trial, so a shop can start on the free tier. The paid plan is where payroll and the extras sit, and that is the line worth budgeting for.
Is there a free plan, and what sits outside it?+
Yes, Wave has a free plan alongside a free trial of 30 days. What the free tier does not carry is the paid extras, and payroll sits outside the base price as an add on.
How long is the free trial?+
The free trial runs 30 days, which ranks Wave 9 of 166 on that measure. Trials elsewhere in the field reach 365, so the date to move over should be set before the trial ends.
Does Wave handle payroll?+
Payroll is not part of the base plan. Wave sells it as an add on, so the payslip side of running staff sits on a separate purchase from the accounting plan that starts at $16.
Does Wave link to bank accounts?+
Bank feeds are on, so transactions can come in from the bank rather than being retyped by hand. The audience for the product is small business, and a plan starting at $16 is the paid side of that work.
Which platforms does Wave run on?+
The mobile app is listed for ios only. That suits an owner who checks invoices away from the desk. Anything wider, such as several staff sharing one set of books, needs checking against the plan before you commit.
Who is Wave built for?+
Wave is aimed at small business. It was founded in 2010 and sits in Canada. The free plan lets a new shop start without a purchase, and the paid plan at $16 is the step up.
How does the price compare with the alternatives?+
Qonto starts at €9 and Accountable at €9.90, both under Wave's $16. Billy lists DKK 160, so the currencies differ and the totals are not a straight swap. Wave ranks 90 of 200 on price from.
Sources
- apps.apple.com/us/app/wave-small-business-software/id8816... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Platforms
“trackName=Wave: Small Business Software; sellerName=Wave Financial Inc”
- agiled.app/blog/invoicing-software-for-freelancers checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Bank feeds
“automatic bank imports moved to the Pro tier at $16/mo”
- invoicemojo.com/reviews/waveapps checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free plan, Pricing model
“Starter (free)”
- pitchbook.com/profiles/company/52274-35 checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters
“Wave Financial was founded in 2010”
- play.google.com/web/store/apps/details checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience
“Over 300,000 small businesses use Wave's small business software”
- guru99.com/small-business-accounting-software.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free trial length
“30 Days Free Trial”
- techrepublic.com/article/wave-accounting-review checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Price from
“Price: $16 per month or $170 per year”
- waveapps.com/payroll checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Payroll
“Run payroll for employees or contractors”
Compiled from 8 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Local compliance.