Wave Accounting Reviews

Pros

Wave is ideal for freelancers. Set up is really simple and the interface is user-friendly. I have zero background in financial matters, and with Wave that's totally fine.

The price is also right. There's no subscription or hidden fees, they just take a perfectly reasonable percentage from invoice payments. I asked a financial advisor friend of mine before signing up, and she was pleasantly surprised by the low rates, and told me to go for it. I've been using Wave for over 3 years, and I have never once been hit with a fee outside of the basic rates.

Wave also provides a host of reporting and tracking tools in this basic account. They didn't influence my decision to sign up, but they've proven to be very useful.

And finally a small but really helpful feature, especially if you're a freelancer just starting out: immediate money transfers. Once someone pays your invoice, the money is in Wave, and takes 2-3 days to transfer. For 1% more payment, you can transfer money within minutes. For the cash-strapped freelancer, that can be mana from heaven.

Cons

There are no major cons that I can think of. One issue I have is mostly my fault: When I first started using Wave I didn't know what I was doing, and I ended up creating a whole bunch of client and work type records unnecessarily. It would be nice if there were some more in-your-face tutorials, maybe some hover tips for new users. But the messiness is mainly from me leaping in before looking.

Alternatives Considered

Quickbooks Online and Zoho Expense

Reasons for Switching to Wave Accounting

It was the cheapest option, and the most user-friendly looking. I have no background in finance and didn't want complex features built for accountants - Wave has those features, but only if you want them.

Pros

Simple and to the point. It does what it needs to do but doesn't have tons of options for doing advanced things. For us, this is great as we don't need all that power. Just simple easy to use accounting software.

Cons

Would have preferred the expenses (called bills inside Wave) would allow you to add the payment to them at the time of entry.

Alternatives Considered

Quickbooks Online

Reasons for Choosing Wave Accounting

Months fee on Freshbooks was getting too high

Reasons for Switching to Wave Accounting

Did everything Freshbooks did, just without the monthly fee.

Pros

Ease of use in invoicing and setting up customer database

Cons

When I attempted to collect payments through wave, I was asked to complete a questionnaire AFTER they allowed me to submit payment requests and routing information to my bank and received a payment from a customer. I was then told that the account was not approved for receiving payments and my money was to be held for 65 days before it would be released back to the payor. There seems to only be one point of contact and they could not divulge why my application was denied, and wouldn't help expedite the return of funds. This only seems to be that they want to take advantage of holding my money and earning interest on it. the amount in this instance is under $10,000, but if they are doing this to multiple subscribers, they are obviously taking advantage of the situation and cleaning up.

Pros

The best thing about this software is that it is free and offer just as much if not more features than some of its paid competitors. You can also access it online from any PC.

Cons

They don't have a robust support line but considering you are not paying for the software, you can't blame them. Plus there really isn't any reason for you to need support as everything is user-friendly and there is adequate help features in the software.

Alternatives Considered

QuickBooks Desktop Pro

Reasons for Choosing Wave Accounting

Wave was free and offer the same functions and services.

Switched From

QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise

Reasons for Switching to Wave Accounting

Price

Pros

I loved the cost - Free! I was using the free version to invoice my clients. It was easy to use and very professional looking on the client-end.

Cons

It lacked certain functionality that I needed for my business. I could not handle overpayments from my clients as a credit on their account to use for future invoices. When a new invoice was sent out, there was no way for the client to see if they had a previous invoice or balance outstanding.

Pros

Wave Accounting is a great choice for small businesses looking for free, easy-to-use, and comprehensive accounting software. Here are some of its benefits:Free: Wave Accounting is free software, which is a big plus for small businesses looking to save money.Easy to use: the software is easy to use and does not require special accounting skills. The platform is user-friendly and intuitive, making it easy to manage your finances.Comprehensive: Wave Accounting offers a full suite of features for managing accounting, including invoicing, payroll, expense and income tracking, and detailed financial reporting.Accessible anywhere: Wave Accounting is a cloud-based solution, which means you can access it anywhere with an internet connection.Integration with third parties: The software is integrated with many third-party tools such as PayPal, Shoeboxed, Etsy and many more, which makes it easier to manage your business.All in all, Wave Accounting is a great choice for small businesses looking for free, easy-to-use, and comprehensive accounting software.

Cons

Although Wave Accounting is a good choice for small businesses, there are some points that can be problematic for some businesses. Here are some of its drawbacks:Limited customer support: Wave Accounting offers email-only customer support, which can be a problem for businesses that need immediate assistance.Limitations in payroll management: Payroll management in Wave Accounting is limited to certain regions, which may not be suitable for companies that have employees in different regions or countries.Limited customization: Invoices and quotes in Wave Accounting are not very customizable, which can be a problem for companies that want to customize their documents to make them look more professional.No automatic bank reconciliation: Wave Accounting does not allow automatic bank reconciliation, which can be a cumbersome task for companies that have many transactions to manage.Advertising in the software: Wave Accounting displays advertisements in the software, which can be a distraction for some users.In sum, although Wave Accounting is free and easy to use accounting software, it has some limitations that may not be suitable for all businesses, including limited customer support, limited payroll management, limited document customization , the absence of automatic bank reconciliation and the presence of advertisements in the software.

Pros

Wave Accounting is a great online accounting platform for small businesses. It's easy to use and offers a variety of features to help you manage your finances efficiently.One of the best things about Wave is that it's free. This means that small businesses can access a professional accounting solution without having to spend a lot of money. Additionally, Wave is accessible online, which means you can access it from anywhere, anytime, which is very convenient for small businesses who want to manage their finances on the go.Wave also offers great integration with other tools like PayPal and Stripe, making it easy to manage payments and financial transactions. Additionally, Wave offers a variety of financial reports to help you understand the financial health of your business and make informed decisions.In conclusion, Wave Accounting is a great option for small businesses looking for a reliable and affordable online accounting solution. It offers a variety of features to help you effectively manage your finances and make informed business management decisions.

Cons

Wave Accounting is popular online accounting software for small businesses and freelancers. It offers a range of features, including invoicing, accounting, expense management, and payment management, all designed to help users manage their finances efficiently.However, there are a few points that can be considered disadvantages for some users:Limited Features: Although Wave Accounting offers a number of useful features for small businesses and freelancers, it may lack some advanced features that are often required by larger businesses.Confusing UI: Some users may find the UI a bit confusing at first, as it may take some getting used to.Limited support: Wave Accounting does not offer phone support, which may be a drawback for some users who prefer to speak to a live representative.In general, Wave Accounting can be a good option for small businesses and freelancers looking for affordable and easy-to-use accounting software. However, it is important to consider these potential drawbacks when deciding whether Wave Accounting is right for your specific needs.

Pros

I love that it's extremely easy to use and to navigate around. I'm able to track clients that have not paid and send reminders directly from the system. It's helped me manage to get my income a lot faster.

Cons

I feel some of the features that are available on desktop version should be available on the mobile version such as customer statements.

Pros

Recieving payments on time even before it is cleared to your account . Liquidity is very vital to us .

Cons

Some drop menu falling below my screen so i need to minimize to see it

Alternatives Considered

QuickBooks Time

Reasons for Switching to Wave Accounting

It ease of use made us go for it

Pros

Wave Accounting offers a free plan for small businesses and entrepreneurs.Easy to set up and use, with a user-friendly interface.Offers online banking integration with major banks and financial institutions.

Cons

Wave Accounting does not offer an integrated payroll system.Does not provide detailed financial analysis tools or forecasting capabilities.

Pros

Setting reminders to be sent to clients for payment is the most important feature from wave in my opinion. Also being able to create recurring invoices you you don't have to do the same thing every week or every month. My other favorite is customer statements. Pulling out customer statements and sending to your clients gives you points in terms of professionalism. I also appreciate that when Wave stopped operating in South Africa they recommended Zoho and gave us a year of free use of Zoho. Even though I did not like changing, this was a very thoughtful move by wave.

Cons

For some reason wave starting giving limited access to its South African customers and partnered with Zoho for customers to migrate. Even though the apps are similar, they're not the same and it took a little bit of time to now learn Zoho a new app.

Alternatives Considered

QuickBooks Online Accountant

Reasons for Switching to Wave Accounting

Wave Accounting came highly recommended by friends. In addition when I first opened wave, the dashboard look simple and it was easy for me to follow.

Pros

It is FREE in the cloud, works on ALL platforms Windows 7,10, Android, iphones. Accepts all credit cards including Amex for 2.9% I am saving $420+ yearly by not having QB, I don't have to print invoices. Since WAVE is in the cloud I email my invoices and receipts.

Cons

I wish it had more storage of customer service that has been performed in the past but I suspect that would require some expense. It only had 3 invoice templates and there wasn't much customization on those. You can't compound taxes on your invoices, let me rephrase, you can compound 1 tax but no more. Since my only taxes are State and County I found it best to compound none for fear of forgetting which one I had compounded

Alternatives Considered

NolaPro

Reasons for Choosing Wave Accounting

Quickbooks Online wasn't as good as the desktop version but as long as Windows 10 is still under construction I won't chance having another desktop version made unusable due to another Windows 10 "update". I don't need to be concerned about it anymore now that I have WAVE!

Switched From

Quickbooks Online

Reasons for Switching to Wave Accounting

Wave had a more complete suite of the tools I needed that were familiar to me from my experience with Quickbooks

Pros

Wave is free, but it’s powerful. Wave is suitable for any small to medium business. Wave handles all our accounting needs.

Cons

Wave has two major areas of improvement. 1. Their customer service is difficult, especially if you have an urgent matter. Their chargeback dispute process is not easy and confusing. Again, customer support regarding chargebacks is difficult considering you have a few days to submit a dispute package.

Alternatives Considered

Quickbooks Online

Reasons for Choosing Wave Accounting

At first it was because Wave is free. But then we discovered how powerful Wave is, it’s perfect for our business.

Switched From

QuickBooks Desktop Pro

Reasons for Switching to Wave Accounting

It was free.

Pros

This is a very complete software that allows you to build quotes and convert them into invoices in a fraction of a second without much effort.

Wave is excellent especially when it comes to credit card processing which is done automatically with a very low 1% fee.

It is very easy to set up and use and the cost is low or even free. Personally, I recommend buying this package because it comes with support: from setting up your account to the specific categories for your company .

The other advantage of Wave is the presence of a number of applications to send invoices when you are away from your workplace.

So even when you're away from home you can download them. In this case, all you have to do is take the photo on the spot.

Cons

The problem on the Wave software is not so numerous, but we notice that it is impossible to close a period correctly.

All members who are able to make transactions have the possibility to change or add entries from the previous year.

For me an administrator must have the ability to close a period so that no changes are made. User growth is also very limited.

The lack of audit trails for transaction entries is also a case of imperfection at Wave . Admittedly, it is possible to generate transactions, then generate reports, then cancel the transactions, etc.

But there is no proof that these changes are made yes or no, because the software is unable to remember its categorizations.

The keyword search function is absent from Wave in the transactions section and sometimes it makes us lose a lot of time.

Alternatives Considered

Zoho Books

Reasons for Choosing Wave Accounting

To test another software

Switched From

Quickbooks Online

Reasons for Switching to Wave Accounting

Because Wave is free and easy to use accounting software

Pros

Wave helps me do so much. I can issue invoices, track them (I.e. I can see when a client has viewed it!), and allow clients to make payments directly through the invoice. I can also customize my invoice, which is great. I could do all of this from day 1. I'm a solopreneur and launched my business this summer. I was able to issue professional invoices from day 1 and track my expenses using their receipts app. The other thing I love about Wave is that they are very interested in feedback from their customers. I've had a few interactions with them and it's always been really pleasant. It's also free which helps me out a lot. I do use the credit card payments, which has a fee like any other service would.

Cons

Their mobile app could use some work, and I've given them this feedback. The receipts app is great to take pictures really quickly, but I generally have to use the browser to do anything else.

Alternatives Considered

FreshBooks and Quickbooks Online

Reasons for Choosing Wave Accounting

I needed something professional and long term.

Switched From

Microsoft Excel

Reasons for Switching to Wave Accounting

The core software was pricey and I could have easily used Word and Excel and if I wanted a 'free' option. I also didn't need all the bells and whistles, so paying so much for this service didn't make sense for me.

Pros

For a small business, or probably even a larger one, it's a really great software with all of the accounting and billing basics needed, and it's basically free. The online payment system works really well for getting payments from clients. They can either pay with a credit card or ACH, which is great. You can turn off credit card payments too if you don't want to have a fee taken from your payments, which I also find as a nice feature. The invoices look very professional, can be white-labeled, so it just has your branded information on it. The invoices are also really easy to make. We had been trying to use Excel as an accounting system when we first started our small business, and found Wave soon after. It was a huge upgrade, and not very expensive. The reports are great, and it's easy to track expenses and monies brought in. It solved all of our accounting needs as a small website building business.

Cons

The one thing we really think can be improved are the recurring invoices. It doesn't make the invoice numbers in order based on that client's invoices, so they're oddly out of order. It's not a huge deal, but would be much better if it kept the invoice numbers specific to each set of clients.

Pros

This makes my accounting SO EASY! Not only am able to easily keep track of my expenses and costs associated with my business, but I'm able to create, issue, and track invoices. AND, to top it off, the invoices are so nice looking (which, as a designer, is a big deal to me).

I can not only issue invoices, but track whether they have been opened, viewed, and/or paid. And when it comes to figuring out my taxes, the system makes it so simple to get whatever information I need.

Finally, while I don't use it yet, I will be enabling online payments this upcoming year so my customers can pay their invoices online. Based on my experience thus far, I have NO doubt it will be great!

Cons

This is a difficult one as I really don't have a dislike....

If I really think about it, I guess I wish I could have different addresses (for me) on difference invoices based on the customer. I have two locations so it would be nice to be able to just issue invoices with different business addresses based on the customer.

Pros

The cost is compelling -- free! -- but beyond that I find the software is advanced enough to do what I need without being utterly overwhelming like other options. I'm not accountant and there's only so much geeking out I want to do. I can send invoices, get paid, track all my expenses and payments, handle business AND personal finances from the same account, and it all works really well with my bank and integrates decently with Stripe via Zapier.

Cons

I'd love Wave Payments to allow for payments in more than one currency. I can invoice in USD and CAD (my main), but I can only accept online payments via Wave in CAD. No biggie.

Pros

For a business owner, Wave Accounting is an amazing product. Basic features are free. This helps save money and it is easier to use than products like Quickbooks or Sage.

Cons

I wish some of the invoicing search features would be a little easier to use.

Pros

Wave Apps software features not only very beautiful interfaces for their products' dashboard, but the platform is at once very feature-heavy and thoughtfully well designed. The aesthetically-pleasing graphics for content such as cash flow, profit and loss, and expense breakdowns on the primary dashboard are sharp and clean in addition to being so helpfully data-driven, and all that is just on the landing page. As you navigate through categories of sales, purchases, accounting, banking, you experience how well-constructions the pages are for options within each section including sales, purchases, accounting, etc. I love just how many of the feature-heavy options are completely *FREE.* Wave Apps offers select premium services, such as Wave Advisors and bookkeeping, even business insurance with "NEXT," while offering things such as accounting, invoicing , etc. free of charge. It's an excellent product for anyone looking for a beautiful interface, but also wanting lots of features without needing to immediately spend money for quality products.

Cons

So many elements within Wave are intuitively navigable and to use with simple data entry. One area that was a little more challenging for me to set up with the chart of accounts section in the accounting area of the interface. It's so nice that it's deeply customizable, but the challenge was that it took me a little extra time to understand and knowledgeably input the data of my assets, liabilities/credits, income, expenses, equity. This is something that would be challenging for anyone not familiar with basic accounting on any software, so I probably would've benefitted from a few "help" pop-ups/set-up assistance here than perhaps some other areas. Where my limitations with setup start is however where Wave's premium products with bookkeeping and accounting are so valuable to the user. There are many great pop-up notices throughout the platform that inform you about new features of ways to most effectively use Wave Apps features, which is great, and of course, they're complete with beautiful graphics.

Pros

The software is FREE for everything other than PAYROLL and PAYMENT PROCESSING. If you don't use those components, there is absolutely no charge. For the most part, it is user-friendly and straightforward, and the quality of its printed invoices, customer statements and reports is top-notch. I really appreciate the ability to create recurring invoices (subscription billing) and view monthly income/expense bar charts for a 1- or 2-year period.

Cons

This is bookkeeping software that stresses simple data entry. However, it doesn't have features such as audit trails for transaction entries. With this program, it is possible to generate transactions, generate reports, and then reverse the transactions without any way of knowing that changes were made. Wave attempts to categorize your income and expenditures, but doesn't currently have the ability to remember your categorizations. But the thing I like least about this software is a BUG that causes the program to download bank transactions and incorrectly categorize them as duplicates of previously downloaded transactions if the transaction amounts match. This bug makes it difficult to find transactions when you are attempting to reconcile your transactions.

Pros

It seems like it offers the ability to import credit card and bank statements, categorize expenses, and invoice people. Those are the features I want. But...

Cons

...I haven't been able to figure out how to smoothly and accurately use the features I want. This app is making my life harder than it was when I just manually typed in all my expenses into a Microsoft Word and added them up with a calculator.

Pros

Wave is free, and packed with features one would typically pay for in other premium products. Wave is the perfect accounting solution for small businesses. For starters, it offers all the essential features ANY business needs... plus more. Manage estimates, invoices, and statements with ease. It even supports recurring invoicing, manage payments, and build a massive library of products and services to choose from for your estimates and invoices. Wave even manages receipts, bills and vendors to track expenses. Like more control than just simple single entries? Wave supports traditional double-entry accounting as well, for increase control of your business accounting needs. Need to accept credit card payments? Wave has a built-in merchant account feature that let's you collect payments online through your invoices. Make email invoices, or attach them as PDF files. And when you get paid, Wave notifies you. Funds are transferred to your connected business account in a couple of days. Reporting? Wave has you covered. All essential reports are available at your fingertips: financial statements, taxes, customers, vendors, and other general reports. And if your business has employees, Wave can handle your payroll. But this feature is a premium... everything else is part of your free account.

Pros

The Wave interface is very intuitive to use, and there was no intimidation when dealing with complicated matters like invoicing or expense tracking. Out of the accounting services we tested, Wave had the best user interface. Additionally, the integrations with Zapier and PieSync are excellent.

Cons

Bank reconciliation is known to be inaccurate with Wave, with many reports that data doesn't sync with the bank for months at a time. This is likely due to the banks breaking the connection with Wave's 3rd party service (Plaid) on a regular basis, but ultimately this is out of Wave's control.

Alternatives Considered

Quickbooks Online and Xero

Switched From

Fiverr Workspace

Pros

This app has everything I need to do my small business bookkeeping, financial tracking, and reports. It is so easy to access on any device. Super useful for someone who's used to on-the-go applications like me. I can easily make an invoice anywhere I go because of the accessibility feature. I can also duplicate and change dates if I need to in order to make recurring invoices. There is a self-help that you can simply search for tips and strategies with very detailed and easy-to-follow instructions. Even non-professionals can simply rely on this app to calculate income and expenses. It auto-generates reports for income reports and balance sheets. I love how easy it is to enter my data or purchase receipts information and sort them by category. The best part is I can simply link my bank account to it so sorting income and expenses is a breeze! Editing is also a great feature for varying monthly income. Honestly, this is all you need to do your bookkeeping! You don't need a professional account or bookkeeper to catch up on your reports. This will surely save you from being audited. Reports are generated instantly so you need to wait longer.

Cons

I think maybe create a formula for reimbursement instead of multiple strategies to enter reimbursement. This will save entrepreneurs from getting to multiple entryways.