Wave vs QuickBooks Online
Wave says it does the job of QuickBooks Online for less. Here's the price, what you get, and what you give up.
The short answer
Free vs $38/mo
Free instead of paying for QuickBooks Online
Pick Wave if you want
Double-entry books, invoicing, bank connections, reports.
Stay with QuickBooks Online if this is a deal-breaker
No inventory or multi-currency depth; payments and payroll cost extra.
| Wave | QuickBooks Online | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free vs $38/mo | — |
| Saving | Free | — |
| Best for | Double-entry books, invoicing, bank connections, reports. | Teams that want the biggest, most complete option |
| Trade-off | No inventory or multi-currency depth; payments and payroll cost extra. | You pay more |
| Switching effort | Some work | — |
| Last checked | 2026-11-11 |
Questions people ask
Is Wave cheaper than QuickBooks Online?
Wave says it is, by about 100%: Free vs $38/mo. Check both pricing pages before you buy.
What do you give up switching from QuickBooks Online to Wave?
No inventory or multi-currency depth; payments and payroll cost extra.
What do you get with Wave?
Double-entry books, invoicing, bank connections, reports.
How do I switch from QuickBooks Online to Wave?
Export your data first, test a small import, run both side by side for a week, then cancel before your renewal date.