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FreshBooks vs Wave
Priced at four client counts, the features checked against both pricing pages.
Take FreshBooks if you want getting paid first, time and project billing and a one-person business. Take Wave if you want a free plan you can run on, the cheapest way to invoice and getting paid first. Wave is cheaper at every size we price.
What each one actually costs
The real monthly figure at four client counts with the add-ons each platform forces on you included, from the same engine the shortlist quiz uses. The cheaper of the two is marked on every row.
| FreshBooks | Wave | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 clients | $70 | $19 | $51 |
| 25 clients | $70 | $19 | $51 |
| 50 clients | $70 | $19 | $51 |
| 100 clients | $70 | $19 | $51 |
What is actually different
- FreshBooks lists project and time tracking, recurring invoices and subscriptions and reports where Wave does not, which is their own wording rather than something we verified.
No verdict from me yet
I have not used FreshBooks or Wave on camera, so everything on this page comes from their own pricing pages, re-read weekly, and nothing from my own experience. When I review either, it will be here.
Before you sign up to either
| FreshBooks | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | 30 days | None published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Contract | Monthly or yearly; 30-day money-back guarantee | Starter is free; Pro monthly or annual, per business |
| Payment fee | None on top | None on top |
Reading further
The full price ladder, every plan and the add-ons charged on top are on each platform's own page. If neither of these two is quite it, each page also has the alternatives ranked against it.
People search for this comparison as: freshbooks vs wave, freshbooks vs wave accounting, freshbooks vs xero vs wave, wave accounting vs freshbooks.
Questions people ask about these two
Is FreshBooks or Wave cheaper?
Wave is cheaper at every size we price.
How much does FreshBooks cost a month?
FreshBooks is $70 a month at every size we price, from 5 to 100 clients, read off their own pricing page and re-checked every week.
How much does Wave cost a month?
Wave is $19 a month at every size we price, from 5 to 100 clients, read off their own pricing page and re-checked every week.
Does FreshBooks or Wave have a free trial?
FreshBooks publishes a 30-day free trial. Wave has a Starter plan at $0.
Make a third option? If you make accounting and invoicing platforms and it is missing from this list, ask to be shortlisted. Listings are free and cannot be bought.
Neither, or not sure?
A head to head only helps once you have picked the two. The shortlist asks 7 questions about what you need the books to do and where you are based, and gives you four picks priced at your own numbers, from all 14.
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