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Wave vs Xero
Priced at four client counts, the features checked against both pricing pages.
Take Wave if you want a free plan you can run on, the cheapest way to invoice and getting paid first. Take Xero if you want what accountants expect, a mature platform with a large ecosystem and one price for everyone. 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.
| Wave | Xero | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 clients | $19 | $27 | $8 |
| 25 clients | $19 | $59 | $40 |
| 50 clients | $19 | $59 | $40 |
| 100 clients | $19 | $59 | $40 |
What is actually different
- Wave lists a mobile app where Xero does not, which is their own wording rather than something we verified.
- Xero lists inventory, multi-currency, project and time tracking, reports and VAT or sales tax filing where Wave does not, which is their own wording rather than something we verified.
No verdict from me yet
I have not used Wave or Xero 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
| Wave | Xero | |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | None published | 30 days |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Contract | Starter is free; Pro monthly or annual, per business | Monthly, auto-renews until cancelled; first month free; downgrade one month after upgrading |
| 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: wave accounting vs xero.
Questions people ask about these two
Is Wave or Xero cheaper?
Wave is cheaper at every size we price.
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.
How much does Xero cost a month?
Xero is $27 a month at 5 clients and $59 at 100 clients, read off their own pricing page and re-checked every week.
Does Wave or Xero have a free trial?
Wave has a Starter plan at $0. Xero publishes a 30-day free trial.
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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