Wave vs Zoho Books
Wave and Zoho Books are both accounting & finance tools. Wave is aimed at freelancers and small businesses, while Zoho Books is aimed at small businesses. Wave costs less, from $19/mo versus $20/mo for Zoho Books. Both have a free plan.
Free accounting and invoicing for freelancers
Affordable accounting with a free tier
| Pricing | Freemium · $19 | Freemium · $20 |
| Starting price | $19/mo | $20/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | 14 days |
| Built for | Freelancers, Small businesses | Small businesses |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Country | CA · 2010 | IN · 2011 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Wave if
North American freelancers and micro-businesses on a tight budget.
- Free core accounting
- Simple and approachable
- Good for solo founders
Look elsewhere if: Growing companies or businesses outside the US and Canada.
Choose Zoho Books if
SMBs seeking value and multi-country compliance.
- Excellent value
- Free plan for small businesses
- Strong compliance coverage
Look elsewhere if: US businesses tied to QuickBooks-savvy accountants.
Wave vs Zoho Books pricing
Wave
- Starter$0Unlimited invoices, estimates, bookkeeping
- Pro$19/mo$190/yr billed annually; auto-import bank transactions
- Payments2.9% + $0.60/per cardPer card transaction on Starter; 3.4% + $0.60 Amex
- Wave Advisorsfrom $149/moDedicated bookkeeper, includes Pro features
Zoho Books
- Free$0Revenue under $50K/yr, 1 user + accountant, 1,000 invoices/yr
- Standard$20/org/mo$15/mo billed annually; 3 users
- Professional$50/org/mo$40/mo billed annually; 5 users, inventory, projects
- Premium$70/org/mo$60/mo billed annually; 10 users, custom modules
- Elite$150/org/mo$120/mo billed annually; full inventory management
Wave · Key features
- Free invoicing and estimates
- Double-entry accounting and reports
- Bank connections and transaction import
- Receipt capture (Pro)
- Card and bank payments
- Payroll add-on in US and Canada
Cons
- US and Canada focus
- Limited features and integrations
- Support mostly paid
Zoho Books · Key features
- Invoicing, quotes and recurring billing
- Bank feeds and reconciliation
- Inventory and projects
- Multi-country tax compliance
- Client portal and workflows
- Zoho suite integration
Cons
- UI can feel busy
- Best inside Zoho ecosystem
- Support variable
Wave vs Zoho Books: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Wave or Zoho Books?
Wave starts at $19/mo and Zoho Books at $20/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Wave and Zoho Books have a free plan?
Yes, both Wave and Zoho Books have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.