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QuickBooks vs Wave: which is best for your business in 2026

Compare the features, pricing plans, and add-ons available with both QuickBooks and Wave to find the best accounting solution for your business.

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7,500+ Capterra reviews¹

7 million customers globally²

Award-winning support³

Frequently asked questions

QuickBooks vs Wave

Plan overview

Plans & pricingPer company file/EIN	EasyStart: $7/mo, Essentials: $32.50/mo, Plus: $19/mo, Advanced: $38/mo Save a minimum of 50% for 3 months*	Starter: $0, Pro: $20/mo
Multiple usersTeam and accountant collaboration	EasyStart: 1, Essentials: 3, Plus: 5, Advanced: 25	Starter:1, Pro: No limit
Customer supportPhone support, live chat, help articles, and video tutorials		No direct phone number or live chat support
Accounting and reporting
General accountingJournal entries and chart of accounts customization
Bank reconcilingBank feed imports, categorizations, and transaction matching		Auto bank feeds is available in Pro plan
Accounts receivableInvoice tracking, notifications, and professional invoice creation		Recurring invoices is available in Pro plan Starter plan
Accounts payableBills viewed by due date, payment automation, and multiple vendor payments		Recurring bills not available
Financial reportingCash flow visibility, forecasting, budgeting, and reporting	Budgets available in Plus and Advanced, forecasting available in Advanced	No scenario planning, budgets or custom fields
Industry specific
Inventory managementInventory and costs of goods tracking	Available in Plus and Advanced plans
Project profitabilityIncome and expense tracking on individual projects	Available in Plus and Advanced plans
E-commerce app integrationShopify, eBay, and Amazon app integration
Ecosystem add-ons (extra cost)
Payroll and timePayroll direct deposit, payroll automation, and time tracking		No online time tracking, limited states for e-filing
Accept paymentsBank transfers, credit card, and Apple Pay payments		No card reader option

*Discount offer. See offer terms below.

Pricing reflects total monthly costs as of July 3, 2025. Total cost per year is calculated by adding all the features that require additional fees.

Pricing may vary subject to discounted introductory rates. Pricing and feature list accurate as per Wave Canada’s website on July 3, 2025.

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QuickBooks vs Wave comparison overview 2026

QuickBooks and Wave are both popular accounting software options for small businesses. Wave is a great fit for freelancers and small businesses that need simple ways to stay on top of invoicing and bookkeeping.

QuickBooks on the other hand, is built for sole proprietors and small to medium-sized businesses and has more advanced features designed to grow with your business. QuickBooks helps you manage everything from time tracking and job costing to inventory and in-depth reporting. It allows businesses to add services like payroll and payments. QuickBooks is ideal for businesses that need a more comprehensive solution to manage operations, scale efficiently, and gain deeper financial insight.

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Important offers, pricing details and disclaimers

All plans include

User-friendly
design

QuickBooks' user-friendly interface makes navigating your finances a breeze, even if you're not an accounting expert. The layout and simple design ensure that you can find what you need quickly and efficiently.

Solid customer
support

With QuickBooks, you'll get expert help from real people through phone and live chat six days a week. Our specialists are here to support you with every part of your QuickBooks journey, from the initial switch to onboarding.

Smart app
integrations

Seamlessly connect QuickBooks to over 750 apps and tools, creating a unified hub for your business operations. From CRM systems to payment processors, QuickBooks integrates with a wide range of popular platforms, saving you time and effort.

Overview of Wave plans

Wave provides two distinct pricing plans tailored to different business needs: Starter and Pro, each offering varying levels of functionality and support.

Starter

The Wave Starter plan is a budget-friendly option for startups, small businesses, and the self-employed. It supports basic accounting requirements with invoicing, expense management, and reporting features.

Pro

Pro is designed for businesses seeking more automation. It includes everything in Starter, plus digital receipt capture, automated import, merge and categorization of bank transactions, and automated late payment reminders.

All Wave plans include

Invoicing

Wave allows you to create and send professional invoices. However, sending recurring invoices requires the Pro plan.

Customer support

Live customer chat and email support are available on weekdays from 9 am - 5 pm EST with the Pro Plan. Other resources include an automated support chatbot and an online resource center. There is no inbound phone line.

Integrations

Wave integrates with thousands of apps to extend its core functionality. To connect third-party tools, Zapier is required, which may lead to additional costs and complexity.

See how QuickBooks works

It’s easy to see why QuickBooks is a standout choice for small-to mid-size businesses. Its robust feature set, industry-specific tools, and readily available live customer support make it a comprehensive and user-friendly solution designed to help grow—and scale with—your business.

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Frequently asked questions

What makes QuickBooks a good alternative to Wave?

With additional modules for inventory, project, and e-commerce management, QuickBooks is a well-rounded platform for businesses with more advanced needs. While Wave offers basic accounting and bookkeeping features, QuickBooks is ideal for businesses seeking scalability and advanced features. Unlike Wave, which might feel limited as your business grows, QuickBooks seamlessly adapts to handling increased transaction volumes and more complex workflows. Plus, it has extensive integration capabilities, specialized industry solutions, and dedicated customer support. This makes QuickBooks a more comprehensive choice for small businesses aiming for long-term growth and financial success.

Why is QuickBooks trusted by millions of small businesses?

Is QuickBooks suitable for beginners with no accounting experience?

Can I use QuickBooks on my mobile device?

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Money movement services are provided by Intuit Canada Payments Inc.

*Offer terms

QuickBooks Online Discount Offer Terms: Discount applied to the monthly or annual list price for QuickBooks Online EasyStart, Plus or Advanced (“QBO”) as stated above, starting from the date of enrollment, followed by the then-current monthly or annual base price (depending upon your purchase). To purchase QuickBooks Online Essentials, call 1-888-829-8589 Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM ET. Your account will automatically be charged on a monthly or annual basis (as applicable) until you cancel. If you add or remove services, your service fees will be adjusted accordingly. Sales tax may be applied where applicable. To be eligible for this offer you must be a new QBO customer and sign up for the monthly plan using the “Choose plan” option. This discount can't be combined with any other QuickBooks offers. Offer available for a limited time only. To cancel your subscription at any time go to Account & Settings in QBO and select “Cancel.” Your cancellation will become effective at the end of the monthly billing period. You will not receive a pro-rated refund; your access and subscription benefits will continue for the remainder of the billing period. Terms, conditions, pricing, special features, and service and support options subject to change without notice.

QuickBooks Online Free 30-day Trial Offer Terms: First thirty (30) days of the QuickBooks Online (“QBO”) subscription, starting from the date of enrolment is free. At the end of the free trial, you’ll automatically be charged and you’ll be charged on a monthly basis thereafter at the then-current price for the service(s) you’ve selected until you cancel. If you add or remove services, your service fees will be adjusted accordingly. Sales tax may be applied where applicable. To be eligible for this offer you must be a new QBO customer and sign up for the monthly plan using the “Free 30-Day Trial'' option. This offer can't be combined with any other QuickBooks offers. Offer available for a limited time only. To cancel your subscription at any time go to Account & Settings in QBO and select “Cancel.” Your cancellation will become effective at the end of the monthly billing period. You will not receive a pro-rated refund; your access and subscription benefits will continue for the remainder of the billing period. If you cancel within the first 30 days you will not be charged. Terms, conditions, pricing, special features, and service and support options subject to change without notice.

QuickBooks Payroll: Sold separately. The above stated discount price is available only to new QuickBooks customers, starting from the date of enrollment through the term period stated above. The monthly subscription price excludes HST/GST. Offer valid for a limited time only. You must select the Buy Now option. Offer not applicable with free trial. Following the offer, you will be automatically charged monthly at the-then current QuickBooks Online subscription fee + the-then current per employee fee, plus all applicable taxes, until you cancel. The employee fee is charged per unique active employee that has run a payroll during the monthly billing cycle. To cancel your subscription, learn more here. A valid credit card is required to continue using QuickBooks Online Payroll. Terms, conditions, pricing, features, service and support are subject to change without notice. Canada only.

QuickBooks Payments: QuickBooks Payments account subject to eligibility criteria, credit, and application approval. Subscription to QuickBooks Online required.

#Claims

1. Reviews: 4.3 star Capterra reviews from 7,500+ as of 03/13/2025.

2. 7 million customers worldwide: Based on number of global QuickBooks subscribers.

3. Award-winning support: 9 Stevie Awards for excellence in Customer Service in 2025.

QuickBooks vs Wave: which is best for your business in 2026

7,500+ Capterra reviews¹

7 million customers globally²

Award-winning support³

QuickBooks vs Wave

Find the QuickBooks plan that’s right for you

All plans include

User-friendly design

Solid customer support

Smart app integrations

Overview of Wave plans

All Wave plans include

Invoicing

Customer support

Integrations

See how QuickBooks works

Frequently asked questions

Explore additional comparisons

QuickBooks vs. Freshbooks

QuickBooks vs. Xero

Join millions of small businesses on QuickBooks

Award-winning support³

User-friendly
design

Solid customer
support

Smart app
integrations