QuickBooks vs Wave
Both ladders below were read from the vendors’ own pricing pages, in this market, on the dates shown. Nothing is converted: what you see is what each page showed a reader here.
What each one is
QuickBookssite ↗pricing ↗
Accounting software for small businesses, covering invoicing, expenses, payroll and tax reporting. Paid plans start at $38/mo (Simple Start); a free plan exists. The ladder we hold runs 4 paid tiers, topping out at $340/mo (Advanced). We read the same $38/mo in every market we check, so this vendor does not price by country. It quotes USD here rather than local currency, so your bank sets the conversion.
Wavesite ↗pricing ↗
Free accounting and invoicing software for very small businesses, which makes its money on payments and payroll. Paid plans start at $19/mo (Pro); a free plan exists.
The two ladders
QuickBookssite ↗pricing ↗
read 2026-09-03 · USD
| Plan | Price | What the page says |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | |
| Simple Start | $38/mo | |
| Essentials | $85/mo | |
| Plus | $140/mo | |
| Advanced | $340/mo |
Wavesite ↗pricing ↗
read 2026-09-03 · USD
| Plan | Price | What the page says |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Free | |
| Pro | $19/mo |
Where they differ
- Cheapest way in: Wave at $19/mo, against QuickBooks at $38/mo. That is the entry price in this market on the dates shown, not a judgement about which suits you.
- Free plans: both publish one — a plan priced at zero, not a trial. What each caps differs.
- How far each ladder goes: QuickBooks tops out at $340/mo, Wave at $19/mo. A deeper ladder is not a worse deal — it is a bill that keeps climbing if you keep growing.
- QuickBooks: We read the same $38/mo in every market we check, so this vendor does not price by country. It quotes USD here rather than local currency, so your bank sets the conversion.
How to choose in this category
- Almost every vendor leads with a limited-time discount; the standing price after it is the real comparison.
- Plans differ in users and features more than in price — read the rows, not just the header.
- Several of these vendors charge different amounts by country; the table shows what each market pays.