Head to head
Wave vs Xero
Both platforms are scored with the same methodology and the same category rubric. Nothing on this page is influenced by advertising.
56/100 | 64/100Higher score | |
|---|---|---|
| Category rank | #5 | #2 |
| Confidence | High confidence | High confidence |
| External Reputation | 69 | 80 |
| AI Authority | 51 | 56 |
| Web Authority | 51 | 56 |
| Expert Assessment | 45 | 57 |
| TOP10 User Score | — | — |
| Pricing | $19 USD/month (or $190 USD/year); $25 CAD/month, $250 CAD/year — promo observed at $9.50 USD/month for first 3 months · free tier: Starter $0: unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records, mobile invoicing, cash flow and customer dashboard; documents sent via link or PDF only; Wave branding retained | USD $25/month (Early), rising to $27/month from 1 October 2026 · free tier: No permanent free tier; one month free starting once business setup is finalized, with a reminder 7 days before it ends |
| Pricing model | Freemium subscription plus per-transaction payment fees | Subscription |
| Best for | US and Canadian freelancers and micro-businesses invoicing in USD/CAD at low volume — roughly under 10 card transactions a month, or mostly via 1% ACH — who want free invoicing plus double-entry bookkeeping in one ledger and can tolerate 1–7 day settlement. | Small businesses that want invoicing inside a full double-entry ledger, teams needing many free user logins, and firms already working with an accountant in the Xero partner ecosystem. |
| Avoid if | Your cash flow cannot absorb a payment hold or risk review, you process more than about 10 card transactions a month, you operate outside the US/Canada or need Quebec payroll, or you require weekend, phone or fast-escalation support. | You want a pure invoicing tool, bill only a handful of clients a month, need multi-currency or international payments on a budget, or require phone support when money or access is stuck. |
| Markets | Freelancers, Sole traders, Micro-business, SMB | SMB, Accountants and bookkeepers, Agencies |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | — |
A higher TOP SCORE means more of the evidence favours that platform on this methodology — it is not a recommendation, and it does not account for your specific requirements. Advertisers are never declared the winner of a comparison.