Wave is a popular accounting and invoicing app for small businesses, and its free Starter plan is the reason most people try it. The pricing page I reviewed lists Starter at $0 and Pro at $19 a month or $190 a year. People look for alternatives when they need bank import, more users, or bookkeeping help that goes beyond the free plan. I run my own stores and teach high-ticket dropshipping at Ecommerce Paradise, so I judge these tools by how well they handle supplier bills, customer invoices, and the clean books you need at tax time.
Everything below comes from each vendor’s own page as I reviewed it. Where a page does not show a number, I write “not shown” instead of guessing. Prices and promotions change often, so confirm them before you sign up. Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. I am not an accountant, so check any tax or filing question with a professional.
Accounting software helps once you have a business to run. If you are still deciding what to sell, start with my guide to what high-ticket dropshipping is before you set up a chart of accounts.
Wave Alternatives at a Glance
| Tool | Starting price | Free option | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| FreshBooks | Lite at $23 a month list price | 30-day free trial | Owners who send many invoices to clients |
| QuickBooks Online | Simple Start at $38 a month list price | 30-day free trial | Owners who want accountant seats included |
| Zoho Books | Standard at $15 a month billed annually | Free plan | Owners who want a free plan with more limits |
| Xero | Early at $27 a month after the promo | Not shown | Owners who want a plan without per-user fees |
| Finaloop | Starter at $245 a month | 14-day free trial | Brands that want bookkeeping done for them |
Accounting software is only useful once you have a store with sales. If you want a high-ticket store built for you, start here. See the done-for-you store build →
What Wave Costs and Where It Falls Short
The Wave page lists three offers. Starter is $0 and lists unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, and bookkeeping records, mobile app invoicing, and a dashboard for cash flow and customers. Online payments are an optional add-on at 2.9% plus $0.60 per card transaction and 3.4% plus $0.60 per Amex transaction.
Pro is $19 a month billed monthly or $190 a year billed annually. It lists auto-import of bank transactions through Plaid (not all institutions are supported), categorization of bank transactions, receipt capture, multiple users, late payment reminders, and removal of Wave branding. The page showed a promo of $9.50 a month for three months, but it says that offer ran from December 2, 2025 to January 6, 2026, so do not count on it.
Payroll is an add-on from $25 a month or from $40 a month, and the page does not say which price goes with which plan. A bookkeeper add-on starts from $149 or $199 a month. Wave Advisors, which includes a dedicated bookkeeper, starts at $149 or $199 a month, and the page does not say which figure is monthly or annual.
A free trial and refund terms are not shown. The page says you can unsubscribe at any time and that cancellation takes effect at the end of the billing period. The main drawback of the free plan is that bank auto-import is listed only under Pro. I compare Wave with another tool in my FreshBooks vs Wave guide.
How to Pick Accounting Software
Start with your volume. A store with a handful of orders a month needs far less than one that handles dozens of supplier bills. Check the invoice and bill limits on each plan before you commit.
Next, think about your accountant. Some accountants prefer certain tools, and sharing access is simpler when you both use the same one. Ask before you switch.
Finally, decide how much of the bookkeeping you want to do yourself. Software with bank import saves time, and a service that does the books for you costs more. Pick the one you will actually keep up with each month. My accounting software guide for ecommerce goes deeper on inventory and sales channels.
1. FreshBooks
FreshBooks lists Lite at $23 a month with 5 billable clients, Plus at $43 with 50, and Premium at $70 with unlimited clients. The page also shows promo prices of $4.60, $8.60, and $14.00 a month for the first four months (80% off). Select is a custom plan with a consultant. The FreshBooks pricing page shows the full list.
Lite lists invoices, estimates, expense tracking, time tracking, recurring invoices, late fees, bank import, and mileage tracking. Plus adds proposals, e-signatures, double-entry accounting reports, bank reconciliation, and accountant access. Premium adds accounts payable, project profitability, and bill receipt scanning.
Team members are $11 a month per user, and Advanced Payments is $20 a month on lower plans. The page offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required and a 30-day money back guarantee. A yearly toggle shows an extra 10% off, but yearly prices are not shown.
2. QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online lists Simple Start at $38 a month, Essentials at $85, Plus at $140, and Advanced at $340. The page shows promo prices of 50% off for three months, which brings those to $19, $42.50, $70, and $170. The fine print on the promo is not shown. The QuickBooks pricing page lists each plan.
Simple Start includes 1 user and 2 accountants, Essentials 3 users, Plus 5 users, and Advanced 25 users. Simple Start lists invoicing, automated bookkeeping, and free ACH bill pay. Plus adds project profitability tracking, inventory management, and budget planning.
The page lists a free trial for 30 days but does not say which plan it applies to. It says you can switch plans or cancel at any time and that there is no annual contract. Refund terms are not shown. I compare it with other options in my QuickBooks alternatives guide.
3. Zoho Books
Zoho Books lists a Free plan with 1 user and 1 accountant, 1,000 invoices a year, 1,000 bills and expenses a year, and bank reconciliation. The page says it is free as long as annual revenue does not exceed $50K. Standard is $20 a month or $15 a month billed annually, with 3 users and 5,000 invoices a year.
Professional is $50 monthly or $40 annually, with 5 users and inventory, multi-currency, and approvals. Premium is $70 monthly or $60 annually, with 10 users and cash flow forecasting. Elite is $150 monthly or $120 annually, with warehouses and connections to Etsy, eBay, Amazon, and up to 2 Shopify stores.
Bank feeds are listed from Standard upward. The page offers a 14-day free trial and says Zoho Books is pay-as-you-go with no contract. Refund terms are not shown. Extra users are $3 a month, or $2.50 billed annually. The Zoho Books pricing page has the full table.
4. Xero
Xero lists Early at $27 a month, Growing at $59, and Established at $97. The page shows a promo of 90% off for the first six months, which brings those to $2.70, $5.90, and $9.70, and it says the offer ends November 2, 2026. The promo does not apply to add-ons, usage, or payment fees.
Early lists 20 invoices, 5 bills, quotes, bank reconciliation, and a 30-day cash flow forecast. Growing adds automated bill entry, custom dashboards, 3 budgets, and auto-reconcile. Established adds multiple currencies, project time and cost tracking, and expense and mileage claims.
The page says there are no per-user license fees but does not show user counts. Trial length and refund terms are not shown. I cover more options in my Xero alternatives guide.
5. Finaloop
Finaloop is a different kind of tool. Starter is $245 a month, for brands with up to $1M in annual gross revenue that have been in business four years or less. Full-Service and Platform prices are not shown, and a firm quote comes after a 30-minute call.
Full-Service lists a dedicated accounting team, a monthly finance review, reconciliation across stores, banks, payments, and ad platforms, and inventory workflows. Platform is software for a brand with its own finance team. A one-time catch-up fee may apply for historical books.
The page offers a 14-day free trial that includes your onboarding month and two prior months of historical accounting. You can cancel anytime with no cancellation fee, but subscription fees are non-refundable. Finaloop costs far more than the other four, so it suits brands that want to hand off bookkeeping.
What Each Option Costs Per Year
These totals are my own math from the listed prices, at list prices without promos. Wave Starter is $0 and Pro is $190 a year. FreshBooks Lite is $276 a year at the monthly rate, and Plus is $516.
QuickBooks Simple Start works out to $456 a year and Essentials to $1,020. Zoho Books Standard works out to $180 a year billed annually, and the Free plan is $0. Xero Early works out to $324 a year after the promo, and Growing to $708. Finaloop Starter works out to $2,940 a year.
Which Tool Fits Which Store Owner
If you have few orders and little spending, start with a free plan. Wave Starter and Zoho Books Free both list a price of zero. Zoho’s free plan lists bank reconciliation and 1,000 invoices a year, which is more room than most new stores need.
If you sell to many clients and send invoices, look at FreshBooks. If you want accountant access built into every plan, look at QuickBooks. If you want a plan with no per-user fees, look at Xero.
If you would rather not touch the books, Finaloop lists a dedicated accounting team. It is the most expensive option here, so weigh it against the time you would spend. Pick the tool you will keep up with each month.
Using Accounting Software for a High-Ticket Store
High-ticket orders carry larger numbers, so mistakes cost more. A single order might involve a customer payment, a supplier bill, a freight charge, and a refund. Software that links your bank and payment feeds makes those entries easier to match.
Record the supplier bill when you place the order, not when you pay it. Match each customer payment to its invoice. Review the reports once a month so a gap shows up early.
If you sell on a hosted platform, a store on Shopify gives you the sales data that your books depend on. Keep your business bank account separate from your personal one so the numbers stay clean.
Costs to Watch as You Grow
The first cost is users. FreshBooks charges $11 a month per extra team member, Zoho Books charges $3 a month per extra user, and Wave Pro lists multiple users. Count who needs access before you compare prices.
The second cost is payments. Wave Starter lists 2.9% plus $0.60 per card transaction, and FreshBooks lists Advanced Payments at $20 a month on lower plans. Check the fees on every payment you accept.
The third cost is promos that end. QuickBooks lists 50% off for three months, FreshBooks 80% off for four months, and Xero 90% off for six months. Plan for the list price, not the promo.
Moving Away From Wave Safely
Export your reports before you change anything. Save a trial balance, your list of customers and vendors, and your open invoices and bills. I walk through the steps in my guide on how to switch accounting software without losing your history.
Pick a clean start date, such as the first day of a month or quarter. Enter opening balances in the new tool and check them against your last report. Run both tools side by side for a month if you can.
Tell your accountant before you move. The Wave page does not describe an export tool, so check your account settings for export options. Keep your Wave account active until your first month in the new tool reconciles.
When Wave Is Still the Right Pick
Wave still makes sense in many cases. If you only need invoices, bills, and simple records, the free Starter plan costs nothing. You can start on Starter and decide later whether Pro is worth $19 a month.
If your volume is low and you do not need bank import, there is no rush to leave. Pro lists bank import and multiple users for $190 a year. Match the tool to how many transactions you handle.
Hiring Help to Keep Your Books
Bookkeeping is easy to hand off once you write down the steps. A virtual assistant from OnlineJobs.ph can enter bills, match payments, and chase unpaid invoices from a written guide. Give them view access rather than full access to your bank.
For a logo or an invoice template, a freelancer on Fiverr can deliver a one-off job. A branded email address through Google Workspace helps your invoices and replies look trustworthy.
Common Mistakes With Accounting Software
The first mistake is mixing personal and business spending. Open a separate account and run only business costs through it. The second mistake is letting receipts and bills pile up for months before you enter them.
The third mistake is setting up books before your business is formed. If you have not formed your company, read my guide to business formation for high-ticket dropshipping. To file an LLC quickly, Bizee is one option I recommend.
The fourth mistake is tracking costs for a niche you have not chosen. Pick one from my high-ticket niches list first. My guide to finding suppliers for high-ticket dropshipping covers the sourcing side.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Wave alternative?
It depends on your needs. Zoho Books lists a free plan with more limits, FreshBooks suits client invoicing, QuickBooks lists accountant access on every plan, and Xero lists no per-user fees. Compare the limits you need before you decide.
How much does Wave cost?
The page I reviewed lists Starter at $0 and Pro at $19 a month or $190 a year. Payroll, receipt scanning, and bookkeeper help are add-ons, and online payments carry per-transaction fees.
Which Wave alternative has a free plan?
Zoho Books lists a Free plan for businesses with annual revenue up to $50K. FreshBooks, QuickBooks, and Finaloop list free trials instead of a free plan.
Do I need accounting software for a small store?
Yes, in most cases. Even a few orders a month create bills, payments, and records you will need at tax time. A spreadsheet can work at first, but software makes it easier to hand records to your accountant.
Can I move my data to another tool?
Yes. Export your reports and lists, pick a clean start date, and enter opening balances in the new tool. Tell your accountant before you switch.
Final Verdict on Wave Alternatives
Zoho Books is the best pick for owners who want a free plan with more room, FreshBooks suits owners who send many invoices, QuickBooks suits owners who want accountant seats on every plan, Xero suits owners who want no per-user fees, and Finaloop suits brands that want bookkeeping done for them. Wave is still worth a look if you only need invoices and simple records at no cost.
Start with the free plan or trial that matches your volume, confirm any paid price on the vendor page, and keep your business bank account separate. Then spend your attention on the store itself, because clean books only help once you have sales to record.
Want a high-ticket store ready for your books? Let my team build it for you. Get your store built →
Prefer to learn the model yourself? Start with my free mini course, or go deeper in the masterclass and coaching. Free mini course → Masterclass → Coaching →
Related Articles
If you found this useful, these guides go deeper on related topics:
- QuickBooks vs Wave 2026: What Free Buys and Exactly Where It Stops
- FreshBooks vs Wave in 2026: Service Business Accounting Platform vs Free Solopreneur Tool, Which Fits Your Business?
- Best Accounting Software for Ecommerce 2026: Ranked by Where Inventory Starts
- Xero Alternatives in 2026: 4 Options Compared on Price, Limits and Inventory
- QuickBooks Alternatives 2026: Organised by the Problem That Sent You Looking
Trevor Fenner is an ecommerce entrepreneur and world traveler from Seattle, Washington, and the founder of Ecommerce Paradise, a platform focused on helping entrepreneurs build and scale profitable high-ticket ecommerce and dropshipping businesses. With over a decade of hands-on experience, Trevor specializes in high-ticket dropshipping strategy, niche and product selection, supplier recruiting and onboarding, Google & Bing Shopping ads, ecommerce SEO, and systems-driven automation and scaling. Through Ecommerce Paradise, he provides free education via in-depth guides like How to Start High-Ticket Dropshipping, advanced training through the High-Ticket Dropshipping Masterclass, and fully done-for-you turnkey ecommerce services for entrepreneurs who want a faster, more hands-off path to growth. Trevor is known for emphasizing sustainable, real-world ecommerce models over hype-driven tactics, helping store owners build scalable, sellable, and location-independent brands.
He maintains homes in Seattle and Bali, spends most of the year overseas, and usually returns to Seattle for about a month each summer.
