Wave
Free accounting and invoicing for freelancers and micro businesses
What it does
Wave is free accounting and invoicing software for freelancers and micro businesses, real double-entry accounting, unlimited invoicing, receipt scanning, and financial reports at no subscription cost. Wave makes money on payment processing fees and paid payroll, not on the core accounting product, which is genuinely full-featured, not a stripped-down trial.
Free tier
Yes
Setup
easy
Key features
Integrates with
Stripe, PayPal, Zapier
Who this fits
- Freelancers and solo entrepreneurs who need real accounting (not a spreadsheet) without a monthly software bill
- Micro businesses under about $50-100K revenue where QuickBooks' cost isn't yet justified
- Anyone who wants to invoice clients and track expenses without committing to a subscription while the business is still finding its footing
Who it does NOT fit
- Businesses needing payroll beyond the basics, Wave Payroll is functional for simple freelancer use but reviewers note it may not meet the needs of businesses with more complex payroll requirements, with feature gaps versus dedicated payroll tools like Gusto or SurePayroll (Source: product comparison via WebSearch summary, 2026)
- Anyone assuming "free forever, nothing changes," complaints cluster around previously-free features shifting to paid over time, verify what's currently free versus paid before promising a client anything is permanently free (Source: user reviews via WebSearch summary, 2026)
- Growing businesses needing dedicated account management or fast support, support quality is a repeated complaint theme, and Wave is not built for businesses that have outgrown the "just me and my invoices" stage
Pricing
Real gotchas
- Wave has a documented pattern of moving previously-free features to paid tiers over time, don't promise a client permanent free access to a specific feature without checking Wave's current terms first (Source: user reviews via WebSearch summary, 2026)
- Wave Payroll is a reasonable fit for a simple freelancer paying themselves or one employee, but reviewers consistently note it falls short of dedicated payroll tools once requirements get more complex (multi-state, benefits admin), don't recommend it past that point
- Support quality is a recurring complaint, this is consistent with a free-product business model, but set expectations that fast, white-glove support isn't part of the deal
Integrations that matter
Otto’s take on this tool
Recommend Wave as the default starting recommendation for solo freelancers and very early micro businesses who need real bookkeeping without a subscription cost. It's a strong, honest "start here for free" recommendation. Flag that payroll needs beyond simple single-employee use should graduate to Gusto or OnPay, and note that "free" features have shifted before, so don't overpromise permanence. As the business grows past roughly $50-100K revenue or adds employees, plan the graduation path to QuickBooks or Xero.
Affiliate disclosure: if you sign up through the link above, Ottomately may earn a referral commission at no cost to you. We only feature tools we have actually used or vetted through our recommendation engine.Partnership: 25% per referral via Direct.
Editor's curated reviews
529 reviews across TrustPilot - avg 3.4/5Curated by Otto from TrustPilot public reviews (fetched 2026-08-31). Wave averages 3.4 across 529 TrustPilot reviews - the population skews critical (46% 1-star vs 37% 5-star) and complaints center on Wave Payments fund holds/freezes, missing phone support, and cancellation/account-deletion friction. Meaningful signal for buyers evaluating Wave Payments specifically, not just the free accounting/invoicing product. G2 and Capterra were consulted for aggregate context but not directly cited here (source-access limits). Not user-submitted on Ottomately.
“It would be significantly better if you could separate/silo business income. I have a few different income streams.”
TrustPilot3.0/5“Works okay, having to log in every time the screen times out on laptop is very annoying.”
TrustPilot3.0/5“I like the receipt scanning, but I would like to be able to achieve all functions in the app.”
TrustPilot3.0/5“It appears cheap until you actually use it. Every little thing requires an upgrade.”
TrustPilot2.0/5“Wave is currently holding over $15,000 in customer funds while our case remains under escalation.”
TrustPilot1.0/5“There is no live chat and no customer support phone number. 3 DAYS!”
TrustPilot1.0/5“They will freeze your money for no reason make you jump through hoops to get it.”
TrustPilot1.0/5“It is full of bookkeeping errors (incorrect calculations ect) it is a horrible software.”
TrustPilot1.0/5“You can check in any time you like but you can never leave. No way to delete account.”
TrustPilot1.0/5
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