Payroll by Wave vs. Sage Accounting

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Payroll by Wave
Score 10.0 out of 10
N/A
Wave Accounting headquartered in Toronto now offers Payroll by Wave, a payroll app for small businesses.N/A
Sage Accounting
Score 7.6 out of 10
N/A
Sage Accounting is online accounting software made to simplify life for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers by providing the functions needed to take care of daily business to-dos. Users can create and send professional quotes and invoices, track income and expenses and know where the business' financials stand. Every Sage Business Cloud Accounting subscription includes unlimited access to support as well as automatic backups and product updates.
$19
per month
Pricing
Payroll by WaveSage Accounting
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Payroll by WaveSage Accounting
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsVersions and pricing listed are for CA products. Versions available and pricing may vary by country. * 2 months free to start, or free for 1 month to try, then $19/$43/$62 +tax/mo (tier depending). Offer valid for new customers only on monthly subscriptions of Sage Business Cloud Accounting. After the promotional period, the monthly subscription rate will renew at the then current rate. May not be combined with any other offers or discounts. To ensure continuous service the subscription plan is an automatically renewing plan. Subsequent months will automatically be billed to the same credit card each month on the anniversary date of purchase. Plans can be terminated at any time prior to the renewal data and not charged for renewal.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Payroll by WaveSage Accounting
Features
Payroll by WaveSage Accounting
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Payroll by Wave
9.4
5 Ratings
13% above category average
Sage Accounting
9.3
19 Ratings
21% above category average
Pay calculation10.05 Ratings10.015 Ratings
Support for external payroll vendors9.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment9.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Benefit plan administration9.01 Ratings9.312 Ratings
Direct deposit files9.05 Ratings8.812 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management9.55 Ratings9.410 Ratings
Reimbursement management10.02 Ratings9.112 Ratings
Customization
Comparison of Customization features of Product A and Product B
Payroll by Wave
-
Ratings
Sage Accounting
8.5
23 Ratings
10% above category average
API for custom integration00 Ratings9.120 Ratings
Plug-ins00 Ratings7.917 Ratings
Security
Comparison of Security features of Product A and Product B
Payroll by Wave
-
Ratings
Sage Accounting
9.7
42 Ratings
17% above category average
Single sign-on capability00 Ratings9.931 Ratings
Role-based user permissions00 Ratings9.539 Ratings
Reporting & Analytics
Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Product A and Product B
Payroll by Wave
-
Ratings
Sage Accounting
9.2
44 Ratings
17% above category average
Dashboards00 Ratings8.040 Ratings
Standard reports00 Ratings9.844 Ratings
Custom reports00 Ratings9.735 Ratings
General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
Comparison of General Ledger and Configurable Accounting features of Product A and Product B
Payroll by Wave
-
Ratings
Sage Accounting
8.7
107 Ratings
13% above category average
Accounts payable00 Ratings8.293 Ratings
Accounts receivable00 Ratings9.945 Ratings
Cash management00 Ratings7.983 Ratings
Bank reconciliation00 Ratings7.2101 Ratings
Expense management00 Ratings9.934 Ratings
Time tracking00 Ratings6.611 Ratings
Fixed asset management00 Ratings8.228 Ratings
Multi-currency support00 Ratings9.918 Ratings
Multi-division support00 Ratings9.918 Ratings
Regulations compliance00 Ratings9.529 Ratings
Electronic tax filing00 Ratings6.559 Ratings
Self-service portal00 Ratings10.025 Ratings
Global Financial Support00 Ratings9.18 Ratings
Primary and Secondary Ledgers00 Ratings9.515 Ratings
Intercompany Accounting00 Ratings8.011 Ratings
Localizations00 Ratings8.39 Ratings
Journals and Reconciliations00 Ratings9.033 Ratings
Enterprise Accounting00 Ratings7.110 Ratings
Configurable Accounting00 Ratings9.218 Ratings
Centralized Rules Framework00 Ratings8.88 Ratings
Standardized Processes00 Ratings9.520 Ratings
Inventory Management
Comparison of Inventory Management features of Product A and Product B
Payroll by Wave
-
Ratings
Sage Accounting
7.0
17 Ratings
7% below category average
Inventory tracking00 Ratings6.717 Ratings
Automatic reordering00 Ratings8.36 Ratings
Location management00 Ratings5.87 Ratings
Manufacturing module00 Ratings7.05 Ratings
Order Management
Comparison of Order Management features of Product A and Product B
Payroll by Wave
-
Ratings
Sage Accounting
8.1
28 Ratings
7% above category average
Pricing00 Ratings9.917 Ratings
Order entry00 Ratings7.615 Ratings
Credit card processing00 Ratings8.218 Ratings
Cost of goods sold00 Ratings7.520 Ratings
Order Orchestration00 Ratings7.46 Ratings
End-to-end order visibility00 Ratings7.67 Ratings
Order exception Resolution00 Ratings8.65 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Payroll by WaveSage Accounting
Small Businesses
Dayforce Powerpay
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.4 out of 10
QuickBooks Self-Employed (discontinued)
QuickBooks Self-Employed (discontinued)
Score 7.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.2 out of 10
Zoho Books
Zoho Books
Score 9.1 out of 10
Enterprises
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.1 out of 10
SAP Cloud ERP
SAP Cloud ERP
Score 8.5 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Payroll by WaveSage Accounting
Likelihood to Recommend
10.0
(6 ratings)
8.0
(100 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(1 ratings)
8.3
(11 ratings)
Usability
10.0
(1 ratings)
8.2
(68 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(7 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
8.9
(7 ratings)
Support Rating
8.9
(2 ratings)
9.6
(21 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.3
(2 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.2
(4 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(6 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
8.6
(6 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
-
(0 ratings)
9.3
(2 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
4.4
(3 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
6.6
(7 ratings)
Professional Services
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
7.5
(5 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
7.5
(5 ratings)
User Testimonials
Payroll by WaveSage Accounting
Likelihood to Recommend
Wave
Great for small business payroll needs. Reports and taxes are taken care of, everything is automated and once you're set up it's literally just a matter of minutes to run payroll each time. You also get email reminders which is helpful. There are premium features available for companies with larger/more robust needs, and I would definitely recommend looking into this software if you are searching for a user friendly payroll solution
Read full review
Sage
Sage is frustrating to work with, and the only way I seem to be able to communicate with them is by chatbot, which never knows the answer to my questions. I always have to wait days for an answer. It is not well-suited for small businesses or non-accounting professionals.
Read full review
Pros
Wave
  • An intuitive, clear UI helps you know where everything is, what options are at your disposal. Calendars and timelines show that Wave really thought out how to provide you with useful tool.
  • Pay day can be automated and straightforward.
  • Wave onboarding provides guidance at what information to input next until you are all set up.
Read full review
Sage
  • Sage Accounting makes it easy to pay my invoices with an automated QR code that opens a payment portal.
  • Sage Accounting automatically shows my bank account balance and that's pretty neat.
  • Sage Accounting has excellent security with 2 factor authentication and I trust my money is kept safe.
Read full review
Cons
Wave
  • Implement an employee time clock option through a separate link which automatically applies to the weekly time sheets.
  • Option to further customize payroll statements
  • Add a per employee payroll dashboard with the option to review rolling, quarterly, and weekly snapshot. Info to include gross pay, employer paid tax, employee paid tax, etc...
Read full review
Sage
  • The packages for integrating with Sage50 desktop application files are not backwards compatible, so we must store many copies in order to support multiple versions of the Sage50 application that our customers use, in case they aren't immediately updating to the latest version at all times.
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Likelihood to Renew
Wave
No answers on this topic
Sage
We're very happy with the functionality and overall experience of using Sage Accounting for our accounting needs. Currently, we are not even considering whether we would need to look around for a different option. The only things that would make us consider changing would be a significant increase in price or changes to the software which reduce it's ease of function.
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Usability
Wave
Very simple & straightforward system to learn and when time is always of the essence the efficiency is much appreciated
Read full review
Sage
We have been using Sage Accounting ever since the original Simply Accounting versions. All through the versions, we've noticed that the app has remained consistent with its screen usage; therefore, retraining of staff is not necessary between versions. As well as the ability to have staff members put down and pick up the use of Sage Accounting
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Reliability and Availability
Wave
No answers on this topic
Sage
Sage has been always available when I want it. If there is any maintenance work to be done by the Sage team, you are told well in advance. Maintenance is generally carried out late at night or before the day begins for most of us. It continues to be the most reliable software I use.
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Performance
Wave
No answers on this topic
Sage
Performance is top notch, if it is not, it is probably your wi-fi connection. It has happened that pages load slowly because of an error on Sage side but almost never. Overall reports load fine, the site is fast, navigation is fine. I have a client that has so many invoices, it is slow or gets stuck when you try to load a report for a whole year but it is just too many invoices, it makes sense. Just take 2 report for 6 months and combine them, its not an issue for me. I am happy with Sage Accounting's performance.
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Support Rating
Wave
Quick response times, personalized service. They offer in-depth videos and guides for helping to get set up. Any time I have a question about taxes or reporting, they answer quickly and give comprehensive answers. Members of the team with whom I've interacted have been courteous, friendly, and helpful. Overall, great support.
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Sage
Sage Accounting are easy to contact and have knowledgeable and helpful staff. Whenever I've encountered a problem I've always been able to get assistance and guidance and it feels like the person at the end of the phone/screen knows the product well.
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In-Person Training
Wave
No answers on this topic
Sage
Staff are always friendly, and patient, always work at a speed that suits you. You are never rushed, and In only a short time they seem to be able to help you make great strides. It has been a pleasure not a chore, learning how SAGE Accounting works and benefits me and the company.
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Online Training
Wave
No answers on this topic
Sage
I find the online training was very informative and they answered all my questions. I am also certified in Sage One and provided online training in the program which I have set up several people on and they love how it keeps them organized.
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Implementation Rating
Wave
No answers on this topic
Sage
The clients' business owner worked with Sage on implementation before I began working for them. After consultation with them it is clear the process was quickly performed and without complication. The key takeaway was that Sage is seen as a partner to the business. That said, it was always necessary to engage with an accountant such as myself to extract the best out of the software.
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Alternatives Considered
Wave
First is the cost. Since QuickBooks removed the inhouse solution and moved everything to the cloud, the cost for a small business is prohibited. Wave is reasonable in cost. Support for QB isn't great they are always trying to upsell and commit. Wave support in comparison is 100% better, and most of the answers are in their manual
Read full review
Sage
All Sage products work together, and the systems are set up in similar ways, making training/learning easier. Sage is used by many companies locally and internationally, making managing accounts for both providers and clients/customers easier. It is a complete package for macro enterprises.
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Contract Terms and Pricing Model
Wave
No answers on this topic
Sage
The pricing structure is fair and offers good value for money. The billing is done through their online system and you can access your bills at any time. Most contacts only require 30 days' notice, so no need to feel tied in, although I can't imagine why you would want to leave Sage.
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Scalability
Wave
No answers on this topic
Sage
You can use Sage in your company for various aspects/positions such as bookkeepers, invoicing clerks, accountant, purchasing etc. Everyone can have their own user login and permissions can be set that specific people can do specific jobs without being able to access other peoples progress or accounts of the company.
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Professional Services
Wave
No answers on this topic
Sage
Do not use
Read full review
Return on Investment
Wave
  • Peace of mind that all the payroll tax-related stuff is taken care of accurately and on time.
  • Easy to use interface saves time and helps ensure I am paid on time.
Read full review
Sage
  • Being cloud-based, meaning I can work from anywhere, has had a massive ROI, as I am no longer tied to the office.
  • CoPilot has meant we can spend more hours creating work for our business than chasing for payments.
  • Statement Runs mean we do not have to spend half a day carrying out the tasks individually.
Read full review
ScreenShots

Sage Accounting Screenshots

Screenshot of the All-in-One DashboardScreenshot of the Accounting DashboardScreenshot of an Invoicing Quote EstimateScreenshot of the Purchases TrackerScreenshot of Stock InventoryScreenshot of a VAT Returns List