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Wave Accounting

Wave Accounting

Overview

What is Wave Accounting?

Wave Accounting is a free, cloud-based accounting platform exclusively for small businesses. It supports double-entry bookkeeping and permits unlimited user access, invoicing, and expense management. Wave Accounting integrates with Wave's invoicing, receipt scanning, payment processing and payroll apps.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Wave Accounting is a reliable tool for staying up to date with accounting tasks such as creating invoices, tracking payments, and managing …
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Disappointed in Wave Accounting

1 out of 10
January 19, 2024
I am an artist and the only user. In trying to reconcile sales tax in wave to what I report to the state by quarter using the P&L, all …
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Good Accounting Software for SME's

9 out of 10
January 13, 2022
We use Wave Accounting for all the financial data of the organization (SME.) The payroll, however, was outsourced. The product addresses a …
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Wave Accounting Review

1 out of 10
August 17, 2021
Went from Rave to RIOT over payout holdups. [It seems like] they've delayed my money countless times. They suspend payment, asking for …
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Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

Popular Features

View all 44 features
  • Bank reconciliation (63)
    9.6
    96%
  • Accounts receivable (67)
    9.6
    96%
  • Standard reports (67)
    9.5
    95%
  • Dashboards (68)
    9.5
    95%

Reviewer Pros & Cons

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Pricing

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Unavailable

What is Wave Accounting?

Wave Accounting is a free, cloud-based accounting platform exclusively for small businesses. It supports double-entry bookkeeping and permits unlimited user access, invoicing, and expense management. Wave Accounting integrates with Wave's invoicing, receipt scanning, payment processing and payroll…

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

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Alternatives Pricing

What is Xero?

Xero is an online accounting software product for small businesses and personal finance. Its features beyond general ledger and double-bookkeeping include quotable invoicing, bank reconciliation, purchase order and expense management, and tax management. Third party apps can extend its features…

What is QuickBooks Online?

QuickBooks Online is a SaaS version of the QuickBooks product. It contains all of the features found in the local version. Higher-priced plans include greater automation, payment management, inventory and time tracking, and analytics features.

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Product Demos

How To Use Wave Accounting App | Get a hold of your Money! | Ibukun Awosika

YouTube

Wave Accounting Demo

YouTube
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Features

Payroll Management

Provides for pay calculation and benefit plan administration, in addition to managing direct deposit, salary revisions and payroll tracking.

6.2
Avg 7.2

Customization

This addresses a company’s ability to configure the software to fit its specific use case and workflow.

8.5
Avg 6.8

Security

This component helps a company minimize the security risks by controlling access to the software and its data, and encouraging best practices among users.

9.6
Avg 7.9

Reporting & Analytics

Users can report on and analyze usage, performance, ROI, and/or other metrics of success.

8.2
Avg 7.4

General Ledger and Configurable Accounting

Financial management solution, including capabilities for general ledger and configurable accounting

6.9
Avg 7.2

Inventory Management

The ability to track and manage the flow of goods or materials into and out of an inventory.

8.1
Avg 6.7

Order Management

The ability to process orders, and track them from quote to cash.

7.6
Avg 7.1
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Product Details

What is Wave Accounting?

Wave Accounting is a fast growing, free, cloud-based accounting platform exclusively for small businesses (less than 9 employees) offered by Wave in Toronto. It supports double-entry bookkeeping and permits unlimited user access to always-available records and reports, as well as unlimited invoicing and expense management. Wave integrates with expense tracking software Shoeboxed. The software is mobile-accessible.

Wave Accounting integrates with Wave's invoicing, receipt scanning, payment processing and payroll apps, into one relatively comprehensive package. However, the automated payments and payroll functionality must be purchased; the payments addition bills per transaction, and the payroll feature bills by number of employees over a flat rate. To support the free platform, Wave integrates advertisements from business partners. Thus these are a necessary facet of the service.

Wave Accounting Competitors

Wave Accounting Technical Details

Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

Wave Accounting is a free, cloud-based accounting platform exclusively for small businesses. It supports double-entry bookkeeping and permits unlimited user access, invoicing, and expense management. Wave Accounting integrates with Wave's invoicing, receipt scanning, payment processing and payroll apps.

QuickBooks Online, FreshBooks, and Xero are common alternatives for Wave Accounting.

Reviewers rate Multi-currency support and Order entry and Cost of goods sold highest, with a score of 10.

The most common users of Wave Accounting are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(173)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Wave Accounting is a reliable tool for staying up to date with accounting tasks such as creating invoices, tracking payments, and managing financial obligations. Users appreciate how Wave Accounting simplifies these processes, eliminating the need for manual tracking. The software offers an intuitive interface and essential accounting features that make it a popular choice for small businesses. It has been commended for its ability to quickly generate professional estimates and invoices, as well as provide performance insights through flow graphs and profit and loss graphs. Although some users have experienced drawbacks such as limited customer support and lengthy credit card acceptance processes, overall, Wave Accounting has been highly recommended by users who find it valuable for organizing their businesses. It is particularly useful for tracking inventory purchases, sales, expenses, managing independent contractor businesses, and is considered an affordable and powerful solution by accounting professionals in service-based industries.

Comprehensive and Versatile Software: Users have found Wave Accounting to be a comprehensive and versatile solution for bookkeeping and budgeting. It has been praised for its ability to effortlessly track and categorize financial transactions, streamline invoice creation without redundant data entry, as well as generate various financial reports.

Cloud-based Accessibility: The cloud-based nature of Wave Accounting is highly appreciated by users, providing them with easy accessibility from any computer while eliminating concerns about computer glitches or server problems. This feature has been mentioned by numerous reviewers.

Powerful Invoicing Feature: Users have lauded the invoicing feature in Wave Accounting for its power and user-friendliness. They can easily create and send invoices, keep track of due dates, and mark off paid invoices. The software also provides automatic invoice numbering, facilitating quick reference to different invoices.

Horrible Reconciliation Process: Users have expressed frustration with the reconciliation process in Wave, describing it as horrible. They find it difficult to match transactions and suggest a simpler method for reconciliation.

Lack of Customer Support Options: Many users complain about the lack of customer support options in Wave. They mention the absence of phone or chat lines and express frustration with the frequent response to read documentation. Users desire more personalized assistance and quicker ways to resolve their issues.

Limited Reporting Features: Users feel that the reporting features in Wave could be more robust and flexible. They report issues with exporting general ledger items and mention the need for improvements in sorting options for reports. Some users desire preset date options for reports and request further development of this aspect in Wave.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(51-75 of 79)
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Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I'm in awe of this software. I'm a small start up and I've gone through at least 10 or 12 other platforms with a Goldilocks effect of 'This layout is too unimpressive' or 'This makes payment too laborious for clients'...until Wave. It's just right.
Hanna Geshelin | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Wave is wonderful for a very small business such as mine. It provides all the functionality that I need and while it has many functions that so far I haven't needed, these in no way interfere with the functions I do use. The learning curve is short because it is user-friendly and doesn't try to be all things to all people.
Randy O'Malley | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
This software is suited for small owner managed businesses. The payroll automation and importing of bank and credit card transactions save users a significant amount of time when maintaining their records. The software only works for clients who are able to keep their records up to date and perform regular reconciliations. This software loses much of its functionality if the records are not kept up to date.
Melissa Whaley | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Wave is ideal for the solo-preneur service based start-up. It is meant for businesses who have operated out of a shoebox, or Excel spreadsheet, in the past and are looking to step up their game. It is not dummy proof so you still have to understand the very basics of accounting especially if you have bank accounts and credit cards auto importing transactions.

Wave does not have project management, or timed billing, like some other programs do, so if that is a high priority there may be other accounting software that fit their needs better. The bank reconciliation feature is a little weird so it might not be as strong for corporations that need to keep on top of account balances for tax reporting.
John Galbraith | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I have yet to find a business scenario where Wave wasn't what I recommended. It is however important to understand what folks want from an accounting system and what functions/modules are important to them. That said, with Wave's feature set and the nature of today's business/entrepreneurship landscape it's mostly always a great fit.
David Goldstein | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Wave Accounting is well-suited for service-based organizations, less so for those that utilize inventory beyond simple tracking. Smaller companies, dba, LLC, S-Corps are ideal candidates for Wave. Wave is well-suited for people who have little or no experience with bookkeeping, used to "shoebox", Excel, manual tracking of revenue and expenses. Auto-feed of transactions is a huge plus for any and all who utilize Wave.
Dave Greene | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
For startups, self-employed, proprietors and partners who are using one bank account for personal / business banking Wave is the solution you're looking for. Another advantage for startups is you can start processing credit card payments on line immediately - with only a three question application! No pledging the life of your first born child to the major banks to establish a merchant account!
August 19, 2015

Catch the Wave

Jeff Borschowa | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Wave is best suited to simple businesses that need to be able to invoice customers and track expenses. I do not believe it would be appropriate for a complex business that needed complex invoicing or inventory management. I tend to recommend it for independent contractors, self-employed musicians, realtors, or similar.
Eric Matthews | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
The important thing is to figure out what the client wants to get out of their accounting software. Wave is well suited to sole proprietors or small shops that don't need all of the features that something bigger like QuickBooks provides. Since it's free, it's a great way for people on a tight budget to make sure they're keeping track of their books.

I wouldn't recommend it to larger companies who need very detailed and customizable reports or who have complex payroll needs.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
A good fit for small businesses with straightforward bookkeeping needs and lite payroll. Probably not the best for companies with multiple locations, though it could work for that, too. I am not familiar with its capabilities for manufacturing companies, but that is not to say it wouldn't work - just that I have not used it for that.
Elaine Orr Morgan | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Accounting by Wave is definitely well-suited to the freelancer or "single-shingle" business owner. Its versatility and ease of use, coupled with accurate accounting procedures and bank reconciliations will help most solopreneurs stay on top of their financials. It also shows the Balance Sheet which some other "cloud accounting" packages don't.
Jennifer Bauldic | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Making a recommendation is always very specific to the situation. In general, I urge my colleagues to learn and use Wave Accounting as it is a terrific tool and it is easy to introduce to existing "shoebox" clients. For individuals looking for a better way to manage their invoicing and expenses, we engage in a fairly detailed discussion that captures today's needs as well as considering the future before confirming that Wave is right solution for them.

Wave is very well suited to the self-employed and service oriented small businesses. The ease of creating and sending invoices is matched by the Merchant tool that helps these individuals get paid faster. Incorporated companies should carefully consider the needs of their business before selecting an accounting software. Wave is not designed for manufacturing, complex payroll systems or companies requiring inventory tracking.
Michele Craig CPA,CMA | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Reseller
I wouldn't recommend this software to a company that requires multi-currency accounting or inventory tracking, nor would I recommend it for a business larger than 10 employees. This software is designed for the micro business and best suits a service-based business.

In Simcoe County where my practice is located, we have many rural areas which don't have high-speed internet, so I don't recommend any cloud-based software for those clients who are still on dialup or whose internet would more appropriately be named "intermittentnet".
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