Wave Reviews

I like that Wave offers a free plan that is robust enough for people to try out. It also offers payroll functionality and bookkeeping services, which are pretty useful. The setup is very simple, with a well-thought-out tutorial that guides you through the process and includes lots of troubleshooting options. I appreciate having a lower cost or no-cost option for small businesses, which makes it a good alternative for those starting out. The free plan is developed yet streamlined, and the paid add-ons are good compared to competitors like QuickBooks.

I wanted to suggest Wave to some of my clients but since Wave does not allow health care related businesses to access their products, I believe due to HIPAA regulations. So, I was unable to setup or migrate some of my clients with Wave. I understand and respect this, but I'm not sure if there are restrictions for other industries as well. Also, while the setup is very simple, I think if you have more complex systems, there aren't as many YouTube tutorials or help guides available for troubleshooting unique problems. Plus, there are fewer third-party integrations than some of the competitors.

I use Wave for accounting and enjoy its paid plan with payroll and bookkeeping. It's cost-effective for small businesses and easy to set up, which makes it a comparable choice to pricier options like QuickBooks.

Wave makes bookkeeping and accounting easy for me as a business owner. It also allows me to include payment links in traditional PDF invoices, which makes it extra easy for clients in smaller businesses or nonprofits to pay me on time without having to initiate their own ACH transfer or write a check.

There was one feature I wanted to use in Wave that I know I could do in Xero, but I couldn't figure it out in Wave. Wave is good for general, standard functions. For more complicated processes or procedures, you might need a more advanced product.

Wave simplifies my accounting and bookkeeping, letting me handle it myself without outsourcing. I love sending PDF invoices with payment links. It's easy to use for solo practitioners, though advanced features might require more powerful tools.

Wave is great because it let's us send invoices for free.

It would be nice if the expense monitoring was also free, but it's understandable that they make you pay for that feature.

It helps us send invoices for free which is nice when business is slow. It's one unnecessary expense we don't have to pay for.

I really appreciate Wave's 'Forever Free' philosophy where the core accounting and invoicing features are genuinely free, removing the stress of a growing monthly subscription bill for a small business. The interface is non-accountant friendly, unlike heavier software, allowing me to get the job done quickly without needing to learn complex processes. The dashboard provides a clear 'birds-eye view' of cash flow and the setup is super easy—getting the first invoice sent or a bank account connected can be done in under five minutes. Wave offers smart automation with features like automatic reminders for late clients and duplicate detection in bank syncing, which helps keep the books clean without much effort. The 'forward to receipts' email feature saves a lot of manual work by automatically scanning details and adding them to expenses. I love the professional aesthetic of Wave, where even though it's free, the invoices look high-end and can be customized with my logo and brand colors, giving my small business a polished appearance.

Lack of Inventory Management: Wave is mainly for service-based businesses. If you sell physical products, you can't track inventory within Wave. You need a separate spreadsheet or app, doubling the work. Limited 'Pro' Reporting & Customization: The basic reports work for tax time but feel too rigid. You can't customize or drill down reports like you can with advanced software. You might struggle to get detailed profitability by project or location. Customer Support Accessibility: The free plan's support is limited to self-help guides or a chatbot. To talk to a human, you need to pay for add-on services like Payroll or Payments. Mobile App 'Feature Gap': While Wave's mobile app is handy for sending invoices or snapping receipts, it lacks deeper accounting tasks. You need a desktop for serious work like bank reconciliation or complex reports. Multi-Currency & International Scaling: While Wave handles multiple currencies, it can be tricky for international users. Some tax requirements aren't supported smoothly, and currency conversion fees can be a bit high.

Wave automates bookkeeping, organizing transactions, and ensures tax readiness. Its free core features and user-friendly interface simplify finance management without extra costs. Smart automation reduces errors, and professional invoices boost client trust.

Wave is very good software for small businesses with fewer than 1,000 transactions. It’s a great opportunity for smaller businesses to manage their financial data in the cloud.

Overall, it’s good for the budget. However, the UI could be better.

It saves me time to manage my books in Wave rather than in Excel.

I like that Wave is easy to use, it's free, and you can still get a lot of use from the free stuff.

I hate that they got rid of the invoicing feature where I can just set it and forget it. You have to upgrade the account to have that feature.

I use Wave for invoicing my clients. It's easy to use, free, and the free version offers a lot of functionality.

I appreciate Wave for its ease of use and that it's not complicated, which makes it perfect for small businesses. I love that I can connect multiple accounts, and the account is inexpensive. I find uploading receipts easy as I can just forward emails to a dedicated email linked to my account. It helps me see my cash flow and makes report preparation easy. I like that it can identify duplicate transactions and has a merge option, so I can easily reconcile. The initial setup was super easy, taking less than 5 minutes to connect all my bank accounts.

I would love to see a paystubs report for business owners so I can usually show income.

Wave helps me easily upload receipts by forwarding emails, tracks cash flow, and simplifies report preparation. It's straightforward and perfect for small businesses, plus connecting multiple accounts and reconciling transactions is easy.

I love how easy it is to draft and send invoices and that there are options to customize the invoice to your brand. Makes it easy to receive payments and reconcile accounts.

How long it takes to receive payouts after invoices have been paid, sometimes up to 10 days.

Bookkeeping for a small business. Wave makes it easy to keep on top of bookkeeping and get paid by clients.

I really like that Wave's user interface is simple and easy to use, making it straightforward to find things. The customer service has been easy to use and they are easy to get a hold of. I found the features to be purposeful, useful, and offering a wide variety. Setting it up was also really easy, especially if you have your business and bank information ready. It was important for me as a small business owner to avoid combing through a poorly designed interface, and Wave helps me get things done quickly and accurately.

The invoicing was a little wonky the last time I used it.

Wave is a great inexpensive way to handle accounting, inventory, and invoicing for my small business. Its simple, easy-to-use interface and purposeful features save me time and help me manage tasks quickly and accurately.