Wave vs QuickBooks Online
Verified ratings, feature by feature comparison and real pricing. Everything a North American business needs to pick between these two.
QuickBooks Online
The default accounting system for small business in North America
Some links here are affiliate links, so we may earn a commission at no cost to you. It never affects a rating or a ranking. How this works.
Ratings
Every score, at a glance
Verified user ratings across every dimension. Wave against QuickBooks Online, nothing weighted.
Dimensions won
41Wave 4, QuickBooks Online 1
Wave vs QuickBooks Online, across 5 rating dimensions
Widest rating gap
+1.3
Wave leads on value for money
Verified reviews
430
143 for Wave, 287 for QuickBooks Online
Wave143 verified reviews
QuickBooks Online287 verified reviews
Ratings by dimension
- Wave
- QuickBooks Online
Share of verified reviews
Which product reviewers actually write about.
- Wave143
- QuickBooks Online287
Cost to get started
Cheapest paid plan, shown per month.
At least one of these is quoted rather than published, so compare the ratings above and get a real number from each vendor.
Head to head
Where each one wins
Row by row, with the stronger score highlighted. Straight from verified reviews.
| Wave | QuickBooks Online | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4.3 | 3.9 |
| Reviews | 143 | 287 |
| Ease of use | 4.5 | 3.6 |
| Value for money | 4.8 | 3.5 |
| Customer service | 3.7 | 3.1 |
| Functionality | 3.8 | 4.1 |
| Starting price | Free | $38/mo |
| Free trial | No | Yes |
| Free version | Yes | No |
Features
Feature by feature, checked off
Everything each product ships, side by side. No marketing gloss.
| Feature | Wave | QuickBooks Online |
|---|---|---|
| Free double entry accounting | ||
| Unlimited invoicing | ||
| Unlimited estimates | ||
| Receipt scanning | ||
| Recurring invoices | ||
| Online card payments | ||
| Canadian payroll with T4 and ROE | ||
| US payroll in supported states | ||
| Multi business support | ||
| Automated bank feeds | ||
| Bank reconciliation with learned rules | ||
| Invoicing and online payments | ||
| Sales tax and GST/HST tracking | ||
| 1099-NEC contractor tracking | ||
| Inventory management | ||
| Project profitability | ||
| Class and location tracking | ||
| Multi currency | ||
| Mileage tracking | ||
| Receipt capture | ||
| Custom reporting | ||
| Budgeting and forecasting | ||
| Accountant access |
Pricing
Both price lists, side by side
Every plan from both vendors, side by side, priced in US dollars.
Wave plans
Starter
The accounting and invoicing, at no cost. Not a trial.
Free
no card required
- Unlimited invoices and estimates
- Double entry accounting
- Unlimited customers
- Receipt scanning
- Email support
Pro
Adds bank feeds, reduced card fees and live support.
$16/mo
per month
- Everything in Starter
- Automatic bank feeds
- Lower card processing rate
- Auto categorization
- Live chat support
Get current pricing
These are list prices and vendors adjust them from time to time. Check with Wave Financial for the figure you will actually pay.
QuickBooks Online plans
Simple Start
One user. Enough for a sole proprietor or a first hire.
$38/mo
per month
- Income and expense tracking
- Invoicing and payments
- Bank feed and reconciliation
- Sales tax tracking
- 1 user plus your accountant
Essentials
Adds bill pay and time tracking. The common starting point.
$75/mo
per month
- Everything in Simple Start
- Bill management and A/P
- Time tracking
- Multi currency
- 3 users plus your accountant
Plus
Inventory and project profitability. Where most growing teams land.
$115/mo
per month
- Everything in Essentials
- Inventory tracking
- Project profitability
- Class and location tracking
- 5 users plus your accountant
Advanced
For businesses that have outgrown Plus but not accounting software.
$275/mo
per month
- Everything in Plus
- Batch invoicing
- Custom user permissions
- Workflow automation
- 25 users plus your accountant
Get current pricing
These are list prices and vendors adjust them from time to time. Check with Intuit for the figure you will actually pay.