Graphic Design, 1-10 employees
More than a year
“Great free accounting for small business”
Pros
Wave Accounting's basic features are free and it's really easy thanks to a clean, simple interface. The double-entry bookkeeping feels reliable and it keeps track of my income and expenses without much fuss. It also connects with other services for payroll, invoicing and payments which makes my workflow smoother. From within the app I can pull together financial reports that help me make better decisions. On top of that, it handles transactions in multiple currencies and keeps my financial records and customer details stored securely. When I am away from my desk I can manage my finances on the go using the mobile app which I appreciate.
Cons
I have run into a number of limitations using Wave Accounting. For starters the more advanced capabilities aren't free, I have to pay to unlock them. Support is limited to email only which gets frustrating when I need help right away. Also, I have noticed that transaction processing sometimes takes longer than I expect compared with other online accounting tools I have used. The software doesn't provide a multi-currency chart of accounts which is a real pain if I need to manage books across different currencies. Automatic bank syncing can be unreliable for certain transaction types and that has caused mistakes in my accounts. If my team includes employees in several states or provinces, the payroll features feel restricted. Project management is another area where the functionality is thin, tracking projects closely becomes difficult. Even with all these issues, I still see Wave Accounting as a practical, budget-friendly online accounting option for small businesses like mine.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
9
Value for money
9
Customer Support
9
Functionality
9
Design, 1-10 employees
Less than 6 months
“Simple and easy accounting”
Pros
Simple and easy, it handles what's necessary without offering a maze of advanced features. That suits me perfectly because I don't require heavy-duty tools. I am genuinely happy with a clean, uncomplicated accounting app that's very easy to learn and use.
Cons
I'd have liked expenses labeled bills within Wave to let me record the payment at the same moment I enter the expense into the system.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
10
Value for money
10
Customer Support
6
Functionality
10
Accounting, 1-10 employees
More than a year
“Great value for small businesses”
Pros
It is an excellent online accounting platform for small businesses. It's easy to use and packed with a range of features that help me keep my finances organized and efficient. One of the things I love most is that it's free, that alone makes it a no-brainer for small operations that want professional accounting tools without the hefty price tag. Because it's web-based, I can log in from anywhere at any time which is super convenient when I am out meeting clients or working remotely. I also appreciate how well Wave connects with services like PayPal and Stripe so handling payments and transactions doesn't feel like a chore. The platform provides a variety of financial reports that give me a clear picture of my businesss health and help me make smarter decisions. All in all, I think Wave Accounting is a solid, reliable and affordable choice for small business owners looking for an online accounting solution. It gives me the features I need to manage finances effectively and support better business decisions.
Cons
As a small business owner, I have used Wave Accounting and can confirm it's a widely used online accounting solution for freelancers and small companies. It includes core tools like invoicing, bookkeeping, expense tracking and payment management, all aimed at helping people keep their finances in order. That said there are a few downsides I have noticed that might matter depending on your situation. First, while Wave covers many basics really well, it doesn't always have the advanced capabilities that mid-size or larger firms often need so growth-focused businesses might find it limited. The interface can also be a little confusing at the start, I had to spend some time getting familiar with where things live and how workflows go. Another annoyance is support, Wave doesn't provide phone support so if you prefer talking to someone on the line, you'll be relying on email or in-app help instead. Overall I still think Wave Accounting can be a solid, budget-friendly choice for freelancers and very small businesses that want easy accounting tools. Just be sure to weigh these potential limitations against your needs before committing.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
8
Value for money
8
Customer Support
8
Functionality
8
Design, 1-10 employees
Less than a year
“Great invoicing experience”
Pros
the biggest appeal of this app is its invoicing, it handles that really well. I get attractive, customizable invoices that support online payments and e-mail reminders.
Cons
I find the dashboard panels sluggish to move through, often taking a long time to load. As long as I can tolerate 20+ second waits on a screen, it functions adequately.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
10
Value for money
10
Customer Support
6
Functionality
10
Marketing and Advertising, 1-10 employees
More than a year
“Great free invoicing tool”
Pros
Being a solopreneur like me, I appreciate a easy, free choice that works well when all I need is to send invoices to clients. It even has a recurring invoices feature, I can set them to go out every month for example and add a personalised message. I really like the level of invoice customisation available. so many competitors lock that behind paid plans but this gives me flexibility for free!
Cons
I have noticed it sends a reminder the DAY AFTER an invoice has expired. I'd prefer that reminder to be sent on the actual due date so a client has immediate time to look into it if they've simply forgotten. I also couldn't find any option to automate the logging a payment process, I have seen other software connect to a business bank and automatically mark an invoice as 'paid' when the client uses the exact reference number.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
6
Value for money
8
Customer Support
8
Functionality
7
Civic & Social Organization, 1-10 employees
More than a year
“Professional and polished billing”
Pros
My clients get a very professional feel and I make sure they have the documentation they need with invoicing and payments through Wave rather than using payment apps like Venmo or Cash App.
Cons
Processing is slow but I feel it actually contributes to that authentic corporate vibe.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
10
Value for money
10
Customer Support
10
Functionality
8
Media Production, 1-10 employees
Less than a year
“Getting paid fast is amazing”
Pros
I get payments promptly sometimes before they fully clear into my account and that quick access to cash is extremely important to our operations.
Cons
A few dropdown menus appear below my screen so I have to minimize the window to view them.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
10
Value for money
10
Customer Support
10
Functionality
10
Accounting, 1-10 employees
Less than 6 months
“Great for businesses of any size”
Pros
I find that this software is easy to use and suitable for businesses of all sizes especially small, medium and large companies.
Cons
My experience is that the software is quite limited when it comes to language options which can be frustrating.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
10
Value for money
10
Customer Support
10
Functionality
8
Online Media, 1-10 employees
Less than a year
“Free and professional invoicing”
Pros
The price was unbeatable, it's free! I relied on the no-cost plan to send invoices to my clients and I found the interface easy while invoices presented a polished, professional appearance to recipients.
Cons
However it missed a few features my business needed. For example, I wasn't able to record customer overpayments as account credits that could be applied to future bills. Also, whenever I issued a new invoice there was no way for my clients to view any previous invoices or see if they had an outstanding balance which created confusion.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
8
Value for money
7
Customer Support
7
Functionality
8
Business Supplies and Equipment, 500+ employees
Less than 6 months
“Smooth and easy accounting”
Pros
This software runs very smoothly and the billing and accounting components have been particularly favorable for my needs.
Cons
Using it, I found the program very simple to learn and I can complete basic accounting tasks with ease.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
6
Value for money
7
Customer Support
7
Functionality
8
Food & Beverages, 11-50 employees
Less than a year
“Super easy and awesome”
Pros
Setting it up and getting started was a breeze, it links to my bank and makes reconciling easy.
Cons
Honestly I don't really have any complaints, the only thing I haven't worked out yet is how to record an expense so it lines up with the bank feed, apart from that, I think it's fantastic.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
10
Value for money
10
Customer Support
10
Functionality
10
Mental Health Care, 1-10 employees
Less than a year
“Great free accounting tools”
Pros
One thing I really appreciate is the set of free tools that come with the no-cost account.
Cons
Honestly I cannot think of anything I dislike about it.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
10
Value for money
10
Customer Support
10
Functionality
10
Medical Practice, 1-10 employees
More than a year
“Broken categorization and account mix-ups”
Pros
I used to have it automatically detect and categorize recurring payments, reliably assigning them to the right category. That's no longer happening, even though the charges came from the same payee with the same amount month after month!
Cons
This year it began lumping my personal and business accounts together for no reason and I am left having to untangle transactions that were previously separate.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
10
Value for money
10
Customer Support
10
Functionality
10
Cosmetics, 1-10 employees
Less than a year
“Easy and reliable for business”
Pros
As a small business owner, I find this software really great for companies, it's simple to navigate and launches very fast.
Cons
I do wish the customer support that accompanies the product were a bit better and more responsive.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
3
Value for money
3
Customer Support
3
Functionality
3
Financial Services, 1-10 employees
Less than a year
“Complete waste of time”
Pros
I have nothing good to say, I avoid Wave especially if you live in a state they don't fully support. I found they only back a small set of states.
Cons
Customer service was awful and the product features weren't clearly explained before we bought. We had to learn the hard way that our state wasn't supported after we'd already paid and completed setup. When we called for help the support team was totally unhelpful, none of our problems got fixed so we had to abandon everything and start fresh with a completely different company.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
8
Value for money
8
Customer Support
6
Functionality
8
Design, 1-10 employees
Less than 6 months
“Great free tool for startups”
Pros
Honestly what I love most about Wave is that it's free! Someone recommended it to me during a small business training session I attended. If I am launching a business on a tight budget, the free tier covers pretty much all the bookkeeping basics I need. I also appreciate that the app gives me the option to bring in a tax professional directly through the platform, it's a handy extra.
Cons
Unfortunately, Wave isn't available to customers in the UK anymore although I'd still recommend it to friends in the USA without hesitation. In the UK we have so much support for new businesses, from excellent business banking apps to integrated invoicing and bookkeeping tools which probably made it hard for Wave to stay. I figure it left the UK market because it couldn't keep up with those evolving banking services.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
2
Value for money
2
Customer Support
1
Functionality
2
Medical Practice, 1-10 employees
Less than a year
“Super easy for daily tracking”
Pros
the app itself is very user-friendly, I can track my daily expenses, keep tabs on credit card charges and more.
Cons
So far I haven't run into any problems, the app feels very user-friendly and is super easy to access and use.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
9
Value for money
7
Customer Support
10
Functionality
10
Design, 1-10 employees
More than a year
“Easy and reliable for basics”
Pros
I found Wave pretty easy to use and it handles the essentials of basic accounting. I ran Wave for several years before moving over to QuickBooks, the switch was driven solely by the need to share my financial records with my accountant and simplify tax season. If you plan to hand off books to an accountant who uses QuickBooks, Wave may not be the ideal fit. Still for tracking expenses, reconciling accounts and performing standard bookkeeping tasks, Wave is an excellent free option that covers what most small users need.
Cons
We struggled to get the exact information our accountant needed from Wave which made the whole process more complicated than expected. In the end we switched systems because it was far simpler to use the same accounting software as our accountant so data could be shared and reviewed without extra effort.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
10
Value for money
10
Customer Support
10
Functionality
10
Military, 500+ employees
More than a year
“Absolutely fantastic experience”
Pros
Everything is brilliant, I absolutely adore it, great job. Truly fantastic.
Cons
I couldn't find any weaknesses. I searched thoroughly but came up empty so well done.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
8
Value for money
7
Customer Support
7
Functionality
8
Accounting, 1-10 employees
Less than 6 months
“Free but too inefficient”
Pros
I loved that it didn't cost anything and that I could use it online.
Cons
Because I manage about 300 clients, I was stuck printing each invoice individually, there didn't seem to be any bulk or group printing feature available to me.
Rating Distribution
Ease of use
10
Value for money
10
Customer Support
10
Functionality
10