Wave Accounting Platform Reviews

“Super helpful for tracking finances

Pros

It is incredibly useful for organizing and monitoring both expenses and income.

Cons

I wish there were a filter to separate different income types since it currently doesn't offer that and it's configured only for North American users.

“A lifesaver for my business

Pros

Using Wave accounting software honestly feels like a lifesaver for me. As the owner of a one-person business with no employees, I needed a tool tailored to my situation that wouldn't drain my budget. This does exactly that. The interface is user-friendly, I am able to record and process transactions rapidly and without fuss and the cost was very reasonable. Truly, I cannot recommend this product highly enough!

Cons

I haven't encountered any drawbacks so far in my use, from my perspective it's been an excellent, trouble-free experience.

“Excellent invoicing for small teams

Pros

The invoicing tools are simply outstanding, the app lets me send both estimates and invoices straight to a customer's email right from within the software.

Cons

it doesn't include an inventory tracking and management module which makes handling stock and running things a little tricky if you're a retailer or have a product-based business.

“Great value for the price

Pros

The tool is fairly affordable given what it offers

Cons

For my agency, it wasn't powerful enough to meet our needs.

“Fantastic free tool for small businesses

Pros

I am using the free basic version of the software and it already gives me a ton of features that I typically see only in paid tiers. I don't have to buy pricey add-ons to handle my accounting, bookkeeping or invoicing needs. The company adds optional services that have helped me build up my skills inside the program. The app automatically syncs my books and invoices which makes it ideal for my small business because I can consolidate and automate bookkeeping and billing. Invoicing is unlimited and totally free and those invoicing tools are flexible and simple to customize. I can set up customer profiles, send follow-up messages and I get reminders and receipts when payments are made. There's a mobile app too so I can track and send invoices on the go. The accounting area has a clean, user-friendly layout that is easy to navigate. In my experience Wave's accounting works differently than other packages, it's easy and beginner friendly. I had no prior knowledge and was able to pick it up quickly while using it.

Cons

For my needs, Wave's accounting software being free is a clear plus and it's something I rely on when I run a small operation or when I don't need advanced features. That said I do notice the platform's capabilities are fairly limited if you're trying to expand a growing business. There aren't tiered plans to add more functionality so the software doesn't scale well with increased needs. Customer support is also thin. most help is self-service and direct, personalized assistance is only available if you pay for Wave's Accounting Coach which is the one-on-one support option for accounting customers.

“Powerful free accounting tool

Pros

For a free app, I am really impressed with how capable Wave is. It works well for any small to medium-sized business and takes care of all our accounting needs.

Cons

I have noticed two big areas where Wave could improve. First, their customer service can be hard to reach which is especially frustrating when something urgent comes up. Second, the chargeback dispute workflow is complicated and unclear and it's a real problem that support is so unhelpful given the tight few-day window you have to submit a dispute package.

“Easy accounting with great reports

Pros

I am impressed by how easy it is to use, the accounting is easy and the reporting tools are excellent.

Cons

There needs to be more detailed reporting and I find the payroll tools a bit clunky.

“Great all-in-one invoicing tool

Pros

As a freelance photographer, this tool serves as my go-to for all invoicing tasks in one place. I really appreciate that it lets me check how much income I have generated from specific services.

Cons

My menu of services changes several times each year because I keep adding new options and removing others. When I try to delete a service I am blocked with a message saying I cannot since past invoices reference that item. I'd really like an archive feature that keeps the item linked to historical invoices but hides it from the services drop-down so it no longer appears when I am creating new invoices.

“Super easy and polished

Pros

What I appreciate most about WAVE is how simple it is to use. It didn't take me long at all to get the hang of it. On top of that, the invoice templates are highly configurable. You can do a tremendous amount with the free tier but upgrading unlocks many more accounting tools and payment options. I also like that the system automatically logs me out at the end of the day for added security. The invoices come out looking very polished and I can download them or send them as PDF attachments. When somebody makes a partial payment I am able to issue a receipt that clearly shows how much was paid, by which method, when it was paid and what balance remains. The app even notifies me when payments are overdue. Adding taxes and discounts to invoices is easy too.

Cons

My only gripe with the software is when I altered invoice settings I couldn't remove the old entries since they had already been used on past invoices. It would be helpful to have an option to deactivate or archive those parameters so they don't clutter the list while still remaining linked to historical invoices.

“its free but limites access

Pros

this is a great accounting software platform and I can use it completely free. They changed their business though and now access is limited to only the US and Canada

Cons

I cannot connect it to my bank or set up any automatic payments through it.

“generate professional invoices by email

Pros

I have been using the free invoicing program and it creates simple, professional-looking invoices without any fuss. The tool also lets me send those invoices directly to customers by email which saves time.

Cons

When I try to adjust the layout or remove a service from my account, I find the navigation really difficult and confusing.

“Super easy and flexible

Pros

Setting it up was incredibly easy and the whole interface is very user-friendly, I didn't find anything confusing or overly complex. I was able to tweak almost every aspect to match my branding and preferences, from deciding how invoices are sent and what feedback I receive to choosing how invoices are displayed and which filters I apply when viewing them.

Cons

I signed up about five years ago and I am based in South Africa but disappointingly it now appears they no longer accept new registrations from South African users.

“Easy and modern invoicing

Pros

One thing I really like is being able to see, at a glance, the total amount owed across all outstanding invoices. I rely heavily on the customer and product management features and they fit my needs perfectly. The app is easy to navigate and its interface feels modern, clear and very user-friendly.

Cons

I have found that entering master data takes a lot of time. It would be great if I could create an email template so that when I send similar messages to my invoice recipients I only need to make a few quick tweaks to the template instead of copying and pasting from Notepad every time.

“Easy invoicing and accounting

Pros

As a creative who isn't great with numbers, I use this product to make polished invoices and manage my accounting records. I find it really simple and easy to use!

Cons

Honestly I haven't encountered any issues with this software.

“simply love it!

Pros

I absolutely loved using Wave Accounting. I rarely ran into issues and they came up with clever approaches for tasks like bank reconciliations that made them far simpler than in other accounting programs. Best part. it was completely free, couldn't ask for more.

Cons

After H&R Block bought the company, everything went downhill for me, there was a noticeable drop in quality and features that I used to rely on.

“Great for staying organized

Pros

Way back when I first started using this program years ago, I could tell Wave has kept getting better over time. I really like it, it was my very first bookkeeping tool and it made a big difference in helping me keep everything organized.

Cons

Back then some features were a bit hard to figure out, maybe that was because I was using bookkeeping software for the first time. Occasionally I found the functions confusing until I learned the ropes though this was years ago and I know it's improved.

“Love the easy invoicing

Pros

Creating invoices for my clients is incredibly easy and I really appreciate how quickly I can get one out the door. After I send an invoice, that client is automatically added to my client list so I can simply click their entry and issue follow-up or additional invoices without any hassle.

Cons

I am frustrated that the company isn't upfront about the bank and credit-card charges, they need to be clearer about those costs. As a freelancer, it really bothers me that a portion of what I earn is taken out automatically simply because a client chose to pay by credit card and that should be spelled out.

“Easy and handy for small businesses

Pros

I really appreciate how user-friendly and customizable it is, I find it especially useful for small businesses because it's convenient and adaptable to our needs.

Cons

the biggest drawback is that I cannot properly add job-specific costs the way I need to, nor can I generate detailed job costing reports the way my workflow requires.

“Easy setup and smooth interface

Pros

It is fairly easy to set up, very user-friendly and it offers a clean, user-friendly interface.

Cons

When I needed help, getting past the automated assistant to even file a support ticket was a struggle and then I ended up waiting more than two days to hear back. Because the response was so delayed, my first reply arrived on the third day, I missed my payroll deadline and ended up paying my employee late since I couldn't get the payroll problem fixed quickly.

“Super easy for bookkeeping

Pros

I really appreciated how easy Wave is to use. Seriously someone with zero experience could pick it up quickly. What I will say is that its feature set is fairly limited and doesn't extend much beyond basics. For anyone comfortable handling their own bookkeeping though, it's a great choice because the interface is so user-friendly and easy to follow.

Cons

There really weren't many downsides to Wave in my experience. It's very much a case of getting what you pay for, basic, no-frills functionality. If I needed more advanced features, multi-user access or to build out a team workflow, I'd probably move on to something like QuickBooks or Xero that supports those needs.