Includes tools that help automate the reconciliation process; auto-categorizes transactions for you, but you can’t set up your own bank rules; no global search function. We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. Today’s leading accounting platforms offer standard security features, such as data encryption, secure credential tokenization and more. While human error will always play some role in security breaches, you can be confident in your accounting platform when it comes to keeping your information safe.

  • This will minimize your work in the future when you want to customize everything for your specific business.
  • And it’s worth noting that while Xero has more features, the software also has a steeper learning curve than Wave.
  • Solid accounts receivable features make light work of tracking money owed.
  • The guide has everything you need to be successful and build confidence.
  • The investigation are perfect; the receipt and gauge capacities make everything consistent and proficient; and the costs following makes my life simple.

Merchant Maverick’s ratings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from user reviews. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. The rating of this company or service is based on the author’s expert opinion and analysis of the product, and assessed and seconded by another subject matter expert on staff before publication. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships. Wave does not integrate with QuickBooks, but if you want to connect QuickBooks and Wave you can use Zapier as a solution. You can import Wave data into QuickBooks Online if you are switching accounting software without needing a Zapier integration.

Wave At A Glance

Another feature of good accounting software is the ability to close a prior year to lock previous transactions, but Wave also falls short on that. Wave doesn’t skimp on basic features for small businesses, but it also has some limitations, considering it’s free software. In our internal case study, we examined Wave up close across 11 categories and achieved the following scores and results. You can learn more about the features by watching the video of our accounting expert as he assesses Wave based on the case study criteria. Finally, Wave’s billing, payment acceptance, and invoicing features all work together to ensure you get paid on time. In other words, Wave has many of the invoicing perks you get with invoice-heavy software like FreshBooks, but at no cost.

In the other states, the program is sponsored by Community Federal Savings Bank, to which we’re a service provider. This publication is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to cover every aspect of the topics with which it deals. It is not intended to amount to advice on which free income tax calculator you should rely. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content in this publication. The information in this publication does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its affiliates.

Wave Accounting Review: Key Features

Unlike competitors, Wave doesn’t offer multiple plans to increase the software’s functionality. It’s also missing an audit trail and third-party integrations. This free, easy-to-use accounting software is great for small businesses, especially for eCommerce, but lacks in project management, budgeting, and inventory tracking. First, Wave is remarkably customizable—especially considering that it’s, you know, free. For instance, its unlimited invoices are much more customizable (and, in our opinion, more professional-looking) than QuickBooks’ comparatively expensive invoices.

One of the best application to manage your accounts

It’s also great for Etsy shop owners and other eCommerce businesses using Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress. If Wave sounds like it might be a good fit for your business, give it a try! NerdWallet’s accounting software ratings favor products that are easy to use, reasonably priced, have a robust feature set and can grow with your business. Learn more about how we rate small-business accounting software.

Wave VS QuickBooks Online

It also features a well-laid-out, clutter-free dashboard with individual tabs for sales, purchases, accounting, banking, payroll and reports. The only downside is that there’s no back button, but navigating the software is still pretty simple. The company also offers good customer support options, including an accounting guide, to help you learn to balance the books and use the software. We hope this case study and Wave Accounting review provides you with insightful information and analysis to help you decide whether the platform is the best fit for your business needs. Despite several limitations, it still has plenty to offer small businesses.

Wave’s sales reports even let users view paid and unpaid income per customer, which separates its reporting features from the competition. Wave is designed specifically for small business owners to use, no matter what kind of bookkeeping background they come from. The software supports multiple companies and offers personal accounting as well. The checkout feature is one-of-a-kind and a great addition for business owners who need to charge multiple customers quickly. Wave also offers a free app to help you manage your invoices on the go. With Wave Invoicing, you’ll be able to track, edit, send and pay invoices from any mobile device.

Best Accounting and Bookkeeping Apps for Small Businesses

If fixed assets are a big part of your business, consider Xero because it’s an affordable option with a comprehensive fixed asset manager. However, if you’re looking for accounting software with a good bank reconciliation feature, look elsewhere, as bank reconciliation in Wave is very limited. While it has an automatic reconciliation feature, it doesn’t allow for any reconciling items, such as checks written but not yet processed by your bank. While Wave has a good invoicing capability, it still comes up short in terms of other features. For instance, you can’t combine multiple checks in a single deposit, issue a credit memo to a customer, or add tracked expenses to an invoice.

Whether it’s invoice payments or bill capture, every transaction will be synced, saving you the time and hassle of manual entry. With a rock bottom score (0/10) for advanced features, the software lacks a number of basic accountancy capabilities, including stock tracking, project accounting, or budget and forecasting. This means that if you have specific needs it’ll make more sense to fork out for paid alternatives, like Xero or QuickBooks. However, there are tons of quality options out there, including Zoho Books and Sage, so take a look at our comparison table to discover which piece of accounting software will work best for you. Wave is a free accounting software platform that makes money off of its add-on services like bookkeeping and Wave payroll.