FreshBooks vs Wave at a glance
FreshBooks and Wave sit at opposite ends of the invoicing-software spectrum: FreshBooks is a paid, feature-rich platform built around service businesses that bill by the hour or by project, while Wave is a genuinely free accounting product built for freelancers and very small businesses that need clean invoicing without a subscription.
Both tools are covered alongside Square Invoices and Zoho Invoice in our full invoicing software comparison. This page focuses only on FreshBooks vs Wave, head to head.
FreshBooks vs Wave price comparison
Prices below are monthly-billing figures without an annual discount, matching the assumptions used across Luvoxi's guides.
| Plan tier | FreshBooks | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No — 30-day trial only | Yes — unlimited invoicing, 1 user |
| Entry paid plan | $23/mo — up to 5 clients | $19/mo (Pro) — unlimited collaborators |
| Mid tier | $43/mo — up to 50 clients | Same $19/mo Pro plan covers this |
| Top tier | $70/mo — unlimited clients | Same $19/mo Pro plan covers this |
Pricing snapshot: September 2026. FreshBooks tiers by client count and adds $11/mo per extra team seat. Wave has a single flat Pro price regardless of client count or team size. Verify current numbers on each vendor's pricing page before buying.
Where they actually differ
1. Client and team limits
FreshBooks gates its plans by how many active clients you bill — 5 on the entry tier, 50 on the middle tier, unlimited on the top tier — and charges extra per team member beyond the first. Wave has no client cap on any plan and its Pro tier supports unlimited collaborators at one flat price, which matters for a business that expects to add a bookkeeper or assistant.
2. Depth of features
FreshBooks includes built-in time tracking, project management, mileage tracking, client retainers, double-entry accounting reports, and even a payroll add-on. Wave covers unlimited invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation and financial reporting, but has no built-in time tracking, mileage tracking, project management or inventory tools — reviewers consistently note it's intentionally simpler.
3. Integrations
Both tools are frequently criticised for having fewer native integrations than QuickBooks or Xero, leaning on Zapier to bridge the gap. FreshBooks connects natively to popular payment processors and has an open API; Wave's native integrations are limited mainly to PayPal, Google Drive and Slack.
4. Customer support
FreshBooks reviewers frequently cite responsive, helpful support as a strength. Wave's support is the most consistently repeated complaint across review sites — Wave shut down its community forums in 2022, and both NerdWallet and independent review sites flag support responsiveness as its biggest weakness.
5. Accounting depth and audit trail
FreshBooks offers double-entry accounting reports and direct accountant access on its higher tiers. Wave lacks a full audit trail (it doesn't log every change by every user) and has no multi-currency support or multi-factor authentication, which matters for a business working with international clients or multiple bookkeepers.
Practical rule: if the business needs time tracking, project billing or is likely to add team members who need their own login, FreshBooks earns its subscription. If the need is simple, unlimited invoicing for one operator, Wave's free plan is hard to beat.
Estimate your cost: FreshBooks vs Wave
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subscription only
Subscription estimates only. Card-processing fees and add-ons are not included.
What reviewers consistently say
Across Capterra, TrustRadius and SoftwareSuggest, FreshBooks users repeatedly praise its ease of use, fast invoice creation and tight integration between invoicing, time tracking and expense tracking. The most common complaints are limited reporting depth, occasional credit-card sync issues, a mobile app some call less robust than the desktop site, and pricing that climbs quickly for larger client lists.
Wave users consistently highlight the value of a genuinely free plan with professional-looking invoices and unlimited users. The most repeated criticism by a wide margin is customer support, alongside the lack of an audit trail, no multi-currency support, and a limited native integration list compared with QuickBooks or Xero.
Which one should you choose?
Choose FreshBooks if the business bills by time or project, needs client retainers, wants deeper accounting reports, or expects to add team members who each need a login and permissions.
Choose Wave if the need is straightforward invoicing and expense tracking for one operator, the client list won't need multi-currency billing, and avoiding a monthly subscription matters more than deeper features.
FreshBooks vs Wave FAQ
Which is cheaper for a solo freelancer?
Wave is cheaper for a single operator under the comparison assumptions, since its core invoicing and expense tracking are free indefinitely, while FreshBooks requires payment after a 30-day trial.
Which is cheaper for a small team?
Wave can be cheaper for a small team under the comparison assumptions, since its $19/month Pro plan covers unlimited collaborators, while FreshBooks adds $11/month for each team member beyond the first.
Does Wave really have no client limit?
Correct, under the comparison assumptions Wave does not cap the number of clients you can invoice on any plan, unlike FreshBooks which ties its plan tier to client count.
Is FreshBooks worth it over free Wave?
It can be, for businesses that need time tracking, project billing, client retainers or deeper accounting reports — features Wave does not include under the comparison assumptions.
What should I verify before switching?
Verify current plan pricing, client and team limits, payment-processing rates, available integrations, and whether existing invoice and client data can be exported or migrated, directly with each vendor.