Xero vs Wave: Which Accounting Software Is Best in 2024

wave vs xero

Some of the features we looked into include the ability to create and send invoices, accept online payments, enter and track bills, and view reports on the go. It is free to use all of their base features, and they charge a payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 for credit cards and 1% for bank payments. This plan works great for solopreneurs, freelancers, and brand new businesses. But as your business grows, you could wind up paying a lot more in payment processing fees than a subscription plan on Xero or QuickBooks Online.

Integrations

NetSuite seamlessly couples core finance and accounting functions, which improves business performance while reducing back-office costs. However, Wave’s unlimited invoices will work better for small businesses, freelancers and contractors that send more than 20 invoice template 2021 invoices a month. The offers that appear on the website are from software companies from which CRM.org receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear).

Even after initial setup, the software must also let users modify information like company name, address, entity type, fiscal year-end, and other company information. When we compare Xero vs Wave in terms of ease of use, quickbooks for small business we call it a draw. It offers a slightly more modern look than Xero and deviates from using tabular presentations in some modules. If you don’t mind missing out on advanced features in exchange for easy to use software, then we suggest going with Wave. While Wave can be used to create estimates for a project, it cannot track costs by project.

Xero’s integrations make it possible for international business owners to track payments without re-entering financial data every time they run payroll. Wave Accounting doesn’t offer any internal integrations beyond Wave’s own Wave Payroll. Users can use Zapier to sync their favorite business apps with Wave, but doing so requires more time and effort than setting up a native integration. Plus, while Zapier has a free plan option, its paid plans work better for most businesses. Xero’s accounting software syncs with more third-party apps than any other accounting provider, including long-time industry giant QuickBooks Online. With more than 1,000 integrations, Xero all but ensures users can pair their accounting software with any of their preferred business apps.

wave vs xero

Additional functionality includes recurring invoices, automated invoice reminders, bulk invoicing, and invoice replication. Wave has an app called Wave Invoicing that enables you to generate invoices and process payments while on the move. There’s also the Wave Money app, which is a bank account with no fees that automates accounting tasks. Wave offers only email and live chat support to users of their paid services. Users of the free software can’t get assistance from a live agent. They can chat with the chatbot or look for help in the self-service Help Center.

More Accounting Software Program Reviews

  1. It features the Xero App Store, wherein you can get third-party apps that can integrate with Xero.
  2. Wave recently added a paid plan, Wave Pro, which costs $16 per month if billed monthly or $170 per year if billed annually.
  3. You can use default invoice templates or create your own if you want something more personalized.

In all credit card billing cycles other states, the monthly price of a new payroll subscription is a $20 base and $6 per active employee or contractor paid. This requires the software to allow users transitioning from other bookkeeping software to import their chart of accounts (COA), vendors, customers, service items, and inventory items. Ideally, there will be a wizard to walk the user through the import process. We believe that small businesses should invest in accounting software with powerful A/P features to enable them to process vendor credit memos and create purchase orders (POs). Xero is a complete accounting solution with extensive features, such as fixed asset management.

Financial reports and statements

The Early plan starts at $13/month and is great for sole traders, new businesses, and the self-employed. In this plan, you’ll find all the basic accounting features. If you run an e-commerce or physical products business, you shouldn’t use Wave. The platform is designed for service businesses and has minimal inventory management features. You can even turn estimates into invoices and send them in any currency.

It’s also incredibly fully featured with built-in inventory management, time tracking and project management. Wave offers a free plan (Starter) for a single user and a paid option (Pro) for unlimited users. Xero is cloud-based accounting software for small to medium-sized businesses with a subscription model offering three plans priced between $15-$78/month. The software has a broad range of features, including bill payment, inventory management, and the ability to integrate with numerous apps like HubSpot and DocuSign.