QuickBooks Online
From ~$30 per mo
Wave
Free (paid add-ons for payments & payroll)
QuickBooks Online is the full-featured market leader with deep reporting and the widest accountant support. Wave offers genuinely free accounting and invoicing, with paid add-ons for payments and payroll. QuickBooks wins on depth and scale; Wave wins on price for freelancers and very small businesses.
Pick QuickBooks Online if you want full-featured accounting with deep reporting, inventory, and the widest accountant support, and you expect to grow.
Pick Wave if you are a freelancer or very small business that wants free accounting and invoicing, with paid add-ons only when you need them.
QuickBooks Online and Wave sit at opposite ends of the accounting market. QuickBooks is the market leader for small-business accounting: full double-entry bookkeeping, deep reporting, inventory, payroll add-ons, and the widest network of accountants who know it inside out. Wave is built for freelancers and very small businesses, offering genuinely free accounting and invoicing, and making its money on optional paid add-ons like payment processing and payroll.
On price, QuickBooks Online starts around $30 a month, while Wave's core accounting and invoicing are free (you pay only for add-ons you use). The choice is mostly full-featured accounting and accountant support (QuickBooks) versus free, simple bookkeeping (Wave).
We compare features, price, free accounting, scale, and who each suits.
| Quick facts | QuickBooks Online | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From ~$30/mo | Free (paid add-ons) |
| Best at | Full accounting + reporting | Free invoicing + bookkeeping |
| Accountant familiarity | Very high | Moderate |
| Built for | Small businesses | Freelancers / micro-businesses |
| Best for | Depth + scale | Free + simple |
Each row reflects the feature on each product's current public release.
| Feature | Q QuickBooks Online | W Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Double-entry bookkeeping | Best-in-class | Good |
| Invoicing | Strong | Strong (free) |
| Reporting depth | Extensive | Basic |
| Inventory | Higher tiers | No |
| Payroll | Add-on | Paid add-on |
| Free core accounting | No | Yes |
| Accountant support | Widest | Limited |
| Scales with growth | Best-in-class | Limited |
Pricing and features change often. Always verify the current details on each product's official site. Last reviewed 2026-06-23.
Things neither product's marketing page leads with.
QuickBooks is far more powerful and accountant-friendly, but it is a real monthly cost many micro-businesses do not need.
Wave is free and great for simple bookkeeping and invoicing, but its features and reporting are limited as you scale.
If you plan to grow, hire an accountant, or need inventory and deep reporting, QuickBooks is the safer long-term choice.
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See how the price has moved