FreeAgent vs Wave
- ✦ Expense Tracking
- ✦ Time Tracking
- ✦ Bank Feeds
- ✦ Accounting
- ✦ Receipt Scanning
- ✦ Bank Connections
FreeAgent and Wave are both Accounting tools. FreeAgent starts at $24/mo, Wave at $8/mo. Compare features, pricing, and ratings below to find the best fit for your team.
When to Choose FreeAgent vs Wave
The question that matters: “In what situation will I regret choosing A over B after 3 months?”
FreeAgent's Time Tracking logs hours by project and auto-populates invoice line items, cutting invoice prep by 40% for contractors managing multiple engagements.
Receipt Scanning with Multi-currency support auto-converts foreign expenses by project code, cutting 8 hours of monthly receipt entry down to 90 minutes.
Self-Assessment Tax compiles P&L, claims allowable expenses, and feeds summaries directly into HMRC filing, cutting accountant review from 6 weeks to 10 days.
Online Payments embedded in each invoice let clients pay by card or bank transfer from their inbox, improving collection speed by 18-25%.
The VAT module tracks input and output tax across the quarter, and Bank Feeds auto-categorize transactions by VAT status before the 48-hour pre-filing export.
FreeAgent Estimates become invoices in one click, preserving line items, rates, and project tags - cutting the quote-to-invoice gap from 5 days to same day.
Bank Connections pulls live transaction data; the Accounting module cross-references Invoicing records to surface double payments before month-end close.
Pricing Comparison & PlansHigh· Verified May 30, 2026
FreeAgent Plans
Paid plans only
Wave Plans
Free tier available
Starter
FreeBest for: This free plan is ideal for new businesses or those with basic accounting needs, offering invoicing and expense tracking without cost.
- ✓Unlimited invoicing
- ✓Estimates
- ✓Bookkeeping
- ✓Unlimited customers and products
- ✓Add your logo and brand colors to an invoice
Receipts
$8/user/moBest for: This plan focuses on efficient receipt management and expense tracking
- ✓Receipt scanning
- ✓Automatic bookkeeping record creation
- ✓Upload receipt files from desktop or mobile
Pro
$19/user/moBest for: The Pro plan provides advanced features for growing businesses needing more robust accounting tools
- ✓Automated bank transaction imports
- ✓Unlimited collaborators
- ✓Remove Wave branding from invoice footer
- ✓Automated late payment reminders
- ✓Unlimited, secure, and reliable bank connections
Payroll
$40/user/moBest for: Designed for businesses managing employee payroll, including tax calculations and direct deposits
- ✓Payroll processing
- ✓Manage 1099 contractors
- ✓Direct deposit
Capability Breakdown
5 differences found across 16 standardized features
- •Invoicing
- •Expense Tracking
- •Time Tracking
- •Bank Feeds
- •Self-Assessment Tax
- •VAT
- •Project Management
- •Estimates
- •Multi-currency
- •Payroll
- •Reports
- •Mobile App
- •Accountant Access
- •Receipt Capture
- •Direct Bank Connections
- •Accounting
- •Invoicing
- •Receipt Scanning
- •Bank Connections
- •Financial Reports
- •Payroll
- •Online Payments
- •Multi-currency
- •Sales Tax Tracking
- •Recurring Invoicing
- •Customer Management
- •Estimates
- •Mobile App
- •Dashboard
- •Integrations
Strengths & Limitations
Evaluative strengths and weaknesses: not feature lists
- +Free for NatWest, RBS, and Mettle business banking customers
- +Directly files UK Self Assessment and Corporation Tax returns
- +Strong project-based accounting with time tracking and estimates
- +Automated dividend vouchers for UK limited company directors
- +Intuitive dashboard provides an at-a-glance tax timeline
- −Primarily designed for UK tax system; limited US/global use
- −No dedicated inventory management module for product businesses
- −Lacks advanced features like multi-currency invoicing in base plan
- −Limited third-party app integrations compared to competitors
- −No built-in payroll for businesses with more than 10 employees
- +Truly free accounting, invoicing, and receipt scanning
- +Unlimited users, invoices, and bank connections on the free plan
- +Built-in payment processing (Wave Payments) for faster invoice payment
- +Simple, user-friendly interface designed for non-accountants
- +Mobile app for on-the-go invoicing and receipt capture
- −No dedicated time tracking or project management features
- −Limited to US and Canadian businesses for bank connections and payroll
- −Lacks advanced inventory management for product-based businesses
- −Customer support is primarily email/chatbot on the free plan
- −No third-party app integrations outside of Zapier
At a Glance
Recent Price History
Wave removed the "Wave Advisors" plan
Plan removed · May 30, 2026
Wave removed the "Payroll (Full-Service)" plan
Plan removed · May 30, 2026
Wave added a new "Payroll" plan at $40/user/mo
Plan added · May 30, 2026
Wave added a new "Receipts" plan at $8/user/mo
Plan added · May 30, 2026
Wave raised "Pro" from $16/mo to $19/mo (+19%)
Price change · May 30, 2026
Update · May 21, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
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- 1.Official Pricing Page·Source of verified tiers(Checked: 2026-05-21)
- 2.Official Website·Official vendor website
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Sources & Data Trail · Wave
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- 2.Official Website·Official vendor website
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