QuickBooks vs Wave: Complete Comparison (2026)

QuickBooks vs Wave: which one actually runs your entire business?

Both handle accounting basics: invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, and financial reporting. But once the invoice is sent, most freelancers end up managing proposals, contracts, projects, and client communication through other apps... because neither has visual project management, a branded client portal, proposal-to-contract workflows, or any of the other necessary features to truly run an entire freelance business from one place.

QuickBooks handles bookkeeping with double-entry accounting, payroll, and over 750 integrations, but the Simple Start plan costs $38/month for a single user, there's no proposal or contract builder, and freelancers still need separate apps for project management and client communication.

Wave handles basic accounting and invoicing at no cost through a free starter plan, but payment processing only works for US and Canadian bank accounts, there's no time tracking on the free plan, and the platform has no project management or client portal features at all.

Plutio handles invoicing, then connects it to the rest of the workflow. Sent invoices link back to tracked time, project milestones feed directly into billing, and clients log into a branded portal at your domain to approve work and pay on their own. Skip the comparison and try Plutio free.

Last updated March 2026

4.6

Quick comparison (TLDR)

QuickBooks handles double-entry accounting with bank feeds, payroll integration, and financial reporting across multiple tiers. The Simple Start plan costs $38/month for a single user, and the Essentials plan jumps to $75/month for three users. QuickBooks has no proposal builder, no contract system, and no client portal.

Wave handles basic accounting and invoicing through a free starter plan with unlimited invoices and expense tracking. The Pro plan costs $16/month and adds recurring invoices and receipt scanning. Wave has no project management, no time tracking on the free plan, and payment processing only works for US and Canadian bank accounts.

Key differences at a glance

Pricing: Wave offers free accounting and invoicing. QuickBooks starts at $38/month for Simple Start, making Wave significantly cheaper for basic needs.
Accounting depth: QuickBooks handles inventory tracking, class-based categorization, and multi-currency transactions. Wave covers income, expenses, and bank reconciliation without those advanced layers.
Time tracking: QuickBooks includes time tracking on the Essentials plan ($75/month) and above. Wave has no built-in time tracking on any plan.
Integrations: QuickBooks connects to over 750 third-party apps. Wave has fewer than 20 native integrations, mostly through Zapier.
Payment processing: QuickBooks processes payments for businesses globally. Wave payment processing is restricted to US and Canadian bank accounts only.
Team growth: QuickBooks supports up to 25 users on the Advanced plan ($275/month). Wave has no user limits but lacks the features growing teams need, like role-based permissions.

The verdict? QuickBooks has deeper accounting features, but starts at $38/month and still has no proposals, contracts, or project management. Wave is free for basic accounting, but has no time tracking, no project management, and only processes payments in North America. If you need one app that handles invoicing, project management, time tracking, and client portals with white-labeling, Plutio covers everything for $19/month.

Paying $38/month just for accounting?

One branded platform. Invoice to project delivery.

Proposals, contracts, Kanban boards, time tracking, invoicing, and white-labeled client portals. All connected for $19/month.

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Plutio - Your entire business, one login away

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Invoicing and payments

A client owes payment for completed work. How quickly can the invoice go out, and how soon does the money land in the account?

QuickBooks

Template-based invoicing with per-transaction fees. QuickBooks creates and sends invoices with customizable templates, automatic payment reminders, and recurring billing. Clients pay by credit card, ACH, or bank transfer directly from the invoice. Payment processing fees run 2.99% for credit cards and 1% for ACH (minimum $1). QuickBooks also tracks partial payments, handles deposits, and connects invoice data to the general ledger automatically.

Invoice templates (customization varies by plan)
Recurring invoices on paid plans
Credit card, ACH, and bank transfer acceptance
2.99% credit card processing fee on every transaction
No proposal-to-invoice workflow, so freelancers draft proposals in separate tools
Invoicing features gated behind plan tiers

Wave

Free-tier invoicing with geographic restrictions on payouts. Wave sends unlimited invoices at no monthly cost. Invoice templates include logo placement and color customization. Payment processing charges 2.9% plus $0.60 per credit card transaction and 1% for ACH transfers. The limitation surfaces with payment deposits: Wave only deposits funds to US and Canadian bank accounts. International freelancers cannot collect payments through Wave at all.

Unlimited invoicing on the free plan (no recurring automation)
Logo and basic color options
Credit card and ACH acceptance (with per-transaction fees)
Payouts restricted to US and Canada, so international freelancers cannot collect
Limited template selection compared to paid tools
No proposal-to-invoice connection, so proposals require a separate app

Expense tracking and bank feeds

Receipts pile up. Bank transactions flow in daily. Can the software categorize expenses automatically, or does everything require manual entry?

QuickBooks

Bank feeds with rule-based categorization on higher tiers. QuickBooks connects to over 14,000 financial institutions for automatic transaction imports. Custom rules categorize recurring transactions automatically, and the reconciliation engine suggests matches between bank entries and logged expenses. Receipt scanning captures data from photos and attaches receipts to matching transactions. QuickBooks also separates expenses by class, location, and project for detailed reporting.

Bank connections across 14,000+ institutions (sync delays reported)
Rule-based transaction categorization
Receipt scanning with OCR on paid plans
Class and project tracking locked to Plus plan ($115/month)
Bank feed sync errors reported across user forums
No expense tracking connected to proposals or project scopes

Wave

Bank feeds with manual categorization on the free plan. Wave connects to major banks for transaction imports on the free plan. Categorization is mostly manual on the starter tier, and automatic categorization rules are reserved for the Pro plan ($16/month). The Pro plan includes receipt scanning with OCR that extracts merchant, date, and total. The free plan lacks recurring transaction rules, so freelancers with consistent monthly expenses still categorize each one individually.

Bank connections on the free plan (fewer institutions than QuickBooks)
Manual expense categorization (no automation on free tier)
Receipt scanning available on Pro plan only ($16/month)
No auto-categorization rules on the free plan, so every transaction is sorted by hand
No project-level expense tracking, so all expenses sit in one flat list
Limited reporting on expenses, so freelancers export to spreadsheets for deeper analysis

Reporting and financial analysis

Tax season arrives. A client asks for a revenue-per-project breakdown. Can the platform generate the reports needed, or does the data live in spreadsheets?

QuickBooks

Standard accounting reports with tier-gated customization. QuickBooks includes profit and loss statements, balance sheets, cash flow reports, tax summaries, and accounts receivable aging. The Plus plan adds project revenue tracking reports that show revenue and expenses per project. Custom report builders let users filter by date range, customer, class, and location. Reports export to Excel and PDF. The reporting depth handles most small-business accounting needs without external spreadsheets.

Profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow reports
Project revenue reports (Plus plan only, $115/month)
Export to Excel and PDF
Custom report filters locked to higher tiers
Report formatting issues on exports reported by users
No reports connecting project scope to revenue, so accounting stays separate from delivery

Wave

Standard reports with no customization or project tracking. Wave generates profit and loss reports, balance sheets, sales tax summaries, and aging reports. The reports cover standard freelancer accounting needs: what came in, what went out, and what taxes are owed. Customization is limited compared to QuickBooks. There are no project-level revenue reports, no class-based filtering, and exporting options are restricted to CSV and PDF. Freelancers with straightforward finances find the reports sufficient, but growing businesses typically need more detail.

Profit and loss reports (standard format only)
Balance sheet and sales tax summaries
CSV and PDF export
No project-level revenue tracking, so freelancers calculate per-project profit manually
No custom filters, date groupings, or class-based views
No way to connect reports to invoiced work, so revenue sits in aggregate totals

Time tracking

Hourly billing requires time capture. If any portion of the work is billed by the hour, the software needs to log that time and connect it to invoices.

QuickBooks

Time tracking available on $75+/month plans only. QuickBooks includes time tracking starting at the Essentials plan ($75/month). Users log hours against customers and service items, then convert tracked time to invoice line items. The mobile app has a timer for on-the-go tracking. QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) offers advanced time tracking as a paid add-on with GPS tracking, scheduling, and team timesheets. Basic time tracking on the Essentials plan works for solo billing, but task-level tracking requires the add-on. (For comparison, Plutio tracks time at the task level and flows directly into invoices without extra cost.)

Manual time entry on Essentials plan ($75/month minimum)
Mobile timer on the app
Tracked time converts to invoice line items
No time tracking on the Simple Start plan, so hourly freelancers pay $75/month minimum
Task-level tracking requires QuickBooks Time add-on (extra cost)
No connection between tracked time and project scope or deliverables

Wave

No built-in time tracking. Wave does not include time tracking on any plan. Freelancers who bill hourly need a separate app like Toggl, Clockify, or Harvest to log hours, then manually transfer those totals to Wave invoices. The disconnect means duplicate data entry on every billing cycle: log time in one app, create an invoice in another, and hope the numbers match. For consultants and designers who mix project-based and hourly work, this missing feature adds 15-30 minutes per billing cycle per client.

No time tracking feature on any plan
No timer or manual hour entry
No time-to-invoice connection, so hours transfer manually
Freelancers use Toggl or Clockify alongside, adding another subscription

Project management and client workflow

The invoice is only one piece of the puzzle. Proposals, contracts, task management, and client communication all happen around it. Can the accounting tool handle any of that?

QuickBooks

Expense allocation per project, but no project delivery tools. QuickBooks tracks expenses and time against projects on the Plus plan ($115/month), but that is the extent of project management. There are no task lists, no Kanban boards, no Gantt charts, and no way to assign work to team members within QuickBooks. Proposals and contracts require separate tools like PandaDoc or DocuSign. Client communication stays in email. Most QuickBooks freelancers pair the platform with Trello, Asana, or Monday.com for actual project delivery, which means copying data between systems.

Project-level expense allocation (Plus plan only, $115/month)
Project revenue reports on Plus plan
No task lists, Kanban boards, or Gantt views, so freelancers use Trello or Asana alongside
No proposals or contracts, so freelancers use PandaDoc or DocuSign separately
No client portal, so clients communicate through email
No CRM or lead tracking, so client data stays in contact lists

Wave

No project management at all. Wave is an accounting tool only. There are no project features, no task lists, no proposals, no contracts, and no client-facing portal. Every piece of the client workflow outside of invoicing and expense tracking requires separate software. Freelancers using Wave typically build a stack that includes a project management tool, a proposal tool, a contract tool, and sometimes a separate CRM, all disconnected from Wave's accounting data.

No project management, so freelancers manage delivery in separate tools
No task lists or boards, so work tracking happens outside Wave
No proposals or contracts, so freelancers add separate subscriptions
No client portal, so clients have no self-serve access to project status
No CRM features, so client relationships are tracked in spreadsheets or separate apps

Integrations and ecosystem

No accounting tool works in isolation. How well does each platform connect to the other tools freelancers already use?

QuickBooks

750+ integrations, mostly one-directional. QuickBooks connects to Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, Square, and hundreds of other business tools. The integration library covers CRM platforms, payment processors, e-commerce tools, and time tracking apps. Zapier extends the reach further. For freelancers who build multi-tool stacks, QuickBooks usually sits at the center of the accounting layer. The downside is that each integration is one-directional: data flows into QuickBooks, but QuickBooks does not push data back into project management or CRM tools.

750+ native integrations (one-directional data flow)
Zapier connectivity for extended reach
Direct bank and payment processor links
Integrations pull data in but do not push data back, so there is no two-way sync with PM tools
Each additional integration adds configuration overhead and potential sync issues
No native project management or CRM, so the integration library fills gaps rather than replacing tools

Wave

Fewer than 20 native integrations. Wave connects to a handful of apps natively, including Google Sheets, PayPal, and Etsy. Most integrations require Zapier as a bridge, which adds $19.99/month for the Starter plan if you need more than basic connections. The small integration ecosystem means freelancers who need Wave to talk to their project management tool, CRM, or time tracker often hit walls. Wave's position as a free tool comes with trade-offs in connectivity.

Google Sheets connection for data export
PayPal and Etsy connections (limited scope)
Zapier available as a paid bridge ($19.99+/month)
Fewer than 20 native integrations, so most tools require Zapier
Zapier adds $19.99+/month, reducing the free-tool advantage
No direct connections to CRM, project management, or time tracking tools

Payroll and team features

When the business grows beyond solo work, the tool needs to handle contractor payments, employee payroll, and permission controls.

QuickBooks

Payroll available as a paid add-on ($50+/month extra). QuickBooks Payroll processes employee wages, tax filings, and direct deposits as a paid add-on starting at $50/month plus $6/employee. The Essentials plan supports three users, and Plus supports five. Role-based permissions on higher tiers let accountants, bookkeepers, and team members access only what they need. QuickBooks handles 1099 contractor payments, W-2 processing, and state tax filings, making it a real payroll solution for growing businesses.

Payroll processing with tax filing (add-on, $50+/month)
1099 and W-2 support
Role-based permissions on higher tiers
Payroll costs $50/month plus $6 per employee on top of the base subscription
User limits on lower plans, and Simple Start allows one user only
Per-employee pricing compounds quickly for growing teams

Wave

Payroll restricted to US businesses, add-on pricing. Wave Payroll starts at $40/month plus $6/employee for tax-service states. Payroll is only available in the US (not Canada), so international businesses cannot use it. Wave has no user limits on any plan, but there are no role-based permissions. Every team member with access sees everything, which creates issues when contractors, bookkeepers, and business owners share the same account. The payroll feature works for small US-based teams, but the geographic restriction and lack of permissions limit its usefulness.

Payroll processing for US businesses only ($40+/month add-on)
Direct deposit available
No user limits on any plan (but no permission controls)
US only, so Canadian and international businesses cannot use payroll
No role-based permissions, so every user sees all financial data
Add-on pricing ($40/month + $6/employee) offsets the free-plan savings

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QuickBooks and Wave handle accounting. Plutio handles the entire workflow: proposals, contracts, project management, time tracking, invoicing, and white-labeled client portals.

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QuickBooks vs Wave pricing breakdown

The price gap between QuickBooks and Wave is the widest of any major accounting comparison: one starts at $38/month and the other starts at $0. But the features you get for each investment differ substantially.

QuickBooks Pricing (2026)

Simple Start: $38/month. Single user, basic invoicing, expense tracking, bank feeds, receipt scanning, and mileage tracking. No time tracking, no multi-user access.
Essentials: $75/month. Three users, time tracking, bill management, and multi-currency. Adds the time tracking that freelancers with hourly billing need.
Plus: $115/month. Five users, inventory tracking, project revenue tracking, and class-based categorization. Aimed at product-based businesses and growing teams.
Advanced: $275/month. Up to 25 users, custom roles, batch invoicing, and advanced reporting. For established businesses with accounting teams.

Wave Pricing (2026)

Starter (Free): $0/month. Unlimited invoicing, expense tracking, bank connections, and financial reports. No time tracking, no receipt scanning, no recurring invoice automation.
Pro: $16/month (or $170/year). Adds recurring invoices, receipt scanning with OCR, automatic transaction categorization, and priority support.

The real cost: what freelancers actually pay

The sticker price is only part of the story. Since neither tool handles the complete freelance workflow, most users add supplementary apps:

Project management: Trello Free or Asana Starter ($0-$11/month)
Time tracking: Toggl Track or Clockify ($0-$9/month per user)
Proposals and contracts: PandaDoc or DocuSign ($10-$25/month)
Client communication: Separate CRM or portal ($0-$20/month)

A typical four-tool stack runs $50-$100/month on top of either platform's base price. All-in-one platforms like Plutio start at $19/month for solo users with no feature gating: proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, and invoicing in one subscription.

The verdict: Wave is cheaper at the base level ($0 vs $38/month), but lacks time tracking and advanced features. QuickBooks has deeper accounting, but costs 2-7x more depending on the plan. If you add supplementary tools to fill the gaps in either platform, the total cost often exceeds what an all-in-one platform charges.

Which tool is better for your business type?

Choosing between QuickBooks and Wave comes down to a fundamental trade-off: do you need full-featured accounting with advanced reporting at a premium price, or do you need free accounting that covers the basics without the depth?

Solo freelancers with simple finances

Freelancers who send fewer than 20 invoices per month with straightforward income and expenses find Wave sufficient. The free plan covers invoicing, expense tracking, and basic reports. QuickBooks Simple Start at $38/month provides the same core functions with more depth, but many solo freelancers do not need class-based tracking or custom reports. Wave handles the basics without a monthly bill.

Freelancers who bill hourly

Hourly billing exposes Wave's biggest gap. There is no time tracking on any Wave plan. QuickBooks includes time tracking on the Essentials plan ($75/month), but that price jump is steep for a single feature. Freelancers who bill hourly often pair Wave with Toggl ($0-$9/month) for a cheaper total, or choose platforms with task-level time tracking that flow directly into invoices.

Growing service businesses with teams

QuickBooks scales from solo to 25 users with role-based permissions on higher plans. Wave has no user limits but no permissions either, so every team member sees all financial data. Businesses adding employees, contractors, or bookkeepers typically outgrow Wave quickly because the lack of access controls creates security and privacy issues.

International freelancers

Wave payment processing only deposits to US and Canadian bank accounts. QuickBooks handles multi-currency transactions and processes payments for businesses in more countries. If you are based outside North America, Wave's payment limitations rule it out for receiving client payments through the platform.

E-commerce and product businesses

QuickBooks Plus ($115/month) includes inventory tracking, cost of goods sold, and purchase orders. Wave has no inventory management at all. Product-based businesses that need accounting tied to physical inventory have one option between these two: QuickBooks.

What both tools are missing

QuickBooks and Wave cover accounting and invoicing. But once the invoice is sent, most freelancers find themselves opening three or four other apps to manage the actual client work that generated that invoice.

No proposal or contract workflow

Neither tool creates proposals or contracts. A freelancer using QuickBooks or Wave still needs PandaDoc, DocuSign, or a manual Word document to send proposals and get contracts signed. The proposal approval, the contract signature, and the invoice all live in separate systems with no connection between them. When a proposal changes scope, the invoice does not update automatically. Platforms with integrated proposals connect the entire chain from pitch to payment.

No project management beyond expense tracking

QuickBooks tracks expenses and time against project names on the Plus plan. Wave has no project features at all. Neither has task lists, Kanban boards, Gantt timelines, subtask nesting, or task dependencies. The work that happens between signing a contract and sending an invoice, the actual project delivery, requires Trello, Asana, or a similar tool running alongside.

No client portal or branding

Neither QuickBooks nor Wave offers a branded client portal. Clients cannot log into a dashboard to see project progress, approve deliverables, download files, or check invoice status. Every update requires an email or a separate shared document. For service businesses where client communication is frequent, the missing portal means more time spent on status updates and file sharing. Platforms like Plutio support fully branded portals where clients see only your business identity.

Limited CRM capabilities

QuickBooks stores customer records with contact info and transaction history. Wave stores similar basic data. Neither functions as a CRM for managing leads, tracking sales pipelines, or recording client interactions. Freelancers who need to manage prospects alongside existing clients add HubSpot, Notion, or a spreadsheet to the stack.

No scheduling or booking

Neither tool includes appointment scheduling, calendar booking, or availability management. Freelancers who take discovery calls, consultations, or client meetings need Calendly, Acuity, or a similar booking tool. The scheduling data stays disconnected from the accounting data, so there is no automatic invoicing for consultation hours booked through external calendars.

What users do when neither tool is enough

When QuickBooks or Wave cannot handle the full workflow alone, freelancers take one of two paths: build a multi-tool stack and accept the overhead, or switch to a platform designed for the complete client lifecycle.

The typical workaround stack

QuickBooks or Wave for accounting and invoicing ($0-$75/month)
Trello, Asana, or Monday.com for project management ($0-$25/month)
Toggl, Clockify, or Harvest for time tracking ($0-$12/month per user)
PandaDoc or DocuSign for proposals and contracts ($10-$25/month)
Calendly or Acuity for scheduling ($0-$16/month)

The total: four to six subscriptions totaling $50-$150/month, four to six logins to manage, and constant manual data transfer between each tool.

The hidden cost: time spent on handoffs

The subscription cost is the visible expense. The hidden cost is the workflow friction. When a client approves a proposal in PandaDoc, someone has to manually create a project in Trello, set up a time entry in Toggl, and then transfer completed hours into QuickBooks or Wave for invoicing. Each handoff takes 5-15 minutes. Across 20-30 clients per year, that is 25-40 hours annually spent on data transfer that software should handle automatically.

The one-platform alternative

All-in-one platforms exist that handle proposals, contracts, project management, time tracking, and invoicing in a single system. The trade-off is learning a new interface versus maintaining an existing multi-tool setup. For freelancers who have invested heavily in QuickBooks workflows or rely on Wave's free accounting, the migration feels daunting. For freelancers drowning in tool-juggling, switching to one platform can recover 2-5 hours per week.

What one platform looks like in practice

If you are curious: Plutio is one platform that covers the complete workflow. Client inquiries flow into proposals and contracts. Signed contracts automatically create projects with Kanban boards and task templates. Time tracking happens at the task level and flows directly into invoices. Clients access a portal on your domain, not the software vendor's. The comparison table below shows exactly where Plutio fills the gaps, and where QuickBooks and Wave still cover the accounting fundamentals. The goal is not to push you toward Plutio specifically, but to show what a unified workflow can look like.

Final verdict: QuickBooks vs Wave

QuickBooks and Wave both handle accounting fundamentals. Invoicing, expense tracking, and bank reconciliation work in both. The differences emerge in pricing, depth, and what happens outside the ledger.

QuickBooks trade-offs:

Multi-user access with role-based permissions for bookkeepers, accountants, and team members, but this requires the $75/month Essentials plan at minimum
Inventory tracking, cost of goods sold, and class-based expense categorization on the Plus plan, but that tier costs $115/month and still has no proposals, contracts, or client portals
Built-in time tracking connected to invoices on Essentials and above, but task-level tracking requires the QuickBooks Time add-on at extra cost
Multi-currency payment processing for international clients, but every feature outside accounting still requires separate tools

But know that: QuickBooks starts at $38/month for a single user with basic features. Time tracking requires $75/month. Project revenue tracking requires $115/month. And every feature outside accounting, proposals, contracts, project management, client portals, still requires separate tools.

Wave trade-offs:

Free accounting and invoicing for solo freelancers in the US or Canada, but payment processing is restricted to North American bank accounts only
No monthly cost for basic expense tracking and invoicing, but the free plan lacks time tracking, receipt scanning, and recurring invoice automation
Income tracking, expense categorization, and basic financial reports at no cost, but there are no project revenue reports or class-based tracking
Unlimited invoices on the free plan for small client lists, but growing beyond basic needs typically requires paid tools that eliminate the cost savings

But know that: Wave's free plan covers basics, but the platform has no time tracking, no project management, and no client-facing features. Growing beyond simple invoicing and expense tracking means adding paid tools that quickly exceed Wave's cost savings.

Consider switching to one platform if:

You already juggle three or more tools to run your client workflow, with invoicing in one app, projects in another, and contracts in a third
Manual data transfer between apps is eating 2-5 hours of your week
Your projects are complex enough to need Kanban boards, timelines, or task dependencies, not just expense categories
Your brand requires clients to see your domain and your identity, not a third-party software brand
You bill hourly and need time tracking that connects directly to tasks and invoices without copying numbers between apps

But know that: Switching means learning a new system and migrating existing data. For most users, this takes a focused weekend. The ongoing time savings typically recover that investment within a month.

The bottom line: QuickBooks has deeper accounting at $38-$275/month, but has no proposals, contracts, or project management. Wave is free for basics, but has no time tracking, no client portal, and only processes payments in North America. Both handle accounting but stop there, so the rest of the freelance workflow requires other apps. If your workflow already spans multiple tools and the handoffs are eating hours every week, the comparison table below shows how all-in-one platforms like Plutio stack up against both.

Research & Sources

This comparison is based on direct hands-on testing, official documentation review, and analysis of user feedback across major review platforms. All data was verified in March 2026.

Research methodology

Each tool was evaluated through active trial accounts, official feature documentation, and analysis of 500+ user reviews across G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius. The focus was on common pain points that appeared in 3-star and below reviews, where users share honest limitations rather than promotional praise.

Platform ratings (March 2026)

QuickBooks Online: 4.0/5 on G2 (3,500+ reviews), praised for integrations and accounting depth, criticized for pricing increases and customer support
Wave: 4.3/5 on G2 (450+ reviews), praised for free pricing and simplicity, criticized for limited features and customer support
Plutio: 4.6/5 on G2 (200+ reviews), praised for all-in-one coverage and white-labeling

Common user complaints (from 1-3 star reviews)

QuickBooks users frequently mention: "Pricing keeps increasing every year," "Customer support is hard to reach and unhelpful," "Simple features locked behind expensive plans," "Bank feed errors and reconciliation issues"

Wave users frequently mention: "Customer support is slow and limited to chat," "No time tracking at all," "Payment processing only works in North America," "Advanced features require the paid plan"

Pricing sources (verified March 2026)

Feature verification

If you find any inaccuracies or outdated information, please let us know so we can investigate and update.

QuickBooks vs Wave vs Plutio: full feature comparison

See how all three tools compare on invoicing, expense tracking, project management, and time tracking

PRICING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Starting price	$19/month (Core plan)	$38/month (Simple Start), promo: 50% off for first 3 months	Free Starter plan available. Pro plan $19/month ($190/year)
Free plan	No free plan (14-day trial available)	No free plan (30-day trial)	Free Starter plan with unlimited invoices, estimates, bills, and bookkeeping
Trial period	14-day free trial	30-day free trial	Free Starter plan available (no trial needed)
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Manage projects and tasks	Fully flexible project and task setup you can shape to your workflow	Basic project tracking (Plus plan and above, limited to budgets and time)	No project management features
Project roles and permissions	Control exactly who can view or edit each part of a project	No project-level roles or permissions	No project management features
Multiple task boards	Unlimited boards to run parallel workflows in the same project	No Kanban, Gantt, or calendar views	No task boards
Embeddable project boards	Live project boards embedded into client portals or websites	No embeddable boards	No project boards
Sharable project boards	Read-only public links for sharing progress without risk	No sharable boards	No project boards
Project stages and milestones	Define custom project lifecycles for different types of work	No custom project statuses	No project management features
Connected proposals, contracts, and invoices	Everything related stays connected to the project automatically	Projects link to invoices and expenses (no proposals or contracts)	Invoicing only (no proposals or contracts)
Custom project data fields	Track, sort, filter, and report on custom project data	No custom project fields	No project management features
Kanban boards	Drag-and-drop tasks across customizable columns	No Kanban board	No kanban boards
Table view	Bulk-edit tasks like a spreadsheet	Transaction list view within projects	No task or project views
List view	Clean task lists with clear hierarchy	Transaction list view within projects	No task or project views
Calendar view	See tasks and deadlines on a calendar	No calendar view	No calendar view
Gantt view	Plan work visually with task order and dependencies	No Gantt chart	No Gantt view
Subtasks	Break work down into multiple nested levels	No subtask support	No task management
Email to task	Turn emails into tasks without manual copying	No email to task	No task management
Task comments	Keep discussions tied directly to each task	No task management system	No task management
Task attachments	Store files directly on the task they belong to	No task management system	No task management
Task priorities	Define priority levels that fit your workflow	No task management system	No task management
Task labels & color coding	Use unlimited labels to visually organize tasks	No task management system	No task management
Multiple task assignees	Assign tasks to one or multiple teammates	No task assignees	No task management
Task templates	Reuse task-level structures across projects	No task templates	No task management
Task permissions	Control access at the individual task level	No task-level permissions	No task management
Task dependencies	Prevent work from starting out of order	No task dependencies	No task management
Recurring tasks	Automate repeating work with flexible schedules	Recurring transactions only (not tasks)	No task management
Custom task data fields	Add task-level fields for tracking custom details	No custom task fields	No task management
TIME TRACKING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Time tracking system	Easily track time using timers or manual entries	Built-in time tracking (Essentials plan and above)	No time tracking feature
Task-level tracking	Log time directly against tasks and subtasks	Time tracked per service item and project (not per task)	No time tracking feature
Project-level tracking	See time spent per project and per client	Time tracked per project (Plus and Advanced plans)	No time tracking feature
Billable time tracking	Clearly separate billable and non-billable time	Billable and non-billable time categorization	No time tracking feature
Billable time invoicing	Turn tracked time into invoices without extra steps	Add billable time directly to invoices	No time tracking feature
Timesheet reports	View detailed time reports by task, project, or client	Detailed time reports available	No time tracking feature
Team timesheets	See how each team member tracks their time	Team timesheets with weekly view (Essentials plan and above)	No time tracking feature
PROPOSALS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Create and send proposals	Create proposals clients can review, approve, and sign in one flow	Estimates only (not full proposals)	No proposal features
Drag-and-drop proposal builder	Create custom, branded proposals without layout limits or code	No visual proposal builder	No proposal builder
Reusable proposal templates	Reuse proven proposal layouts across clients	Estimate templates available (not full proposals)	No proposal templates
Real-time proposal analytics	See exactly when proposals are opened and reviewed	No proposal view tracking	No proposal analytics
Live messenger on proposals	Answer questions directly while clients review proposals	No in-proposal messaging	No proposal features
Proposal flow automation	Move from proposal to contract, invoice, or booking automatically	Estimate to invoice only	No proposal features
Convert proposal to invoice	Create invoices directly from approved proposals	Convert estimates to invoices	No proposal features
Packages and add-ons	Offer upsells and add-ons directly inside proposals	No packages or add-ons	No proposal packages
Interactive pricing tables	Let clients choose options before approving	Static pricing only	No pricing tables
Dynamic data and variables	Auto-fill proposal content with client and project data	Basic placeholders available	No dynamic variables
Expiration dates	Automatically expire proposals after a set date	Manual expiry dates on estimates	No proposal features
PDF Export	Download as branded PDFs	PDF export included	PDF export for invoices and receipts
Reusable content blocks	Create reusable proposal sections you can reuse on demand	No reusable content blocks	No reusable content blocks
Legally binding e-signatures	Collect secure electronic signatures on proposals	Basic e-signature on estimates (DocuSign integration on Advanced plan)	No e-signatures
Custom proposal data fields	Create custom proposal data you can sort, filter, and report on	Custom fields on Advanced plan only	No proposal features
CONTRACTS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Create and sign contracts	Create, send, and sign contracts in one continuous flow	QuickBooks Online does not handle contracts	No contract features
Drag-and-drop contract builder	Create fully custom contracts with flexible layouts, no code or formatting limits	No contract builder	No contract builder
Legally binding e-signatures	Collect secure signatures with audit trails and signer verification	No e-signatures on contracts	No e-signatures
Multi-signature / signees	Collect signatures from multiple people on the same contract	No multi-signature support	No multi-signature support
Reusable contract templates	Reuse contract structures to create new agreements faster	No contract templates	No contract templates
Auto-reminders automation	Automatically follow up until contracts are signed	No contract reminders	Automated late payment reminders on invoices (Pro plan only)
Dynamic data/variables	Auto-fill contract content with client and project data	No contract variables	No dynamic variables
Contract automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows the moment a contract is signed	No contract automation triggers	No contract automation
View notifications	See when contracts are opened and reviewed	Invoice and estimate view notifications only	Email notifications when invoices are viewed
PDF download with signature certificate	Download signed contracts with official proof of signature	No contract signatures or certificates	No contract signatures
Custom signer data fields	Collect structured signer information during signing	No signer data fields	No signer fields
Custom contract data fields	Create custom contract data you can sort, filter, and report on	No contract features	No contract features
INVOICES & PAYMENTS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Create invoices and get paid	Send invoices and collect payments in one connected flow	Full invoicing with online payments (credit card, ACH, Apple Pay, PayPal, Venmo)	Unlimited invoicing with online payments (credit card 2.9% + $0.60, ACH 1%)
Fully branded invoices	Match invoices to your brand with custom logos, colors, and layout	Customizable invoice branding with logo, colors, and layout	Basic logo and color branding on Pro plan only
Drag and drop invoice builder	Create custom invoice layouts visually without formatting limits	Template-based editor only	No drag-and-drop invoice builder (template-based only)
Customizable line items	Edit pricing, quantities, descriptions, and structure freely	Fully customizable line items with products/services catalog	Customizable line items with product and service catalog
Item or invoice discounts	Apply discounts at the item or full invoice level	Discounts supported	Discounts supported on invoices
Customizable taxes	Create tax rules that match your location and use case	Automated sales tax calculation	Custom tax rates and sales tax support
ACH payments	Accept bank transfers for lower-fee payments	ACH bank payments supported	ACH bank payments (1% per transaction, $1 minimum)
Stripe integration	Accept credit and debit cards instantly	QuickBooks Payments built-in (Stripe via third-party integration)	No Stripe integration (Wave Payments built-in processing only)
Square integration	Collect in-person payments when needed	Square integration for sales sync (not direct invoice payments)	No Square integration
PayPal integration	Let clients pay using PayPal	PayPal and Venmo payments on invoices	No PayPal integration (Wave Payments built-in processing only)
Flexible partial payments	Collect deposits and split payments across milestones	Partial payments supported	Partial payments supported on invoices
Payment plans	Break invoices into scheduled installments	Recurring invoices only (no structured installment plans)	No structured payment plans
Automated recurring invoices	Automatically send invoices on a recurring schedule	Automated recurring invoices with flexible schedules	Recurring invoices available on Pro plan only
Subscription management	Manage ongoing client subscriptions and billing	Recurring invoices only (no subscription portal)	No subscription management
Automated payment reminders	Follow up automatically until invoices are paid	Automated late payment reminders	Automated late payment reminders (Pro plan only)
Reusable invoice templates	Reuse invoice layouts without rebuilding each time	Reusable invoice templates available	Basic invoice templates (limited customization)
Multiple currency support	Bill clients globally in their local currency	Multi-currency supported (Essentials plan and above)	No multi-currency support (single currency per business)
Invoice automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows when invoices are sent or paid	Recurring transaction automation (custom workflows on Advanced only)	No invoice automation triggers
View notifications	See when invoices are opened and paid	Email notifications when invoices are viewed and paid	Email notifications when invoices are viewed and paid
Built-in expense tracking	Track project-related costs alongside invoices	Full expense tracking with receipt scanning, bank sync, and auto-categorization	Full expense tracking with bank connections and auto-categorization (Pro plan)
Invoice deposits	Collect upfront payments before work starts	Deposit invoicing supported	Deposit requests via partial payments
Auto-invoice billable time	Turn tracked time into invoices automatically	Add billable time directly to invoices	No time tracking or billable time invoicing
Custom invoice data fields	Create custom invoice data you can sort, filter, and report on	Custom fields on sales forms (3 fields on Plus, more on Advanced)	No custom invoice fields
INBOX Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Centralized unified inbox	Manage email, chat, and messages from one shared inbox	No unified inbox	No unified inbox
Full email integration	Connect and manage all your email accounts in one place	No email integration (notifications only)	No email integration
Embeddable live chat	Add real-time chat to your website and client portals	No live chat	No live chat
Instant direct messages	Message teammates privately without leaving your workspace	No direct messaging	No direct messaging
Contextual project conversations	Keep conversations tied directly to the project they belong to	No project messaging	No project conversations
Team channels	Create shared spaces for team-wide discussions	No team channels	No team channels
Customized channels	Organize channels by team, topic, or workflow	No channels	No channels
@mentions	Notify teammates instantly inside conversations	No @mentions	No @mentions
Message read receipts	See when messages are read	No read receipts	No read receipts
File sharing in chat	Share files directly inside conversations	No chat feature	No chat feature
Shared email inbox	Collaborate on incoming emails as a team	No shared inbox	No shared inbox
Inbox mobile app	Access and respond to messages on mobile	No inbox feature	No inbox feature
Email reply to inbox	Reply from your email client and keep conversations synced	No inbox feature	No inbox feature
FILES Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Store and manage files	Keep all client and project files in one organized place	File attachments on transactions (no centralized file manager)	Receipt and document uploads only (no centralized file manager)
Advanced folder organization	Organize files by project, client, or structure you choose	No folder organization	No folder organization
Folder permissions	Control who can view or edit folders	No folder permissions	No folder permissions
People folders	Group files by person when needed	No people folders	No people folders
Project folders	Keep files scoped to each project	Files organized within project transactions	No project folders
In-app previews	Preview files instantly without downloading	Basic file previews for receipts and documents	Basic receipt image previews
Custom file data fields	Capture file metadata you can sort and filter	No custom file fields	No custom file fields
Built-in documents	Create and edit documents directly inside Plutio	No built-in document editor	No built-in document editor
Comments on files and docs	Leave comments directly on files and documents	No file comments	No file comments
Bulk file actions	Move, tag, or manage many files at once	No bulk file actions	No bulk file actions
Files search & filter	Find files quickly using search and filters	Basic search across transactions	Basic transaction search
External cloud sync	Sync files with Google Drive or Dropbox	Google Drive and Dropbox integrations	No external cloud sync
Secure sharing controls	Restrict access with permissions or passwords	Account-level role-based access	Role-based access for accountants and admins (Pro plan)
File sharing links	Share files externally with controlled access	No shareable file links	No shareable file links
SCHEDULING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Schedule meetings	Let clients book meetings directly without back-and-forth emails	QuickBooks Online does not have scheduling	No scheduling features
Branded booking page	Build a fully branded, customizable booking system using a drag-and-drop editor	No booking pages	No booking pages
Advanced availability management	Define flexible availability rules applied automatically to bookings	No availability management	No availability management
Automatic buffer times	Add buffer time automatically between meetings	No buffer times	No buffer times
Multiple meeting types	Create unlimited booking types with different rules and setups	No meeting types	No meeting types
Calendar sync (Google/Outlook)	Two-way calendar sync that stays up to date automatically	No calendar sync for scheduling	No calendar sync
Customizable booking confirmations	Fully customizable confirmation pages with no layout or branding limits	No booking confirmations	No booking confirmations
Redirect after booking	Send bookers anywhere after scheduling, not just a fixed thank-you page	No booking system	No booking system
Booking automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows the moment a meeting is booked	No booking automation	No booking automation
Smart meeting reminders	Send automatic reminders without manual follow-ups	No meeting reminders	No meeting reminders
Automatic timezone detection	Handle timezones automatically without manual adjustments	Account timezone setting only	Account timezone setting only
Paid appointments (Stripe/PayPal)	Collect payments during booking without extra steps	No paid appointments	No paid appointments
Custom booking forms	Build booking forms with full control over questions and layout	No booking forms	No booking forms
Minimum notice / daily booking limits	Set booking limits to control lead time and daily volume	No booking limits	No booking limits
Rescheduling and cancellation controls	Define flexible rules for rescheduling and cancellations	No scheduling controls	No scheduling controls
AUTOMATION Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Automated workflows builder	Build advanced workflows visually without code or rigid templates	Custom workflows (Advanced plan only, $275/month)	No workflow builder
Trigger-based workflows	Start workflows from real events across projects, clients, and payments	Bank rules and transaction triggers (custom workflows on Advanced only)	No trigger-based workflows
Schedule-based workflows	Run workflows on schedules you control, not fixed intervals	Recurring transactions only (no independent schedule workflows)	Recurring invoices only (Pro plan)
Multi-step workflows	Chain multiple actions into one continuous automation	Multi-condition workflows (Advanced plan only)	No multi-step automation
True/False branching	Create conditional paths instead of one-size-fits-all flows	Conditional approval workflows (Advanced plan only)	No conditional logic
Delay-based actions	Add precise timing between steps, down to minutes or days	Payment reminder delays only	Payment reminder delays (Pro plan only)
Create & update records	Create, update, or move records automatically across the system	Auto-create recurring invoices and transactions	No record automation
Move & duplicate records	Reorganize work automatically without manual cleanup	Duplicate estimates and transactions manually	No record automation
Delete & archive records	Automatically archive or remove records based on rules	Manual deletion and voiding only	No record automation
API calls (webhooks)	Trigger or receive real-time events from external systems	Full REST API and webhooks via Intuit Developer Platform	GraphQL and REST API available (Pro plan required for OAuth access)
Send emails	Send automated emails tied to real workflow events	Automated invoice and reminder emails	Automated invoice and payment reminder emails (Pro plan)
Post comments	Add notes or comments automatically where work happens	No automated comments	No automated comments
Complete automation logs	See exactly what ran, when, and why	Audit trail tracks all user actions and changes	Basic activity history
Auto-fill data/variables	Pass data between steps dynamically without manual mapping	Basic invoice placeholders	No auto-fill variables
Cross-entity connections	Run workflows that span projects, tasks, proposals, invoices, and more	Invoices link to projects and customers (limited cross-entity scope)	Customers link to invoices and transactions
FORMS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Create branded forms	Build fully branded forms that match your workflow and client experience	No form builder	No form builder
Drag-and-drop form builder	Design forms visually with full layout control, no code required	No form builder	No form builder
Reusable form templates	Reuse form structures without rebuilding from scratch	No form feature	No form feature
Custom form data fields	Collect structured data you can sort, filter, and report on	No form feature	No form feature
Smart conditional logic	Show or hide fields based on responses, not static forms	No form feature	No form feature
Instant email notifications	Get notified immediately when forms are submitted	Invoice and payment notifications only	Invoice and payment notifications only
Form automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows when a form is submitted	No form feature	No form feature
Embed forms	Embed forms anywhere without layout restrictions	No form feature	No form feature
Advanced field preferences	Control required, hidden, and default field behavior	No form feature	No form feature
Comprehensive field types	Collect text, files, dates, selections, and more	No form feature	No form feature
Form signature field	Collect legally binding signatures directly inside forms	No form feature	No form feature
File upload fields	Accept file uploads as part of form submissions	Receipt capture via mobile app (not form-based)	Receipt capture via mobile app (not form-based)
Redirect after submission	Send submitters to a custom next step, not a fixed thank-you page	No form feature	No form feature
CRM Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Manage clients and leads	Manage contacts and companies in one connected system	Basic customer and vendor contact management (no pipeline or lead tracking)	Basic customer management (no pipeline or lead tracking)
Full company management	Track organizations, not just individual contacts	Customer records for individuals and companies (basic info only)	Customer records for individuals and businesses (basic info only)
Custom contact data fields	Collect and manage structured contact data you define	Custom fields on customers (all plans)	No custom customer fields
Complete activity timeline	See every interaction with a client in one place	Full transaction history per customer	Full transaction history per customer
Contacts labeling and grouping	Organize contacts flexibly without rigid pipelines	Customer types and sub-customers (no tags or segmentation)	No contact labeling or grouping
WIKI Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Comprehensive knowledge base	Create an internal wiki for processes, docs, and guides	No knowledge base	No knowledge base
Beautiful rich text pages	Write structured, formatted content without complexity	No rich text pages	No rich text pages
Unlimited nested pages	Build deep knowledge hierarchies without limits	No nested pages	No nested pages
Granular page permissions	Control exactly who can view or edit each page	No wiki feature	No wiki feature
DASHBOARDS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Custom dashboards and pages	Build dashboards around what matters to you, not fixed metrics	Performance Center, custom reports, and Business Performance dashboard (Fathom removed July 2022)	Financial dashboard only (not customizable)
Drag-and-drop dashboard builder	Design dashboards visually with full layout control	No custom dashboard builder	No custom dashboard builder
Charts widget	Visualize data with customizable charts	Financial charts (P&L, cash flow, expense breakdown)	Basic financial charts (income and expenses)
Metrics widget	Track key numbers without manual reporting	Key financial metrics displayed	Key financial metrics displayed on dashboard
Goals widget	Monitor progress toward defined goals	No goals widget	No goals widget
Notes widget	Add contextual notes directly to dashboards	No notes widget	No notes widget
Calendar widget	View upcoming events alongside work and metrics	No calendar widget	No calendar widget
Financial widgets	Track revenue and expenses in the same view	Comprehensive financial widgets (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, A/R, A/P)	Basic financial overview (income, expenses, invoices, bills)
BRANDING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
White-label and branding	Run the entire platform under your brand	Branding on invoices only (cannot remove QuickBooks branding)	Branding on invoices only (Pro plan)
Custom interface theme	Apply your brand colors across the system	Color themes on Deliver+ (no Free plan theme customization)	No interface customization
Stylesheet customization	Fine-tune styling beyond basic theming	No custom CSS	No CSS customization
Custom login/signup pages	Use branded authentication pages instead of generic screens	No custom login pages	No custom login pages
Email branding	Send all system emails with your branding	Logo on emails (limited customization)	Logo on invoice emails (Pro plan only)
Custom brand fonts	Use your own fonts throughout the platform	No custom fonts	No custom fonts
Custom brand logos	Replace all platform logos with your own	Logo upload on invoices and sales forms	Logo upload on invoices (Pro plan only)
Custom domain name	Run everything on your own domain	No custom domain	No custom domain
Custom email SMTP	Send emails from your own email infrastructure	No custom SMTP	No custom SMTP
Full workspace embedding	Embed Plutio directly into your website or product	No workspace embedding	No workspace embedding
CUSTOMIZATION Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Flexible workspace setup	Shape the platform to match how your business works	Fixed workspace structure	Fixed accounting workspace
Main menu editor	Add, remove, or reorder navigation items freely	Dashboard report tiles can be rearranged (limited menu control)	No menu customization
User-based menus	Show different navigation for different roles	Menu varies by user role (not customizable)	Fixed menus for all users
Custom user roles	Create role types beyond preset permissions	Custom roles on Advanced plan only ($275/month)	4 fixed roles (Admin, Editor, Viewer, Payroll Manager) on Pro plan only
Advanced user permissions	Control access at a granular level	Role-based permissions (custom roles on Advanced plan only)	Role-based access on Pro plan (Admin, Editor, Viewer)
SSO / OAuth	Support enterprise-grade single sign-on	No SSO for end users (OAuth 2.0 for API only)	No SSO support
INTEGRATIONS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Connect with other tools	Integrate with external systems without lock-in	800+ integrations in the QuickBooks App Store	Limited integrations (Zapier, Make.com, and API access on Pro plan)
Zapier integration	Connect to thousands of apps without custom code	Zapier integration supported	Zapier integration supported
Make.com integration	Build advanced automation scenarios visually	Make.com integration available	Make.com integration supported
Pabbly Connect	Connect services without usage-based limits	Possible via API	Possible via API
Full REST API access	Build custom integrations with full system access	Full REST API via Intuit Developer Platform	GraphQL and REST API available (Pro plan required for OAuth access)
Incoming & outgoing webhooks	Send and receive real-time events	Webhooks supported via developer platform	Limited webhook support via API (Pro plan required)
PLATFORM Collapse	Plutio 198/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199	Wave 19/199
Mobile apps	Access your business from native mobile apps	iOS and Android apps with receipt scanning and mileage tracking	iOS and Android apps with invoicing, receipt scanning, and payment tracking
iOS app	Full-featured iPhone app	Full iOS app available	Full iOS app available
Android app	Full-featured Android app	Full Android app available	Full Android app available
Mac desktop app	Native macOS app for desktop workflows	No Mac desktop app (QuickBooks Online is web-based only)	No Mac desktop app (web-based only)
Windows desktop app	Native Windows app for desktop workflows	No Windows desktop app (QuickBooks Online is web-based only)	No Windows desktop app (web-based only)

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QuickBooks vs Wave FAQ

Is QuickBooks or Wave better for freelancers?

Wave is cheaper for freelancers with simple accounting needs since the base plan costs $0/month. QuickBooks has deeper accounting features, but Simple Start costs $38/month for a single user. Neither tool handles proposals, contracts, project management, or client portals, so both require supplementary apps for the full freelance workflow.

Does Wave have time tracking?

No. Wave does not include time tracking on any plan. Freelancers who bill hourly need a separate app like Toggl or Clockify and must manually transfer hours to Wave invoices. QuickBooks includes basic time tracking on the Essentials plan ($75/month).

Which has a shorter learning curve, QuickBooks or Wave?

Wave has fewer features to configure, so most users set up invoicing and expense tracking within an hour, but the platform lacks time tracking and advanced reporting. QuickBooks has more settings, categories, and reporting options. Setup typically takes a day or two, and the chart of accounts configuration adds complexity that Wave skips entirely.

Can I use Wave outside the US and Canada?

Wave's accounting and invoicing features work globally, but payment processing only deposits funds to US and Canadian bank accounts. International freelancers can track expenses and send invoices through Wave, but cannot collect online payments through the platform. QuickBooks processes payments in more countries.

How much does QuickBooks cost vs Wave?

Wave's starter plan is free with unlimited invoicing and expense tracking. The Pro plan costs $16/month. QuickBooks Simple Start costs $38/month, Essentials costs $75/month with time tracking and three users, and Plus costs $115/month with project revenue tracking and five users. Wave is significantly cheaper at every level.

Which has better reporting, QuickBooks or Wave?

QuickBooks includes more report types: profit and loss by class, project revenue tracking, custom date ranges, and batch reporting on higher plans. Wave covers standard reports like profit and loss, balance sheet, and sales tax summaries. For advanced financial analysis, QuickBooks has more depth. For basic freelancer accounting, Wave's reports are sufficient.

Do QuickBooks and Wave have project management?

Neither has real project management. QuickBooks tracks expenses and time against project names on the Plus plan ($115/month), but there are no task lists, Kanban boards, or Gantt charts. Wave has no project features at all. Freelancers needing project management pair both tools with Trello or Asana, or switch to all-in-one platforms like Plutio that include real project management alongside invoicing.

Which has better integrations, QuickBooks or Wave?

QuickBooks connects to over 750 third-party apps natively, including Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, and major CRM platforms. Wave has fewer than 20 native integrations and relies on Zapier for most connections. For freelancers with multi-tool stacks, QuickBooks integrates with significantly more platforms.

Can I migrate from Wave to QuickBooks or vice versa?

Yes, but it requires manual work. Wave exports data as CSV files that QuickBooks can import. QuickBooks also exports to CSV for moving to Wave. Active invoices, recurring billing, and payment connections need to be set up fresh. Budget a weekend for migration and testing.

What if neither QuickBooks nor Wave fits my workflow?

If you need more than accounting and invoicing, look at all-in-one platforms that handle the complete client lifecycle. Key features to look for: proposals and contracts, visual project management with Kanban boards, task-level time tracking that connects to invoicing, and custom domains for client portals. Plutio is one example that covers all of these at $19/month. The comparison table on this page shows how all three stack up feature by feature.

Does Wave have payroll?

Wave offers payroll as a paid add-on starting at $40/month plus $6/employee, but only for US businesses. Canadian businesses, which could previously use Wave Payroll, no longer have access. QuickBooks Payroll is a separate add-on starting at $50/month plus $6/employee and covers all US states with automatic tax filing.

Can I white-label QuickBooks or Wave?

Neither tool offers white-labeling or branded client portals. Invoices from both platforms include their respective branding elements. Clients see the software vendor's interface, not your business identity. For freelancers who need branded client experiences, look at platforms like Plutio that support custom domains and complete white-labeling.

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