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Wave vs Xero
Both sit in accounting & finance. Here is how they differ on the things you can actually check.
On price: Wave starts $6 a month cheaper than Xero ($19 against $25, 24% less) on its Pro tier. Both figures were read from the vendors' own pricing pages on the dates shown below.
Wave
waveapps.com
Genuinely free bookkeeping and unlimited invoicing for small businesses, monetised through payments and payroll.
Free planAccounting & Finance
Visit WaveXero
xero.com
Double-entry accounting, bank reconciliation and reporting with unlimited users on every plan and a large integrations marketplace.
Accounting & Finance
Visit Xero| Wave | Xero | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $19/mo | $25/mo |
| Entry plan | Pro | Early |
| Paid annually | — | — |
| Price checked | 21 Sept 2026 | 6 Sept 2026 |
| Pricing model | Free plan | Free trial |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Category | Accounting & Finance | Accounting & Finance |
| Around since | 2010 | 2006 |
Every price here was read from the vendor's own pricing page, most recently on 21 Sept 2026. Entry tier only — vendors change pricing without notice.
Wave vs Xero, answered
- Is Wave cheaper than Xero?
- Yes. Wave starts at $19 a month against Xero's $25, 24% less.
- Do Wave or Xero have a free plan?
- Wave publishes an ongoing free plan; Xero does not.
- What is the difference between Wave and Xero?
- Wave: Genuinely free bookkeeping and unlimited invoicing for small businesses, monetised through payments and payroll. Xero: Double-entry accounting, bank reconciliation and reporting with unlimited users on every plan and a large integrations marketplace.
