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Compare Wave and Xero 
Featured Products
At a Glance
Market Segments
Small-Business (95.3% of reviews)
Small-Business (69.5% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
$20-$35 per month
$13.00 Per Month
Wave
Star Rating
(308)4.3 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (95.3% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
$20-$35 per month
Browse all 3 pricing plansXero
Star Rating
(1,318)4.4 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (69.5% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
$13.00 Per Month
Free Trial is available
Browse all 3 pricing plansSummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- G2 reviewers report that Xero excels in overall user satisfaction, boasting a significantly higher G2 Score compared to Wave. Users appreciate its intuitive interface, noting that the dashboard is not cluttered with unnecessary features, making it easier to manage accounting tasks.
- Users say that Xero's implementation process is smooth and straightforward, with many highlighting the ease of initial setup. This is in contrast to Wave, which, while praised for its simplicity, lacks the same level of comprehensive onboarding support that Xero offers.
- Reviewers mention that Xero provides superior customer support, with a quality rating that outshines Wave. Users have noted that Xero's support team is responsive and helpful, which is crucial for businesses needing timely assistance.
- According to verified reviews, Wave is favored by small businesses and freelancers for its cost-effectiveness and ease of navigation. Users appreciate features like automatic transaction downloads and simple invoicing, which save time and streamline financial management.
- G2 reviewers highlight that Xero's advanced features, such as robust reporting and reconciliation tools, are particularly beneficial for users with more complex accounting needs. In contrast, while Wave offers essential functionalities, it may not meet the demands of users requiring more sophisticated accounting capabilities.
- Users report that both platforms are user-friendly, but Xero edges out with higher ratings in ease of use. Reviewers have expressed that Xero's capabilities make it easier to manage accounting tasks effectively, while Wave, although simple, may require more guidance for optimal use.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Wave
Pay your staff
$20-$35
per month
$20/month base fee in Canada + 44 states
$35/month base fee in California, Florida, New York, Texas, Illinois & Washington
$4 additional per employee added
- Includes direct deposit.
- Employee portal to check pay stubs and history.
- Perfect for salaried and hourly workers, full-time or part-time.
Xero
Starter / Early
$13.00
Per Month
Good for sole traders, new businesses, and the self-employed.
- Send quotes and 20 invoices
- Enter 5 bills
- Reconcile bank transactions
Free Trial
Wave
Free Trial is available
Xero
Free Trial is available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
8.6
249
8.7
1,059
Ease of Use
8.9
251
8.9
1,112
Ease of Setup
8.8
121
8.6
805
Ease of Admin
8.7
112
8.7
372
Quality of Support
7.6
165
8.3
986
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
8.5
104
8.6
367
Product Direction (% positive)
8.0
240
8.7
1,048
Features by Category
Expense Reports
Not enough data
8.7
235
Not enough data
8.9
234
Not enough data
8.5
219
Not enough data
8.5
221
Not enough data
8.4
210
Not enough data
8.3
207
Not enough data
8.7
218
Agentic AI - Expense Management
Not enough data
8.9
106
Not enough data
9.1
107
Travel Management
Not enough data
7.8
193
Not enough data
7.3
186
Not enough data
7.1
184
Not enough data
7.6
188
Client Invoicing
Not enough data
9.1
223
Not enough data
8.7
209
Not enough data
8.6
208
Mobile
Not enough data
8.3
209
Not enough data
7.7
186
Not enough data
7.3
182
Platform
Not enough data
8.2
172
Not enough data
8.2
175
Administration
Not enough data
8.4
168
Administration
Not enough data
8.4
209
Not enough data
8.4
208
Not enough data
8.2
205
Not enough data
8.1
195
Not enough data
8.6
215
Platform
Not enough data
8.9
231
Not enough data
8.5
197
Not enough data
8.3
188
Not enough data
9.1
217
Not enough data
8.3
200
Not enough data
5.8
170
General Ledger
7.9
54
|
Verified
8.6
679
|
Verified
7.8
45
|
Verified
8.2
634
|
Verified
7.5
44
|
Verified
8.5
648
|
Verified
Accounts Receivable
8.5
72
8.7
699
|
Verified
8.1
53
|
Verified
8.3
599
8.0
47
|
Verified
8.2
614
|
Verified
Accounts Payable
7.8
36
8.5
594
8.1
51
|
Verified
8.7
650
|
Verified
7.2
32
|
Verified
8.5
621
|
Verified
Other Functionality
6.8
27
|
Verified
7.9
555
7.0
29
|
Verified
7.9
553
6.8
28
8.0
540
|
Verified
6.9
31
|
Verified
7.8
573
|
Verified
7.1
32
|
Verified
8.4
604
|
Verified
7.6
44
|
Verified
8.9
678
|
Verified
6.7
27
|
Verified
8.2
590
|
Verified
6.7
26
|
Verified
8.4
590
Reporting & Analytics
8.3
72
|
Verified
8.8
692
|
Verified
7.9
59
|
Verified
8.6
668
|
Verified
7.5
40
|
Verified
8.4
578
|
Verified
8.5
70
|
Verified
8.7
683
|
Verified
Platform
7.3
58
|
Verified
8.3
629
|
Verified
7.3
40
|
Verified
8.2
600
7.8
54
|
Verified
8.6
656
|
Verified
7.3
28
|
Verified
8.2
558
|
Verified
8.2
64
|
Verified
8.8
665
|
Verified
7.9
53
|
Verified
8.6
612
|
Verified
Integration
7.8
49
|
Verified
8.6
633
|
Verified
7.2
31
8.6
560
6.6
31
|
Verified
8.4
590
|
Verified
Cash Flow
7.9
32
|
Verified
8.7
525
|
Verified
8.3
35
|
Verified
9.0
546
|
Verified
7.6
28
|
Verified
8.7
512
|
Verified
Budgeting & Forecasting
7.5
40
|
Verified
8.4
578
|
Verified
7.0
23
|
Verified
8.6
515
|
Verified
6.6
17
|
Verified
8.3
479
|
Verified
7.2
27
|
Verified
8.5
508
|
Verified
Revenue
7.9
28
|
Verified
8.7
533
|
Verified
7.5
23
|
Verified
8.6
519
|
Verified
7.2
21
8.3
487
|
Verified
Payroll
6.7
20
|
Verified
8.2
466
|
Verified
6.8
17
7.9
452
|
Verified
6.6
20
|
Verified
8.4
494
|
Verified
7.7
25
|
Verified
8.8
508
|
Verified
AI
5.5
7
8.2
340
6.5
8
8.7
340
6.7
9
8.6
340
4.5
7
8.4
338
6.7
8
8.4
336
5.6
8
8.0
336
7.6
9
8.9
343
6.7
8
8.7
341
6.0
7
8.6
332
5.7
7
8.3
333
Mobile Applications - Accounting
6.5
8
8.7
331
7.5
8
8.7
320
6.7
7
8.7
330
3.0
5
7.2
298
6.2
7
8.8
324
7.7
8
8.9
324
Agentic AI - Accounting
Not enough data
8.4
297
General Ledger
7.9
54
|
Verified
8.6
679
|
Verified
7.8
45
|
Verified
8.2
634
|
Verified
7.5
44
|
Verified
8.5
648
|
Verified
Accounts Receivable
8.5
72
8.7
699
|
Verified
8.1
53
|
Verified
8.3
599
8.0
47
|
Verified
8.2
614
|
Verified
Accounts Payable
7.8
36
8.5
594
8.1
51
|
Verified
8.7
650
|
Verified
7.2
32
|
Verified
8.5
621
|
Verified
Invoice Generation
Not enough data
8.7
231
Not enough data
9.0
230
Not enough data
9.0
225
Invoice Processing
Not enough data
8.7
223
Not enough data
8.7
222
Not enough data
8.4
220
Not enough data
9.0
230
Analytics
Not enough data
9.0
222
Not enough data
8.6
224
Not enough data
8.3
210
Not enough data
8.8
225
Integration
Not enough data
9.1
234
Not enough data
8.9
227
Not enough data
8.2
216
Not enough data
8.6
227
Agentic AI - Invoice Management
Not enough data
8.5
131
Not enough data
8.5
132
Not enough data
8.5
133
Multichannel inventory management
Not enough data
8.8
87
Not enough data
8.9
87
Not enough data
8.6
87
3PL inventory management
Not enough data
9.0
87
Not enough data
8.9
87
Not enough data
8.8
86
Inventory Management
Not enough data
9.1
88
Not enough data
8.9
87
Not enough data
8.9
85
Not enough data
8.8
86
Not enough data
9.3
86
Inventory Management Platform Features
Not enough data
9.1
92
Not enough data
9.2
93
Not enough data
8.9
92
Not enough data
8.9
89
Not enough data
8.9
89
Not enough data
9.2
93
Not enough data
9.0
91
Not enough data
9.3
90
Not enough data
9.4
92
Not enough data
9.4
92
Bill Generation
7.9
36
8.5
212
8.3
40
8.8
216
8.0
35
8.8
217
Bill Processing
7.6
28
8.3
208
7.6
26
8.5
209
8.2
38
8.7
212
Integration
7.9
37
8.9
221
8.0
33
8.7
215
6.8
19
8.1
203
Agentic AI - Billing
Not enough data
8.6
122
Agentic AI - Accounting & Finance
Not enough data
Not enough data
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
Wave and Xero are categorized as Billing and Accounting
Unique Categories
Wave has no unique categories
Xero is categorized as Invoice Management, Inventory Control, Expense Management, and Nonprofit Accounting
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
Wave
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Xero
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Small-Business
(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market
(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise
(> 1000 emp.)
Reviewers' Industry
Marketing and Advertising
16.1%
Information Technology and Services
6.0%
Accounting
5.4%
Design
4.7%
Computer Software
3.4%
Other
64.4%
Accounting
20.0%
Information Technology and Services
8.3%
Computer Software
6.8%
Marketing and Advertising
5.9%
Construction
3.2%
Other
55.9%
Alternatives
Discussions
What is Wave Software?
2 Comments
MM
Wave software is an easy to use Payroll and Accounting software. You can create invoices, send billings, track expenses, and all normal transactions...Read more
Is wave a good accounting software?
2 Comments
MM
Yeah. It has most of the features required by a small business. You can request the team if you need anything in particular Read more
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