Compare Wave and Xero 
At a Glance
Market Segments
Small-Business (95.4% of reviews)
Small-Business (68.0% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
$20-$35 per month
$13.00 Per Month
Wave
Star Rating
(315)4.3 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (95.4% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
$20-$35 per month
Browse all 3 pricing plansXero
Star Rating
(1,617)4.4 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (68.0% 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 usability, particularly for those without an accounting background. Users appreciate its intuitive design, which allows business owners to navigate the software easily and utilize features like automatic bank reconciliation, making it faster and more accurate than competitors.
- Users say that Wave is a great option for small businesses looking for a cost-effective solution. Many highlight its free tier and ease of use, making it accessible for those who may not need the extensive features of more expensive software.
- Reviewers mention that Xero's implementation process is quick and straightforward, with many praising the intuitive onboarding wizard that helps users get started without a steep learning curve. This contrasts with Wave, where some users feel that while it's easy to use, it may lack the depth needed for more complex accounting tasks.
- According to verified reviews, Xero's support quality stands out, with users noting responsive customer service and helpful resources. In comparison, Wave's support has received mixed feedback, with some users expressing a desire for more robust assistance options.
- G2 reviewers highlight Xero's advanced features, such as customizable invoicing and detailed financial reporting, which cater to growing businesses. Users appreciate the ability to tailor invoices with company branding, a feature that Wave users find less flexible.
- Users appreciate Wave's simplicity and the ability to connect multiple accounts easily, making it a practical choice for small businesses. However, some users feel that Xero's broader feature set provides a more comprehensive solution as their business needs evolve.
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
254
8.7
1,277
Ease of Use
8.9
256
9.0
1,329
Ease of Setup
8.8
126
8.8
1,017
Ease of Admin
8.8
114
8.7
402
Quality of Support
7.7
168
8.4
1,186
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
8.5
106
8.6
396
Product Direction (% positive)
8.0
245
8.8
1,257
Features by Category
Expense Reports
Not enough data
8.7
245
Not enough data
8.9
249
Not enough data
8.6
226
Not enough data
8.6
228
Not enough data
8.5
211
Not enough data
8.3
212
Not enough data
8.8
224
Agentic AI - Expense Management
Not enough data
9.0
104
Not enough data
9.2
104
Travel Management
Not enough data
7.8
191
Not enough data
7.4
183
Not enough data
7.1
181
Not enough data
7.7
186
Client Invoicing
Not enough data
9.1
230
Not enough data
8.8
212
Not enough data
8.6
211
Generative AI - Expense Management
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Mobile
Not enough data
8.4
209
Not enough data
7.7
186
Not enough data
7.4
179
Platform
Not enough data
8.2
170
Not enough data
8.2
172
Administration
Not enough data
8.5
166
Administration
Not enough data
8.4
212
Not enough data
8.5
208
Not enough data
8.3
205
Not enough data
8.2
194
Not enough data
8.6
217
Platform
Not enough data
8.9
243
Not enough data
8.5
199
Not enough data
8.4
188
Not enough data
9.1
220
Not enough data
8.3
203
Not enough data
5.6
166
General Ledger
8.0
56
|
Verified
8.6
673
|
Verified
7.9
47
|
Verified
8.2
625
|
Verified
7.6
46
|
Verified
8.5
641
|
Verified
Accounts Receivable
8.6
76
8.7
705
|
Verified
8.1
54
|
Verified
8.4
609
8.0
47
|
Verified
8.2
610
|
Verified
Accounts Payable
7.8
36
8.5
587
8.2
55
|
Verified
8.7
664
|
Verified
7.4
34
|
Verified
8.5
610
|
Verified
Other Functionality
6.9
28
|
Verified
7.8
545
7.1
30
|
Verified
7.9
539
6.8
28
8.0
525
|
Verified
6.9
31
|
Verified
7.8
563
|
Verified
7.1
32
|
Verified
8.4
589
|
Verified
7.7
46
|
Verified
9.0
752
|
Verified
6.7
27
|
Verified
8.2
594
|
Verified
6.9
27
|
Verified
8.3
586
Reporting & Analytics
8.3
75
|
Verified
8.9
758
|
Verified
7.9
59
|
Verified
8.5
702
|
Verified
7.6
41
|
Verified
8.4
575
|
Verified
8.5
71
|
Verified
8.8
707
|
Verified
Platform
7.3
58
|
Verified
8.2
636
|
Verified
7.3
40
|
Verified
8.2
589
7.8
54
|
Verified
8.6
653
|
Verified
7.3
28
|
Verified
8.2
553
|
Verified
8.2
65
|
Verified
8.8
704
|
Verified
7.9
53
|
Verified
8.6
598
|
Verified
Integration
7.8
49
|
Verified
8.6
642
|
Verified
7.2
31
8.5
575
6.6
31
|
Verified
8.4
620
|
Verified
Cash Flow
8.0
33
|
Verified
8.8
549
|
Verified
8.4
37
|
Verified
9.0
537
|
Verified
7.6
28
|
Verified
8.7
496
|
Verified
Budgeting & Forecasting
7.6
41
|
Verified
8.4
575
|
Verified
7.1
24
|
Verified
8.6
501
|
Verified
6.6
17
|
Verified
8.3
462
|
Verified
7.2
27
|
Verified
8.5
492
|
Verified
Revenue
7.9
28
|
Verified
8.7
517
|
Verified
7.5
23
|
Verified
8.6
502
|
Verified
7.2
21
8.3
470
|
Verified
Payroll
6.7
20
|
Verified
8.2
451
|
Verified
6.8
17
7.9
438
|
Verified
6.6
20
|
Verified
8.4
480
|
Verified
7.7
25
|
Verified
8.7
493
|
Verified
AI
5.5
7
8.2
324
6.5
8
8.7
322
6.7
9
8.6
326
4.5
7
8.3
324
6.7
8
8.4
321
5.6
8
8.0
320
7.6
9
8.9
336
6.7
8
8.7
327
6.0
7
8.5
317
5.7
7
8.4
319
Mobile Applications - Accounting
6.5
8
8.7
326
7.8
9
8.6
306
6.7
7
8.6
337
3.0
5
7.0
281
6.2
7
8.8
310
8.0
9
8.9
317
Agentic AI - Accounting
Not enough data
8.4
279
General Ledger
8.0
56
|
Verified
8.6
673
|
Verified
7.9
47
|
Verified
8.2
625
|
Verified
7.6
46
|
Verified
8.5
641
|
Verified
Accounts Receivable
8.6
76
8.7
705
|
Verified
8.1
54
|
Verified
8.4
609
8.0
47
|
Verified
8.2
610
|
Verified
Accounts Payable
7.8
36
8.5
587
8.2
55
|
Verified
8.7
664
|
Verified
7.4
34
|
Verified
8.5
610
|
Verified
Invoice Generation
Not enough data
8.5
234
Not enough data
9.1
236
Not enough data
9.1
229
Invoice Processing
Not enough data
8.8
225
Not enough data
8.7
224
Not enough data
8.5
221
Not enough data
9.0
232
Analytics
Not enough data
9.1
228
Not enough data
8.7
228
Not enough data
8.3
211
Not enough data
8.8
228
Integration
Not enough data
9.1
237
Not enough data
8.9
231
Not enough data
8.2
212
Not enough data
8.6
231
Agentic AI - Invoice Management
Not enough data
8.6
134
Not enough data
8.6
135
Not enough data
8.3
136
Multichannel inventory management
Not enough data
8.9
94
Not enough data
9.0
95
Not enough data
8.8
95
3PL inventory management
Not enough data
9.2
97
Not enough data
9.0
97
Not enough data
9.0
96
Inventory Management
Not enough data
9.2
98
Not enough data
9.1
97
Not enough data
9.0
93
Not enough data
9.0
96
Not enough data
9.4
96
Inventory Management Platform Features
Not enough data
9.3
101
Not enough data
9.3
102
Not enough data
9.1
102
Not enough data
8.9
98
Not enough data
9.1
98
Not enough data
9.3
102
Not enough data
9.1
100
Not enough data
9.4
98
Not enough data
9.5
101
Not enough data
9.5
101
Bill Generation
7.9
36
8.4
220
8.3
42
8.8
225
8.1
36
8.9
226
Bill Processing
7.6
28
8.3
216
7.6
26
8.5
217
8.3
40
8.8
220
Integration
7.9
37
8.9
230
8.0
33
8.8
225
6.8
19
8.1
209
Agentic AI - Billing
Not enough data
8.6
129
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
15.9%
Information Technology and Services
6.0%
Accounting
5.3%
Design
5.0%
Computer Software
3.3%
Other
64.6%
Accounting
19.9%
Information Technology and Services
10.0%
Computer Software
6.6%
Marketing and Advertising
5.0%
Consulting
3.5%
Other
54.8%
Alternatives
Discussions
Is Wave Accounting really free?
2 Comments
LU
yesRead 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
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
Hunting for software insights?
With over 3 million reviews, we can provide the specific details that help you make an informed software buying decision for your business. Finding the right product is important, let us help.
Your software and services insights are valuable.
Your peers come to G2 to get an inside look at and other business solutions. Adding perspective on will help others pick the right solution based on real user experience.
