Which is cheaper, Wave Accounting or Xero?

Wave Accounting has the lower published entry tier, a free plan, against $25 per month for Xero. That covers the cheapest published plan only, not the plan either vendor would put in front of your firm.

Do Wave Accounting and Xero both offer a free trial?

Xero lists a free trial. Wave Accounting does not. Wave Accounting publishes a permanently free plan, and Xero does not.

Which one integrates with QuickBooks and Xero, Wave Accounting or Xero?

Neither published integration list names QuickBooks or Xero. Both lists do share PayPal, Stripe and Zapier. Check the vendor pages for anything added since these records were last checked.

Which suits a smaller firm, Wave Accounting or Xero?

Wave Accounting lists solo and small firms and Xero lists solo, small and mid-size firms. Firm size fit is the vendor's own positioning, so treat it as the starting point rather than a limit.

Wave Accounting vs Xero: which fits your firm?

Wave Accounting publishes a free plan and Xero starts at $25 per month; Wave Accounting lists solo and small firms where Xero lists solo, small and mid-size.

Prices and details verified August 15, 2026. Both records sit in Core ledger and bookkeeping and are compared on vendor-published specifications, the same way across every tool.

Wave Accounting vs Xero side by side

9 of 13 dimensions differ. Rows marked "Differs" are where the two records do not match.

Wave Accounting and Xero compared across 13 dimensions, with the rows that differ marked.
Dimension	Wave Accounting	Xero
Entry priceDiffers	Free plan	$25 per month
Pricing modelDiffers	Free	Per entity
Free trialDiffers	Not listed	Yes
Free planDiffers	Yes	No
Firm size fitDiffers	Solo, Small	Solo, Small, Mid-size
Built forDiffers	Small businesses	Firms and their clients
Specialisation	Bookkeeping	Bookkeeping
Automation profile	High volume, routine work	High volume, routine work
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Cloud, Mobile
Geo availabilityDiffers	US, Canada	US, UK, Australia, Canada, Global
Integrations listedDiffersBoth list: PayPal, Stripe, Zapier.	3 listed	10 listed
Certifications	Not published	Not published
Support channelsDiffers	Email, Chat, Phone, Knowledge base	Email, Chat, Knowledge base, Community forum, 24/7 cover

Which one fits your firm

Choose Wave Accounting if

Solo traders, freelancers, and micro-businesses that want permanently free bookkeeping with double-entry rigor.
Accountants that add Wave as a collaborator on micro-client books at no extra license fee.
US or Canadian clients that want optional managed bookkeeping. Wave Advisors starts at $149 per month.

Think twice about Wave Accounting if

Firms with mid-market clients. Wave's reporting depth is not built for complex finance functions.
Practices outside the US or Canada. Wave operates in those two markets only.
Clients that need NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or QuickBooks-grade integration. Wave's connector list is small.

Choose Xero if

Practices in the UK, Australia, or New Zealand whose clients run on Xero by default.
Firms that want a clean accountant dashboard (Xero HQ and Practice Manager) for managing multiple client files.
Clients with multi-currency operations across more than 160 currencies on the Established plan.

Think twice about Xero if

US firms whose clients are already on QuickBooks Online. Switching costs rarely pay back.
Solo traders with very simple books. Wave or Zoho Books cover that need at a free tier.
Mid-market clients that have outgrown SMB ledger depth. Sage Intacct or NetSuite suit them better.

What each one does

About Wave Accounting

Wave Accounting is a permanently free bookkeeping, invoicing, and financial reporting platform for small businesses. A paid Pro plan adds automatic bank imports, and an optional managed bookkeeping service is available for clients who want hands-on support.

Best for solo traders, freelancers, and US or Canadian micro-businesses that want permanently free double-entry bookkeeping.

Wave Accounting profile Wave Accounting pricing and plans Wave Accounting vendor site

About Xero

Xero covers double-entry bookkeeping, automated bank reconciliation, and financial reporting in a clean interface. It has deep market share in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, with growing adoption in the US.

Best for UK, Australian, or New Zealand firms whose small-business clients run on Xero by default.

Xero profile Xero pricing and plans Xero vendor site

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, Wave Accounting or Xero?: Wave Accounting has the lower published entry tier, a free plan, against $25 per month for Xero. That covers the cheapest published plan only, not the plan either vendor would put in front of your firm.
Do Wave Accounting and Xero both offer a free trial?: Xero lists a free trial. Wave Accounting does not. Wave Accounting publishes a permanently free plan, and Xero does not.
Which one integrates with QuickBooks and Xero, Wave Accounting or Xero?: Neither published integration list names QuickBooks or Xero. Both lists do share PayPal, Stripe and Zapier. Check the vendor pages for anything added since these records were last checked.
Which suits a smaller firm, Wave Accounting or Xero?: Wave Accounting lists solo and small firms and Xero lists solo, small and mid-size firms. Firm size fit is the vendor's own positioning, so treat it as the starting point rather than a limit.