Wave Accounting vs Zoho Books: which fits your firm?
Wave Accounting and Zoho Books both publish a free plan; Wave Accounting lists solo and small firms where Zoho Books 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 Zoho Books side by side
8 of 13 dimensions differ. Rows marked "Differs" are where the two records do not match.
| Dimension | Wave Accounting | Zoho Books |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | Free plan | Free plan |
| Pricing modelDiffers | Free | Per entity |
| Free trialDiffers | Not listed | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Firm size fitDiffers | Solo, Small | Solo, Small, Mid-size |
| Built forDiffers | Small businesses | Firms and their clients |
| SpecialisationDiffers | Bookkeeping | Bookkeeping, Tax |
| 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 | 7 listed |
| Certifications | Not published | Not published |
| Support channelsDiffers | Email, Chat, Phone, Knowledge base | Phone, Email, Chat, Knowledge base, Community forum |
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 Zoho Books if
- Micro-business clients with under $50k annual revenue. Zoho Books's free tier covers their needs.
- Firms whose clients already use Zoho CRM, Inventory, or other Zoho apps and want connected accounting.
- UK practices whose clients need MTD VAT and Corporation Tax filing directly from the platform.
Think twice about Zoho Books if
- Mid-market clients that have outgrown SMB-grade accounting. Zoho Books is sized for small operations.
- Practices that want deep practice-management alongside the ledger. Zoho Books is ledger-only.
- Firms whose clients refuse to live inside the Zoho ecosystem. Connector breadth is narrower than QBO or Xero.
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 profileWave Accounting pricing and plansWave Accounting vendor site
About Zoho Books
Zoho Books covers invoicing, bank reconciliation, expense tracking, and tax filing, with a permanently free plan for businesses under $50k annual revenue and paid tiers that add multi-currency, inventory, and advanced reporting.
Best for micro-business clients under $50k revenue and firms whose clients already run other Zoho apps.
Zoho Books profileZoho Books pricing and plansZoho Books vendor site
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, Wave Accounting or Zoho Books?
- Their published entry tiers match: both are a free plan. Plan contents and per-user terms differ, so read the published plans before treating the two as equivalent.
- Do Wave Accounting and Zoho Books both offer a free trial?
- Zoho Books lists a free trial. Wave Accounting does not. Both publish a permanently free plan.
- Which one integrates with QuickBooks and Xero, Wave Accounting or Zoho Books?
- 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 Zoho Books?
- Wave Accounting lists solo and small firms and Zoho Books 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.