Business Software
Wave vs FreshBooks: Free or Paid Invoicing? (2026)
Part of the guide: Local Marketing Strategy
Wave is cheaper to start: its Starter plan is $0 and covers unlimited invoices, estimates, bills and bookkeeping records. FreshBooks has no free plan on its pricing page, and Lite lists at $23 a month for 5 billable clients. Both charge a fee when a customer pays by card.
This guide compares the two for a small service business such as a groomer, salon, fitness studio or cafe that invoices a few dozen clients a month. Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, read in October 2026. Anything a page does not say is marked. For FreshBooks against QuickBooks, see our FreshBooks vs QuickBooks guide.
$0→
Wave Starter per month
Wave pricing page
$19→
Wave Pro per month, billed monthly
Wave pricing page
$23→
FreshBooks Lite list price, 5 billable clients
FreshBooks pricing page
2.9% + $0.30→
FreshBooks Payments card fee
FreshBooks pricing page FAQ
Estimates for illustration; actual numbers vary.
What Does Wave Cost?
Wave lists two self-serve plans. Starter is $0 and includes unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records, plus mobile invoicing. Pro is $19 a month billed monthly, or $190 a year, in USD. Pro adds automatic bank transaction import, automatic categorizing, late payment reminders, receipt capture, invoice branding and automatic sending.
Receipts can also be bought as an add-on, from $8 to $11 a month depending on the plan. Payroll is an add-on from $25 or $40 a month, but the page does not make clear which price belongs to which plan. Wave Advisors, with a dedicated bookkeeper, starts at $149 a month.
The Wave page also showed a $9.50 intro offer for new monthly subscribers. Its stated dates ended on 6 January 2026, so it is not counted here.
What Does FreshBooks Cost?
FreshBooks lists four plans in USD. The regular prices are Lite $23 a month (5 billable clients), Plus $43 (50 clients) and Premium $70 (unlimited clients). Select has no listed price and says to talk to the company. The page showed an "80% off for 4 months" promotion, which brings Lite to $4.60, Plus to $8.60 and Premium to $14.
Extra team members cost $11 a month each, except on Select, which includes 2. Payroll is $40 a month plus $6 per user. Advanced Payments is a $20 a month add-on. FreshBooks offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card. The page did not show GBP pricing.
How Do Card Fees Compare?
Plan price is only part of the bill, because both tools take a cut of card payments.
Wave charges 2.9% plus $0.60 per card payment (Visa, Mastercard, Discover) and 3.4% plus $0.60 for Amex on Starter. On Pro, the first ten cumulative transactions each month are 2.9% plus $0 for cards and 3.4% plus $0 for Amex. After that, the $0.60 applies. Bank payments (ACH) are 1% with a $1.00 minimum.
Wave says Discover processing is US only, and that online payments need approval after identity verification and a credit review.
FreshBooks Payments lists 2.9% plus $0.30 per card transaction and 1% for ACH. The page says the Select plan gets lower rates but gives no figures.
Wave vs FreshBooks: Side by Side
| Wave | FreshBooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, Starter at $0 | No free plan listed; 30-day trial |
| Paid plan | Pro, $19 a month | Lite $23, Plus $43, Premium $70 |
| Client limit | Unlimited invoices and records | 5, 50 or unlimited billable clients |
| Card fee | 2.9% + $0.60 (Starter) | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| ACH fee | 1%, $1.00 minimum | 1% |
| Bank import | Pro only | Not confirmed on the page read |
| Extra users | Not stated on the pricing page | $11 a month each |
| Currency shown | USD and CAD | USD |
How Much Would Each Cost in a Month? A Worked Example
These inputs are an assumption, not vendor data. Suppose a studio sends 40 invoices of $100 in one month, to 40 different clients, and every one is paid by Visa or Mastercard. Regular prices are used, with no promos.
| Wave Starter | Wave Pro | FreshBooks Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan | $0 | $19 | $43 |
| Card fees | 40 x $3.50 = $140 | 10 x $2.90 + 30 x $3.50 = $134 | 40 x $3.20 = $128 |
| Total | $140 | $153 | $171 |
At this volume Wave Starter and FreshBooks Plus sit within about $31 of each other, and the fees matter more than the plan price. FreshBooks Lite would not fit, since 40 clients is over its 5-client limit. If you take few card payments, Wave Starter's $0 plan makes the gap larger.
Who Should Pick Which?
- You take few online payments and want zero monthly cost: Wave Starter.
- You want bank import and reminders without a large plan: Wave Pro at $19.
- You bill only a handful of clients but pay them often, such as retainers: FreshBooks Lite counts clients, not invoices.
- You need to bill from the UK: neither page read confirms UK card processing or GBP pricing. Check before you sign up.
Whichever you pick, tie invoicing to your marketing numbers. Our local marketing budget guide shows how to set a spend limit from revenue. For free ways to bring in the clients you invoice, see the Google Business Profile checklist and AI tools for pet groomer marketing.
FAQ
Is Wave really free?
Wave Starter is $0 per its pricing page, and includes unlimited invoices and bookkeeping records. Card payments carry fees, and add-ons such as payroll cost extra.
Is FreshBooks cheaper than Wave?
Not on plan price. Wave Starter is $0 against FreshBooks Lite at $23. FreshBooks has the lower per-card fee ($0.30 against $0.60), which can narrow the gap at high volume.
Does FreshBooks have a free trial?
Yes. The pricing page offers 30 days, and its FAQ says no credit card is needed.
Do Wave and FreshBooks work for UK businesses?
Not confirmed. Wave lists USD and CAD and FreshBooks lists USD only on the pages read. Check supported countries and currency in each account.
Which handles client limits better?
Wave Starter lists unlimited invoices and records. FreshBooks limits billable clients to 5 on Lite and 50 on Plus.
Sources
- Wave pricing (plans, Pro price, add-ons, intro offer dates; read October 2026)
- Wave payments (card, Amex and ACH fees, Discover US only, approval; read October 2026)
- FreshBooks pricing (plans, client limits, add-ons, trial, payment fees; read October 2026)
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Nataliia
Local marketing strategist with 10+ years at global agencies — OMD, Dentsu, GroupM, and BBDO. Now helping small businesses get the same data-driven edge. Based in Europe, working with clients in the US, UK, Australia, and beyond.
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