ZipBooks vs Wave Accounting. Which Software Is Right For You?

Last Updated on December 5, 2025

Choosing between ZipBooks and Wave Accounting comes down to whether you prefer a freemium, simple bookkeeping platform with optional upgrades or a completely free, feature-rich accounting solution for small businesses.

ZipBooks is designed for freelancers, startups, and small businesses looking for straightforward invoicing, expense tracking, and basic reporting, with optional paid plans that unlock additional features like advanced reporting and team collaboration.

Its clean interface and simple workflows make accounting approachable without overwhelming users.

Wave Accounting is a fully free, cloud-based accounting platform targeting small businesses that want core accounting, invoicing, and reporting with optional paid services such as payroll and payments.

Its scalability and slightly more advanced features make it ideal for businesses planning growth.

This comparison will examine ease of use, core features, integrations, automation, pricing, support, and overall value to help you choose the best accounting solution for your needs.

1. Comparison Table: ZipBooks vs Wave Accounting

Feature	ZipBooks	Wave
Ease of Use	Clean, intuitive interface; beginner-friendly	User-friendly, slightly more complex due to extra features
Core Features	Invoicing, expense tracking, basic reporting, time tracking	Invoicing, expenses, accounting, reporting, optional payroll, multi-user access
Integrations	Payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal), some third-party apps	Stripe, PayPal, Shoeboxed, Zapier, bank connections
Automation	Recurring invoices, limited workflow automation	Recurring invoices, payment reminders, basic automation
Pricing	Free plan available; paid plans unlock advanced features	Free core accounting; optional paid payroll and payments
Support	Email support, knowledge base	Email support, help center, community forums, live chat for paid services
Best For	Freelancers and startups needing simplicity	Small businesses needing a free, full-featured accounting platform

Takeaway:

• ZipBooks is ideal for freelancers and startups seeking simplicity with optional upgrades.
• Wave Accounting is better for small businesses wanting a free, comprehensive, and scalable accounting solution.

2. Company Background & Market Fit

ZipBooks

ZipBooks was created to provide easy-to-use accounting for freelancers, startups, and small businesses.

Its focus is on invoicing, expense tracking, and basic reporting with optional paid plans for advanced features such as team collaboration and project management.

Market Fit:

• Freelancers and consultants

• Small startups

• Microbusinesses looking for an easy accounting setup

ZipBooks is best suited for users who want simplicity and optional upgrades as their business grows.

Wave Accounting

Wave Accounting is a cloud-based accounting platform that provides free core accounting, invoicing, and expense tracking.

Optional paid add-ons such as payroll and payments allow businesses to expand without switching platforms.

Market Fit:

• Small businesses and startups

• Companies needing multi-user access and collaboration

• Businesses seeking a completely free core accounting solution with optional paid features

Wave is ideal for small businesses that plan to grow and need more scalable accounting tools.

Takeaway:

• ZipBooks suits freelancers and startups needing a simple, optional-upgrade solution.
• Wave Accounting is better for small businesses seeking free, scalable, and comprehensive accounting.

3. Ease of Use & User Experience

ZipBooks

ZipBooks offers a clean, minimalist interface that makes accounting approachable:

• Simple setup and onboarding

• Quick creation of invoices and expense entries

• Minimal learning curve, ideal for freelancers and small startups

Limitations: May feel too basic for businesses needing advanced reporting or complex workflows.

Wave Accounting

Wave Accounting provides a user-friendly interface with more functionality:

• Dashboard shows income, expenses, and financial summaries at a glance

• Navigation across accounting, invoicing, and reporting is smooth

• Mobile apps for accounting on the go

• Slightly higher learning curve due to added features

Limitations: Freelancers may find extra features unnecessary, and the interface can feel slightly crowded for simple tasks.

Takeaway:

• ZipBooks is perfect for freelancers seeking simplicity.
• Wave Accounting is ideal for small businesses needing more features, reports, and optional paid add-ons.

4. Core Features

ZipBooks

ZipBooks provides the core accounting tools for freelancers and small businesses:

• Invoicing & Estimates: Customizable invoices, recurring billing, and time tracking

• Expense Tracking: Simple categorization and expense entry

• Basic Reporting: Profit & loss, balance sheet, and cash flow summaries

• Team Collaboration: Available on paid plans

Limitations: Lacks inventory management and advanced workflow automation in the free plan.

Wave Accounting

Wave Accounting offers a robust set of features for small businesses:

• Invoicing & Billing: Custom invoices, recurring billing, and client portals

• Expense & Bank Management: Automatic bank transaction imports, expense tracking

• Reports: Profit & loss, balance sheet, tax summary, and cash flow statements

• Additional Features: Optional payroll and payment processing; multi-user access

Limitations: Advanced features like payroll and payments are paid add-ons.

Takeaway:

• ZipBooks is ideal for freelancers and startups needing core accounting tools.
• Wave Accounting provides a more complete accounting solution for small businesses, with optional paid features for growth.

5. Pricing & Value

ZipBooks

ZipBooks offers flexible pricing suitable for freelancers and small businesses:

• Free Plan: Unlimited invoices, basic reporting, and expense tracking

• Smarter Plan (~$15/month): Adds advanced reporting, time tracking, and team collaboration

• Sophisticated Plan (~$35/month): Full features including automated workflows and priority support

Wave Accounting

Wave Accounting provides a completely free accounting and invoicing platform, with optional services:

• Free Core: Invoicing, accounting, expense tracking, reporting, multi-user access

• Paid Add-Ons: Payroll and payment processing

Takeaway:

• ZipBooks is freelancer-friendly with optional paid upgrades.
• Wave Accounting provides more free features and scalability for small businesses.

6. Integrations & Add-Ons

ZipBooks

ZipBooks keeps integrations simple and focused:

• Payment Gateways: Stripe, PayPal

• Limited Third-Party Integrations: Few options for connecting with external apps

• Add-Ons: Advanced reporting, team collaboration, and workflow automation available in paid plans

Wave Accounting

Wave Accounting offers more integrations and optional add-ons:

• Payment Gateways: Stripe, PayPal

• Bank Connections: Multiple bank accounts with automatic transaction imports

• Third-Party Integrations: Limited, with Zapier support for connecting to other apps

• Add-Ons: Optional payroll services and payment processing

Takeaway:

• ZipBooks is best for freelancers needing minimal integrations.
• Wave Accounting is better for small businesses seeking essential connections and optional paid add-ons.

7. Customer Support & Reliability

ZipBooks

ZipBooks provides basic support appropriate for freelancers and small businesses:

• Email Support: Standard response times

• Knowledge Base: Guides and tutorials for common tasks

• Reliability: Cloud-based platform with secure data storage and solid uptime

Wave Accounting

Wave Accounting offers robust support for small businesses:

• Support Channels: Email support, help center, community forums; live chat for paid services

• Documentation: Extensive guides, tutorials, and FAQs

• Reliability: Cloud-based with 99.9% uptime, automated backups, and secure data storage

Takeaway:

• ZipBooks is ideal for freelancers needing basic support.
• Wave Accounting is better for small businesses seeking comprehensive support and a highly reliable platform.

8. Pros & Cons

ZipBooks

• Clean, intuitive interface ideal for beginners

• Free plan available for freelancers and small startups

• Affordable paid plans with advanced reporting and team collaboration

• Quick setup and minimal learning curve

• Limited integrations and add-ons

• No inventory management

• Minimal automation features

• May not scale well for larger businesses

Wave Accounting

• Comprehensive free accounting features

• Multi-user access for collaboration

• Optional paid add-ons for payroll and payments

• Reliable cloud platform with automated backups

• Scalable for small businesses

• Advanced services require payment

• Slightly steeper learning curve than ZipBooks

• Limited third-party integrations compared to enterprise platforms

9. Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?

Choosing between ZipBooks and Wave Accounting depends on your business size, needs, and growth plans.

ZipBooks is perfect for freelancers, consultants, and microbusinesses who need simple accounting, invoicing, and expense tracking with optional paid upgrades for advanced features.

Its clean interface and minimal setup make it ideal for solo entrepreneurs.

Wave Accounting, in contrast, is suited for small businesses that want comprehensive, free accounting with optional paid services such as payroll and payments.

It’s scalable, supports multiple users, and provides more robust reporting and automation than ZipBooks.

10. FAQ