ZipBooks vs Wave: Features, Price, Pros and Cons, What’s Best in 2025?


Form 1099 reporting and preparation begin at $175 per month, including all basic bookkeeping features. ZipBooks enables online payments via debit/credit wave vs zipbooks cards, PayPal, Stripe, and Square. It allows you to automate recurring invoices, monitor invoice statuses, and send payment reminders. Wave comes with a variety of templates, and you can set your invoicing preferences during the initial setup. The software also supports setting up recurring invoices and tracking payments. Wave’s templates are also highly customizable and you can easily incorporate your branding into an invoice.

You can also point out which costs need to be billed to clients and label transactions as 1099 expenses. ZipBooks lets you track labor and expenses, and add them to invoices, which is a key feature for businesses that charge hourly for their services. On the other hand, Wave offers a wider range of invoice templates compared to ZipBooks. Given the different strengths of each platform, we’ll consider this round a draw. Wave lets you create professional-looking invoices quickly, then send them directly to your customers in seconds. Set up recurring billing for repeat customers and access all your customer information in one place.

No, the difference between Wave Accounting and ZipBooks lies in terms of features and functionalities. While Wave Accounting can be customized as per the user’s needs, ZipBooks addresses the diverse audience. Both Wave and ZipBooks are user-friendly, but ZipBooks offers a slightly more streamlined experience with its clean design and straightforward navigation. We’ve compiled the pricing tables and highlighted the key features of both Wave and ZipBooks to aid in your decision-making process. The benefit of signing up for Wave Payment is a faster payment cycle as your clients can pay you directly from your invoice.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Wave simplifies financial management by automating tasks like expense tracking and tax calculations, allowing users to focus on growing their business. Its user-friendly interface and robust features make it an ideal choice for those seeking an efficient and cost-effective solution to manage their finances. Wave is a cloud-based accounting system that we recommend as the finest free accounting software for businesses with many users. This program may serve the demands of single entrepreneurs and freelancers on a budget due to its simplicity. For a price, Wave also provides credit card processing and payroll services. ZipBooks or Wave, both of which provide the most basic bookkeeping services for free, will satisfy businesses searching for an economical choice.

Accounting

Wave, on the other hand, is superior than ZipBooks if you want sophisticated banking services such as payment and credit card processing. Wave gives you the option to track receipts through its mobile app (Figure D) with a paid add-on. The app uses OCR technology to scan receipts and import data in seconds, and you can add up to 10 receipts in bulk at a time. Wave also backs up your receipts to the cloud in case anything goes wrong with the app. We thoroughly evaluate each accounting software, focusing on key factors like value to price, ease of use, and functionality.

ZipBooks often gets high marks for its simplicity due to its user-friendly interface and intuitive system that’s particularly popular among smaller businesses. Even with its advanced features, non-accountants can quickly learn how to manage their financial records using Wave. ZipBooks has a slight edge in this category as it offers live chat support and a chatbot.

  • Wave charges 2.9% + $0.30 per Visa and Mastercard transaction and 3.4% + $0.30 per Amex transaction.
  • One of the biggest downsides is that data export is not available, not even for free users.
  • ZipBooks also integrates with PayPal, Square and Stripe (Figure F), each of which charges slightly different payment processing fees.
  • Users may establish vendors, allocate invoices to expense accounts, and designate vendors as 1099 contractors.

Take the easy route with Wave!

Both ZipBooks and Wave score well on usability as they both have beginner-friendly interfaces. Wave has a slight edge as it also provides users with step-by-step guidance throughout the setup process. Both Wave and ZipBooks offer forever free plans, but they each offer slightly different features with different limitations.

  • Its user-friendly interface and all-in-one solution simplify financial management.
  • This site does not include all software companies or all available software companies offers.
  • ZipBooks invoices don’t provide a lot of personalization choices.
  • The software also supports setting up recurring invoices and tracking payments.

Which tool is better for small businesses, Wave or ZipBooks?

The ZipBooks starter plan allows you to track up to 1099 in real-time, besides tracking receipts and managing sales and expenses. The wave dashboard gives you an overview of business performance and functions like the cash flow graph and expenses. The data provides you with an overview of your financial inflow and outflow. Both software score high on ease of use and are beginner-friendly.

ZipBooks offers a limited number of integrations, or 12 integrations in total. Integrations include apps like Slack, Asana, Google Workspace, and Gusto, as well as online payment options like PayPal, Square, and Stripe. ZipBooks and Wave are both web-based business accounting platforms, meaning you can access them via any web browser without installing any software. In our feature comparison of Wave vs. ZipBooks, ZipBooks offers more of the most popular features and tools than Wave. I really appreciate how easy it is to do accounting and invoicing with Wave. With just a few accounting entries, I can prepare my accounts quickly and efficiently.

If you are a freelancer working as a sole-proprietor, say a freelancer, then Wave Accounting may be the ideal business accounting software for you. Business Health Score gives you a birds-eye-view of the hygiene and success of your business. Invoice Quality Score enables you to create professional invoices that communicate accurately and ensure timely payments. The best option for you would depend on what type of support you may need, such as tax planning or payroll coaching. This is the only way to determine which option is better suited for your business’s bookkeeping requirements.

Want to look more polished, save more time, and conquer cash flow?

Wave can currently calculate and file payroll taxes in 14 states, with more in the works, and it can generate W-2 and 1099 forms for tax season. It will also directly deposit wages and let employees manage their pay stubs through a self-service portal. With Wave Accounting, all the accounting features are free to use. You only pay if you link your payments through Wave Accounting, or if you opt for their payroll plan.

This makes it a cost-effective solution for many businesses, even if they grow over time. The free plan offers a solid range of features, including unlimited invoicing and income tracking. We also weighed factors such as pricing, ease of use and customer support accessibility. While writing this review, we consulted product documentation and read user reviews. Zipbooks is a cloud-based invoicing and accounting software for business owners and freelancers. It offers features like invoicing, expense tracking, business and accounting reports and others.

Expense Tracking

Martin Lunendonk is a senior tech writer specializing in website builders, web hosting, and ecommerce platforms. In addition, ZipBooks also offers an Accountant plan with a custom price for accountants and bookkeepers handling multiple clients. With Wave Accounting you can generate invoices on the go from your iOS or Android device, and you will get notified every time your invoice is opened, gets due, or is paid. With such a feature rich invoicing module it is no surprise that Wave Accounting ranks in the top 17 invoicing software for freelancers. Wave Accounting allows bank connectivity, while Wave’s accounting reconciliation keeps your accounts updated. If you sell a few items, Wave Accountings inventory tracking feature is a welcome bonus.

Clients may be managed from a single dashboard in the Accountant edition. The decision between ZipBooks and Wave is based on your requirements. ZipBooks is the superior option if you run a project-based firm.


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