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Provider Pricing Facts
Provider pricing facts: Hiveage offers a free plan; Wave offers a free plan.
Source and Freshness Note
Source and freshness note: pricing, free-plan, and feature signals are compared from public provider data and updated comparison records. Last checked May 2026.
Hiveage vs Wave: Honest Comparison (2026)
Hiveage
Simple invoicing and billing for small businesses
Wave
Free accounting software for small businesses
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Quick Verdict:
Wave wins with 7.8/10 vs 7.5/10. Choose Hiveage for overall value. Choose Wave for better value for money.
Wave wins this comparison with a score of 7.8/10 vs 7.5/10. Both offer free plans. Hiveage stands out for clean, simple interface that makes invoicing quick and painless for non-accountants, while Wave excels at completely free core accounting and invoicing with no feature limits or user caps. This is confirmed by our feature analysis where Wave also scores higher (3.3/10).
| Feature | Hiveage | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 7.5/10 | 7.8/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Features | 7.0/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Value for Money | 7.8/10 | 9.5/10 |
| Customer Support | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Free Plan | Yes ✓ | Yes ✓ |
| Starting Price | $16/mo | $20/mo |
| Feature Score | 3.1/10 | 3.3/10 |
| Top Strength | Clean, simple interface that makes invoicing quick and painless for non-accountants | Completely free core accounting and invoicing with no feature limits or user caps |
| Biggest Weakness | Free plan limited to 2 clients makes it impractical without upgrading | Payment processing fees are built into the free model and cannot be avoided |
| Best For | Hiveage is best forteams that need accounting with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a generous free tier and starting price of $16/mo | Wave is best forteams that need accounting with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a generous free tier and starting price of $20/mo |
| Winner | Wave (7.8/10) | |
What is Hiveage?
Simple invoicing and billing for small businessesHiveage is a straightforward online invoicing application designed for freelancers, small businesses, and solopreneurs who want to get paid faster. It offers professional invoice creation, expense tracking, time tracking, and online payments in a clean, easy-to-use interface. Rated 7.5/10 across 900+ reviews. With a free plan available. And paid plans starting at $16/mo.
- +Clean, simple interface that makes invoicing quick and painless for non-accountants
- +Multiple business support is ideal for freelancers with diverse client portfolios
- +Affordable pricing with straightforward plans that scale with business needs
- •Hiveage is best forteams that need accounting with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a generous free tier and starting price of $16/mo
- •it suits individuals exploring the category as well as small businesses through enterprise.Specifically
- •Hiveage works well for:(1)managing books and invoicing
What is Wave?
Free accounting software for small businessesWave is a completely free accounting software platform designed for small businesses, freelancers, and entrepreneurs. It provides invoicing, accounting, receipt scanning, and financial reporting at no cost, generating revenue through optional paid services like payment processing and payroll. Wave makes professional accounting accessible to businesses that cannot afford premium tools like QuickBooks.
- +Completely free core accounting and invoicing with no feature limits or user caps
- +Double-entry accounting provides real financial reporting comparable to paid tools
- +Receipt scanning with OCR automates expense entry from your phone
- •Wave is best forteams that need accounting with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a generous free tier and starting price of $20/mo
- •it suits individuals exploring the category as well as small businesses through enterprise.Specifically
- •Wave works well for:(1)managing books and invoicing
Hiveage vs Wave: Key Differences
Hiveage vs Wave: Quick Verdict
Decision Summary
Who wins in each scenario? A quick look at how Hiveage and Wave compare across different buyer needs.
Scores 7.8/10 vs 7.5/10
Scores 9.5/10 on value vs 7.8/10
Both score 8.5/10 for ease of use
Features + support avg: 7.3/10 vs 7.0/10
Free plan available + 9.5/10 value
Both offer free plans
Which One Should You Choose?
Based on features, pricing, and ratings — here's when each tool is the better pick.
Choose Hiveage If
- →API access is essential for custom integrations or automation
- →You want to test before committing — Hiveage offers a 14-day free trial
- →You need enterprise-grade customer support (Hiveage: 7.5/10)
Choose Wave If
- →Value for money is a key factor — Wave delivers stronger ROI
- →You need native mobile app support for on-the-go work
- →You need the most comprehensive feature set (Wave: 7.5/10)
Choose Hiveage if you need...
- ✓Clean, simple interface that makes invoicing quick and painless for non-accountants
- ✓Multiple business support is ideal for freelancers with diverse client portfolios
- ✓Affordable pricing with straightforward plans that scale with business needs
- ✓Lower starting price ($16/mo vs $20/mo)
- !Free plan limited to 2 clients makes it impractical without upgrading
- !Fewer integrations compared to FreshBooks or QuickBooks ecosystems
Choose Wave if you need...
- ✓Completely free core accounting and invoicing with no feature limits or user caps
- ✓Double-entry accounting provides real financial reporting comparable to paid tools
- ✓Receipt scanning with OCR automates expense entry from your phone
- !Payment processing fees are built into the free model and cannot be avoided
- !No inventory management limits usefulness for product-based businesses
Our Take: Hiveage vs Wave
This is one of the closer matchups we've reviewed. Hiveage (7.5/10) and Wave (7.8/10) are separated by just 0.3 points — practically a statistical tie. Your decision should come down to workflow fit, not scores.
Where they differ: Hiveage's biggest strengths are clean, simple interface that makes invoicing quick and painless for non-accountants and multiple business support is ideal for freelancers with diverse client portfolios. Wave, on the other hand, shines with completely free core accounting and invoicing with no feature limits or user caps and double-entry accounting provides real financial reporting comparable to paid tools. These reflect fundamentally different product priorities.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each one with zero risk before committing. We recommend trying both for a week with real data.
Hiveage vs Wave Score Comparison
| Category | Hiveage | Wave |
|---|---|---|
🏆Overall Score | 7.5 | ▲7.8 |
💫Ease of Use | 8.5 | 8.5 |
⚙Features | 7.0 | ▲7.5 |
💰Value for Money | 7.8 | ▲9.5 |
💬Customer Support | 7.5▲ | 6.5 |
Why These Scores? Our Reasoning
- +Clean, simple interface that makes invoicing quick and painless for non-accountants
- +Multiple business support is ideal for freelancers with diverse client portfolios
- +Affordable pricing with straightforward plans that scale with business needs
- -Free plan limited to 2 clients makes it impractical without upgrading
- -Fewer integrations compared to FreshBooks or QuickBooks ecosystems
- +Completely free core accounting and invoicing with no feature limits or user caps
- +Double-entry accounting provides real financial reporting comparable to paid tools
- +Receipt scanning with OCR automates expense entry from your phone
- -Payment processing fees are built into the free model and cannot be avoided
- -No inventory management limits usefulness for product-based businesses
Hiveage vs Wave Pros & Cons
+Strengths
- ✓Clean, simple interface that makes invoicing quick and painless for non-accountants
- ✓Multiple business support is ideal for freelancers with diverse client portfolios
- ✓Affordable pricing with straightforward plans that scale with business needs
-Weaknesses
- ✗Free plan limited to 2 clients makes it impractical without upgrading
- ✗Fewer integrations compared to FreshBooks or QuickBooks ecosystems
- ✗No full accounting features like profit/loss statements or balance sheets
+Strengths
- ✓Completely free core accounting and invoicing with no feature limits or user caps
- ✓Double-entry accounting provides real financial reporting comparable to paid tools
- ✓Receipt scanning with OCR automates expense entry from your phone
-Weaknesses
- ✗Payment processing fees are built into the free model and cannot be avoided
- ✗No inventory management limits usefulness for product-based businesses
- ✗Customer support is limited on the free plan with no phone support available
Who Should Use Hiveage vs Wave?
Hiveage is ideal for
- •Hiveage is best forteams that need accounting with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a generous free tier and starting price of $16/mo
- •it suits individuals exploring the category as well as small businesses through enterprise.Specifically
- •Hiveage works well for:(1)managing books and invoicing
- •(2)running payroll and taxes
- •(3)tracking expenses and receipts.It isless idealfor solo creators on a strict zero-budget setup
Wave is ideal for
- •Wave is best forteams that need accounting with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a generous free tier and starting price of $20/mo
- •it suits individuals exploring the category as well as small businesses through enterprise.Specifically
- •Wave works well for:(1)managing books and invoicing
- •(2)running payroll and taxes
- •(3)tracking expenses and receipts.It isless idealfor solo creators on a strict zero-budget setup
When NOT to Choose Hiveage or Wave
Knowing when a tool is the wrong fit is just as important as knowing its strengths
Skip Hiveage if...
- ✗Free plan limited to 2 clients makes it impractical without upgrading
- ✗Fewer integrations compared to FreshBooks or QuickBooks ecosystems
- ✗No full accounting features like profit/loss statements or balance sheets
Skip Wave if...
- ✗Payment processing fees are built into the free model and cannot be avoided
- ✗No inventory management limits usefulness for product-based businesses
- ✗Customer support is limited on the free plan with no phone support available
Hiveage vs Wave Decision Framework
Choose based on what matters most to you
Hiveage vs Wave Pricing
| Pricing Feature | Hiveage | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Starting Price | $16/mo | $20/mo |
| Free Trial | 14 days | Not available |
| Number of Plans | 4 | 3 |
| Value Rating | 7.8/10 | 9.5/10 |
Hiveage Plans
- ✓2 clients
- ✓Unlimited invoices
- ✓Payment processing
- ✓Basic reports
- ✓Unlimited clients
- ✓Everything in Free
- ✓Recurring invoices
- ✓Time tracking
- +1 more
- ✓Everything in Basic
- ✓Multiple businesses
- ✓Team members
- ✓Advanced reports
- +1 more
- ✓Everything in Growing
- ✓White label
- ✓Proposals
- ✓Purchase orders
- +1 more
Wave Plans
- ✓Unlimited invoicing
- ✓Accounting
- ✓Receipt scanning
- ✓Financial reports
- +2 more
- ✓Everything in Free
- ✓Credit card processing (2.9% + $0.60)
- ✓Bank payments (1%)
- ✓Automatic reconciliation
- ✓Direct deposit
- ✓Tax filing
- ✓Employee self-serve
- ✓T4/ROE generation
What You Get: Plan Feature Comparison
Comparing Hiveage's Basic ($16/mo) vs Wave's Free (Free)
| Feature | Hiveage | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited clients | ✓ | ✗ |
| Everything in Free | ✓ | ✗ |
| Recurring invoices | ✓ | ✗ |
| Time tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Expense tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Unlimited invoicing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Accounting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Receipt scanning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Financial reports | ✗ | ✓ |
| Unlimited users | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bank connections | ✗ | ✓ |
Which Should You Choose?
Quick Buyer's Guide
Based on our analysis, here's who each tool is best suited for
- ✓Hiveage is best forteams that need accounting with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a generous free tier and starting price of $16/mo
- ✓it suits individuals exploring the category as well as small businesses through enterprise.Specifically
- ✓Users who need clean, simple interface that makes invoicing quick and painless for non-accountants
- ✓Teams with tighter budgets ($16/mo vs $20/mo)
- ✓Wave is best forteams that need accounting with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a generous free tier and starting price of $20/mo
- ✓it suits individuals exploring the category as well as small businesses through enterprise.Specifically
- ✓Users who need completely free core accounting and invoicing with no feature limits or user caps
Hiveage vs Wave: The Bottom Line
For most teams, Wave is the safer bet — but Hiveage has its own strengths.
Choose Hiveage if you are a freelancer or small agency that needs professional invoicing with time tracking, expense management, and multi-currency support in a clean interface. Choose Wave if you need free accounting software with double-entry bookkeeping, financial reports, and invoicing — Wave charges only for payment processing and payroll add-ons. The gap is razor-thin — Hiveage at 7.5/10 is a perfectly valid choice if its strengths align better with your needs.