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Comparison · Invoicing software

Wave vs ZipBooks: which is better in 2026?

Wave ranks higher in our list of invoicing software (#2 against #5, score 90.0 against 84.5).

Choose Wave if you want

Freelancers who want free invoicing and books.

A free Starter plan with unlimited invoices and estimates, and online payments with a per-card fee. It has no time tracking, and payroll is a separate paid service.

Choose ZipBooks if you want

Freelancers and small firms that want quotes.

A free Starter plan with unlimited invoices, customers and vendors, plus time tracking and quotes. It is less established than Zoho Invoice and Wave, and its paid tiers add accounting features.

Side by side

WaveZipBooks
Score90.084.5
Rank in list#2 of 7#5 of 7
PriceFree plan, paid upgradesFree Starter plan; paid Pro plan and card payment feesFree plan, paid upgradesFree Starter plan; paid tiers with free trials
Free to useYesYes
Open sourceNoNo
PlatformsWebWebWebWeb
Made byWave FinancialNot stated
Online paymentsYesYes
Time trackingNoYes
Quotes and estimatesYesYes
Best forFreelancers who want free invoicing and booksFreelancers and small firms that want quotes
Strengths
  • Free Starter plan with unlimited invoices
  • Receipt capture and expense tracking on Pro
  • Free Starter plan with unlimited invoices
  • Accountant tier for bookkeeping firms
Limits
  • Card payments carry a per-transaction fee
  • Payroll is a separate paid service
  • Smaller ecosystem than the largest accounting apps
  • Advanced reporting is on higher tiers
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Questions about Wave vs ZipBooks

Is Wave better than ZipBooks?
Wave ranks higher in our list of invoicing software (#2 against #5, score 90.0 against 84.5). Wave is best for: freelancers who want free invoicing and books. ZipBooks is best for: freelancers and small firms that want quotes.
Which is cheaper, Wave or ZipBooks?
Wave: Free Starter plan; paid Pro plan and card payment fees. ZipBooks: Free Starter plan; paid tiers with free trials.
Do Wave and ZipBooks run on the same platforms?
Wave supports Web. ZipBooks supports Web.