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Zoho Books vs Wave
Zoho Books: Has a free plan for small revenue and inventory features on paid plans. Prices listed are per organization. Wave: Free bookkeeping and invoicing. Available in the US and Canada only.
Plans and prices
| Tool | Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Books | Free | Free | 1 user + 1 accountant. 1,000 invoices a year; while revenue stays under $50K |
| Zoho Books | Standard | $20/mo | 3 |
| Zoho Books | Professional | $50/mo | 5 |
| Zoho Books | Premium | $70/mo | 10 |
| Wave | Starter | Free | See vendor site. Card payments cost 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction |
| Wave | Pro | $19/mo | See vendor site |
The cheapest paid plan is $20 a month at Zoho Books and $19 a month at Wave, a gap of $12 a year ($36 over three years).
Where each one rates higher
- Zoho Books rates higher on inventory, accountant access, several users.
- Wave rates higher on invoicing, ease of learning, free plan.
| Our fit rating | Zoho Books | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll | Limited | Limited |
| Inventory | Strong | Minimal or none |
| Invoicing | Good | Strong |
| Accountant access | Good | Limited |
| Several users | Good | Limited |
| Ease of learning | Good | Strong |
| Free plan | Good | Strong |
Ratings are our editorial judgments, published on How we score. They are not vendor claims.
Who wins for four typical setups
Same scoring as the quiz, limited to these two tools, for US businesses.
| Setup | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Solo freelancer, 5 invoices a month, wants free | Wave |
| Product shop, 3 users, works with an accountant | Zoho Books |
| Small team with payroll and an accountant | Zoho Books |
| Invoice-heavy, wants to stay under $30 a month | Wave |
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