Wave vs Xero
On the evidence we track, Xero leads this comparison with a composite score of 74/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.
Capabilities
Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for accounting software. “-” means undocumented, not absent.
What each one is
The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.
Wave
A unified platform combining bookkeeping, invoicing, payment processing, and reporting in one dashboard. Helps small business owners track income and expenses, manage cash flow, and maintain organized financial records year-round.
Xero
LeaderA cloud accounting solution that consolidates invoicing, payroll management, tax compliance, and financial reporting in one place, with AI-assisted automation to minimize manual data entry.
Pricing
List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.
Wave
Free Starter plan with unlimited invoicing and bookkeeping. Pro from $16/month includes bank automation. Wave Advisors from $149/month for managed bookkeeping. Payment processing fees: 2.9% + $0.60 per Visa/Mastercard transaction.
- StarterFree
- Unlimited invoices, estimates, bills
- Unlimited bookkeeping records
- Mobile app access
- Dashboard and reports
- Payment processing available
- Pro$16/month billed monthly, or $190/year billed annually
- Everything in Starter
- Auto-import bank transactions via Plaid
- Auto-merge and auto-categorize transactions
- Unlimited receipt capture and tracking
- Add multiple users/collaborators
- +1 more
- Wave Advisors$149/month or $199/month depending on tier
- Everything in Pro
- Dedicated bookkeeper management
- Monthly financial statements
- Expert bookkeeping support
- Transition assistance from other software
- +1 more
Xero
LeaderFrom £18/month. First month free.
- Ignite£18/month
- Send quotes and 20 invoices
- Accept online invoice payments
- MTD for Income Tax ready
- Make online bill and payroll payments
- Optional company accounts and tax
- Grow£39/month
- All Ignite features
- Send invoices and quotes
- Accept online invoice payments
- Reconcile transactions
- Smart document capture
- +6 more
- Comprehensive£55/month
- Ultimate£70/month
Platform & deployment
Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.
Integrations
What each product connects to. Counts come from the vendor's own integration directory where one exists.
Wave
- Plaid
- Zapier
- Shopify
- Square
- ADP
- RBC
- Block Advisors
- Apple Pay
Xero
Leader- Hubdoc
- TaxCycle
- Countable
- Stripe
- GoCardless
Wave or Xero: which one depends on you
A composite score cannot know your constraints. Describe them and both get re-weighted against what you actually need, with the evidence behind every position.
Free to run, no account needed to start. How the evaluation works
Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.