vioscale
Comparison

Wave vs Xero

On the evidence we track, Wave leads this comparison with a composite score of 78/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

Wave full profile →Xero full profile →
Machine formatsJSONMarkdownGraphQLor send Accept: application/json
Attribute comparison across 2 tools
Attribute78WaveLeader76Xero
Vioscale score78 / 100low · 40%76 / 100medium · 50%
Options{"cloud":true}{"cloud":true}
LongWave is free accounting software for small businesses, offering invoicing, expense tracking, receipts management, and optional payroll and hands-on bookkeeping services. Free tier includes unlimited invoicing and basic bookkeeping, with paid Pro tier adding bank feed automation and discounted payment processing.Cloud-based accounting software for small businesses. Manage finances in real time with invoicing, expense tracking, VAT returns, and payroll capabilities.
Capabilities{"bank_feeds":"aggregator","deployment":"cloud","ar_invoicing":true,"tax_compliance":"Tax-ready bookkeeping and tax season preparation","payments_capture":true,"accountant_collab":true}{"deployment":"cloud","ar_invoicing":true,"ap_automation":true,"multi_currency":true,"tax_compliance":"VAT returns, MTD for Income Tax, subcontractor CIS calculations","payments_capture":true,"accountant_collab":true,"project_accounting":true}
Availability{"primaryMarkets":["US","CA"],"availabilityScope":"regional","availableCountries":["US","CA"],"notAvailableCountries":[]}{"hqCountry":"GB","primaryMarkets":["GB"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":["GB"],"notAvailableCountries":[]}
Support{"web":true}{"web":true}
Pricing{"type":"free","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Starter","summary":"Free","features":["Create unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, and bookkeeping records","Option to accept online payments","2.9% + $0.60 per credit card transaction","3.4% + $0.60 per Amex transaction","Invoice on-the-go with mobile app","Manage cash flow and customers in one dashboard"],"description":"Just starting your business or looking for the basics","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Pro","summary":"$19/month USD or $190/year USD (promo: $9.50/month for first 3 months)","features":["Everything in Starter, plus","Online payments at discounted rate","2.9% + $0 per credit card transaction","3.4% + $0 per Amex transaction","Auto-import bank transactions","Auto-merge and categorize bank transactions","Digitally capture unlimited receipts and track expenses","Automate late payment reminders"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":19,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Look polished, save time, conquer cash flow","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Wave Advisors","summary":"Starting at $149/month USD","features":["Includes Pro Plan features","Dedicated bookkeeper","Monthly financial statements prepared","Expert bookkeeping support","Onboarding assistance when switching from other software","Optional one-on-one accounting coach packages"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":149,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Hands-off bookkeeping and financial guidance with in-house experts","contactSales":true}],"summary":"Free Starter plan with unlimited invoicing. Pro from $19/month USD or $190/year USD. Wave Advisors from $149/month USD.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.waveapps.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-05T14:29:50.329Z","startingPrice":{"amount":19,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Ignite","summary":"£3.20/mo for first 6 months, then £16/mo","features":["Send quotes and 20 invoices","Accept online invoice payments","MTD for Income Tax ready","Reconcile transactions (optional)","Auto-reconcile transactions (optional)"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":3.2,"period":"month","currency":"GBP"}],"description":"An easy financial foundation - track cash flow with the essentials.","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"invoices":"20"}},{"free":false,"name":"Grow","summary":"£7.40/mo for first 6 months, then £37/mo","features":["Send invoices and quotes","Accept online invoice payments","MTD for Income Tax ready","Reconcile transactions","Auto-reconcile transactions (Beta)","Smart document capture","View real-time reports","Automate bill entry and track bills","Submit VAT returns to HMRC","Automate subcontractor CIS calculations and reports","Make online bill and payroll payments (domestic) for up to 5 payments","Payroll for 1 person","60 day cash flow forecast","Visualise performance with graphs","Customise performance dashboards","Claim expenses and mileage for 1 user","Use multiple currencies","Tailored financial health scorecards"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":7.4,"period":"month","currency":"GBP"}],"description":"Go beyond the basics - automate tasks and access performance dashboards.","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"payroll_users":"1","payments_domestic":"5","expense_claim_users":"1","cash_flow_forecast_days":"60"}},{"free":false,"name":"Comprehensive","summary":"£10/mo for first 6 months, then £50/mo","features":["Send invoices and quotes","Accept online invoice payments","MTD for Income Tax ready","Reconcile transactions","Auto-reconcile transactions (Beta)","Smart document capture","View real-time reports","Automate bill entry and track bills","Submit VAT returns to HMRC","Automate subcontractor CIS calculations and reports","Make online bill and payroll payments (domestic) for up to 10 payments","Payroll for 5 people","90 day cash flow forecast","Visualise performance with graphs","Customise performance dashboards","Claim expenses and mileage for 5 users","Use multiple currencies","Tailored financial health scorecards"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":10,"period":"month","currency":"GBP"}],"description":"Optimise profitability - tailor your insights for greater control.","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"payroll_users":"5","payments_domestic":"10","expense_claim_users":"5","cash_flow_forecast_days":"90"}},{"free":false,"name":"Ultimate","summary":"£13/mo for first 6 months, then £65/mo","features":["Send invoices and quotes","Accept online invoice payments","MTD for Income Tax ready","Reconcile transactions","Auto-reconcile transactions (Beta)","Smart document capture","View real-time reports","Automate bill entry and track bills","Submit VAT returns to HMRC","Automate subcontractor CIS calculations and reports","Make online bill and payroll payments (domestic) for up to 15 payments","Payroll for 10 people","180 day cash flow forecast","Visualise performance with graphs","Customise performance dashboards","Claim expenses and mileage for 10 users","Use multiple currencies","Tailored financial health scorecards","Track time and costs for projects for 10 users","Analyse KPIs and ratios","Benchmark against the industry"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":13,"period":"month","currency":"GBP"}],"description":"Future proof your scaling business - with advanced tools and analytics.","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"payroll_users":"10","payments_domestic":"15","expense_claim_users":"10","project_tracking_users":"10","cash_flow_forecast_days":"180"}}],"addOns":[{"name":"Make online bill payments (International)"},{"name":"Submit contractor CIS returns"}],"summary":"From £3.20/mo (first 6 months). 1 month free trial.","currency":"GBP","freeTier":false,"sourceUrl":"https://www.xero.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-05T14:27:06.933Z","freeTrialDays":30,"startingPrice":{"amount":3.2,"period":"month","currency":"GBP"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}
Free tierYesNo
Modelcommercialcommercial
Price levelfreelow
Starting gbp193.2
TransparentYesYes
Status pageYesYes
Disclosure policy-Yes
Gdpr-Yes
Iso27001-Yes
Pci-Yes
Soc2-Yes

Capabilities

Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for accounting software. “-” means undocumented, not absent.

Capability comparison for Accounting Software
CapabilityWaveXero
Core
Double-entry GL--
Multi-entity--
Multi-currency-✓
Bank feedsAggregator-
Modules
AP automation-✓
AR / invoicing✓✓
Inventory--
Fixed assets--
Project accounting-✓
Compliance
Tax complianceTax-ready bookkeeping and tax season preparationVAT returns, MTD for Income Tax, subcontractor CIS calculations
Workflow
Accountant collaboration✓✓
Payments
Payments capture✓✓
Ecosystem
API access--
Deployment
DeploymentCloudCloud

Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.