# Bench vs Wave

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Wave

| Attribute | Bench | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 53.1 (58% (medium)) | 63.2 (63% (medium)) |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true}` | `{"cloud":true}` |
| description.long | Bench is an online bookkeeping service that combines automated software with dedicated professional bookkeeping experts to provide monthly books, financial reporting, and tax preparation for small businesses. | 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. |
| features.capabilities | `{"bank_feeds":"aggregator","deployment":"cloud","tax_compliance":"Federal income tax filing","payments_capture":true,"accountant_collab":true}` | `{"api_access":"full","bank_feeds":"aggregator","deployment":"cloud","ar_invoicing":true,"tax_compliance":"Tax-ready bookkeeping with organized records and reporting","double_entry_gl":true,"payments_capture":true,"accountant_collab":true,"project_accounting":true}` |
| integrations.count | 16 | 8 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Plaid"},{"name":"Square"},{"name":"QuickBooks Online"},{"name":"Drake"},{"name":"FileThis"},{"name":"Stripe"},{"name":"Salesforce"},{"name":"AWS"},{"name":"Azure OpenAI"},{"name":"Mailchimp"},{"name":"Marketo"},{"name":"Stream Chat"},{"name":"Appcues"},{"name":"DataDog"},{"name":"Rollbar"},{"name":"Retool"}]` | `[{"name":"Plaid"},{"name":"Zapier"},{"name":"Shopify"},{"name":"Square"},{"name":"ADP"},{"name":"RBC"},{"name":"Block Advisors"},{"name":"Apple Pay"}]` |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"regional","availableCountries":["US"],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"primaryMarkets":["US","CA"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"ios":true,"web":true,"android":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Bookkeeping Grow","summary":"$199/mo or $1,910/year (20% discount)","features":["Dedicated bookkeeping experts","Accurate monthly books and year-end tax-ready financial packages","P&L, balance sheet and 1099 reporting","Pre-scheduled communication touchpoints with your bookkeeping team","Custom categorizations"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":1910,"period":"year","currency":"USD"},{"kind":"fixed","amount":199,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"An accessible, lighter-touch plan built for lean businesses seeking financial clarity and confidence as they grow.","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Bookkeeping Core","summary":"$399/mo or $3,830/year (20% discount)","features":["Dedicated bookkeeping experts","Accurate monthly books and year-end tax-ready financial packages","P&L, balance sheet and 1099 reporting","Unlimited communication with your bookkeeping team","Custom categorizations"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":3830,"period":"year","currency":"USD"},{"kind":"fixed","amount":399,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Reliable bookkeeping to cover your basic financial reporting needs.","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Bookkeeping Core + Tax","summary":"$5,750/year","features":["Dedicated bookkeeping experts","Accurate monthly books and year-end tax-ready financial packages","P&L, balance sheet and 1099 reporting","Unlimited communication with your bookkeeping team","Dedicated team of licensed tax professionals to file your income tax return on time","Annual income tax filing for businesses (partnerships, S corps, C corps)","Annual income tax filing for individuals (sole proprietors, contractors)"],"commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":5750,"period":"year","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Full-service bookkeeping with income tax filing and advisory to manage your financials seamlessly.","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"QBO Certified Bookkeeper","summary":"$55/hour + $1,200 onboarding","features":["QuickBooks native support","A true team extension","On-demand flexibility","Fully customizable scope"],"components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"hour","amount":55,"currency":"USD"},{"kind":"one_time","amount":1200,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Expert QuickBooks support that works inside your existing account.","contactSales":false}],"summary":"From $199/mo for Bookkeeping Grow. Free trial available.","currency":"USD","freeTier":false,"sourceUrl":"https://www.bench.co/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T17:04:06.683Z","startingPrice":{"amount":55,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Starter","summary":"Free","features":["Unlimited invoices, estimates, bills","Unlimited bookkeeping records","Mobile app access","Dashboard and reports","Payment processing available"],"description":"Basic accounting and invoicing for new businesses","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Pro","summary":"$16/month billed monthly, or $190/year billed annually","features":["Everything in Starter","Auto-import bank transactions via Plaid","Auto-merge and auto-categorize transactions","Unlimited receipt capture and tracking","Add multiple users/collaborators","Payment processing at discounted rates"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":16,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Enhanced accounting with bank automation and transaction categorization","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Wave Advisors","summary":"$149/month or $199/month depending on tier","features":["Everything in Pro","Dedicated bookkeeper management","Monthly financial statements","Expert bookkeeping support","Transition assistance from other software","Optional one-on-one accounting coaching"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":149,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Hands-off bookkeeping with dedicated bookkeeper and financial expert support","contactSales":false}],"addOns":[{"name":"Payment Processing","components":[{"of":"transaction","kind":"percentage","plus":{"amount":0.6,"currency":"USD"},"rate":2.9}]},{"name":"Payroll"},{"name":"Receipts"}],"summary":"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.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.waveapps.com/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T15:29:13.788Z","startingPrice":{"amount":16,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | no | yes |
| pricing.model | commercial | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | mid | mid |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| reliability.status_page | - | yes |
| security.soc2 | yes | - |

## Capabilities (Accounting Software)

| Capability | Bench | Wave |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Double-entry GL | - | ✓ |
| Multi-entity | - | - |
| Multi-currency | - | - |
| Bank feeds | Aggregator | Aggregator |
| **Modules** |  |  |
| AP automation | - | - |
| AR / invoicing | - | ✓ |
| Inventory | - | - |
| Fixed assets | - | - |
| Project accounting | - | ✓ |
| **Compliance** |  |  |
| Tax compliance | Federal income tax filing | Tax-ready bookkeeping with organized records and reporting |
| **Workflow** |  |  |
| Accountant collaboration | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Payments** |  |  |
| Payments capture | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| API access | - | Full |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T17:12:09.923Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*