Xero vs Wave

Round by round

1. Round 1What it costs to startWave wins
   Xero5/10

   $27

   Early plan, per month at list price (introductory $5.40 for three months)

   • $27, against $19

   Source: xero.com ↗

   Wave8/10

   $19

   Pro plan, per month (the core accounting plan is free)

   Source: waveapps.com ↗

   Wave wins this round on what the company itself publishes.

2. Round 2Trying it before you payWave wins
   Xero5/10

   30-day free trial

   a free trial, no free plan

   • 30-day free trial, against Free Starter plan

   Source: xero.com ↗

   Wave8/10

   Free Starter plan

   unlimited invoices, bills and bookkeeping records at $0

   Source: waveapps.com ↗

   Wave wins this round on what the company itself publishes.

3. Round 3Who runs your payrollWave wins
   Xero5/10

   Optional add-on via Gusto

   payroll is handed to a partner

   • Optional add-on via Gusto, against Own payroll subscription

   Source: xero.com ↗

   Wave8/10

   Own payroll subscription

   payroll is Wave's own monthly subscription

   Source: waveapps.com ↗

   Wave wins this round on what the company itself publishes.

4. Round 4What customers say on TrustpilotXero wins
   Xero8/10

   4.1 out of 5

   TrustScore from 11,355 reviews on Trustpilot

   Source: trustpilot.com ↗

   Wave5/10

   3.2 out of 5

   TrustScore from 550 reviews on Trustpilot

   • 3.2 out of 5, against 4.1 out of 5

   Source: trustpilot.com ↗

   Xero wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.

5. Round 5How many invoices you can sendWave wins
   Xero5/10

   20 invoices a month

   Early

   • 20 invoices a month, against Unlimited invoices

   Source: xero.com ↗

   Wave8/10

   Unlimited invoices

   Pro

   Source: waveapps.com ↗

   Wave wins this round on what the published sources say.

6. Round 6Linking your bank accountTie
   Xero7/10

   Bank connections included

   Early

   Source: xero.com ↗

   Wave7/10

   Auto-imports bank transactions

   Pro

   Source: waveapps.com ↗

   Nothing to separate them here.

Side by side

Xero

Check price

Best for trying it before you payWave

Check price

Overall score

6.2

7.0

Best

Price

See price

See price

What it costs to start

6.1

7.3

Trying it before you pay

6.4

7.7

Who picks up when you are stuck

5.7

—

Who runs your payroll

5.0

7.5

How many people can log in

7.8

—

Head-to-head findings

What it costs to start

$27

$19

Trying it before you pay

30-day free trial

Free Starter plan

Who picks up when you are stuck

24/7 online support, callback on request

—

Who runs your payroll

Optional add-on via Gusto

Own payroll subscription

How many people can log in

Unlimited users

—

What customers say on Trustpilot

4.1 out of 5

3.2 out of 5

Tracking stock

Built-in core feature

—

Tracking billable time

No project time tracking

—

Record

Head-to-head record

0–7–1

4–1–1

Head-to-heads won

0 %

80 %

Rounds won

33 %

38 %

Pros

• inventory comes from integrations rather than the core plan

Cons

• 24/7 online support, callback on request, against Phone support included
• Optional add-on via Gusto, against Own payroll product
• 20 invoices a month, against Unlimited invoices
• $27, against $23

• 3.2 out of 5, against 3.7 out of 5
• 3.2 out of 5, against 4.1 out of 5
• 3.2 out of 5, against 3.9 out of 5
• 3.2 out of 5, against 4.0 out of 5

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