an honest comparison

Billbooks vs Wave

Wave has a free plan, which is a real draw. But its branding and automation sit behind the $19 Pro plan, its payments work only in the US and Canada, and its support is gated. Billbooks includes those from the start at a flat price.

At a glanceBillbooksWave
Branded invoices Yes Pro only
Recurring invoices Yes Pro only
Payments region Global US and Canada
Monthly price $7.95 Free / $19

Free to start, but check what is behind the paywall

Wave lets you send invoices for free, which is great when you are starting out. The parts that make invoicing feel professional, your logo on the invoice, recurring invoices, and automatic reminders, are on the $19 a month Pro plan. Billbooks includes them on a flat $7.95 plan, and works with payment gateways beyond North America.

  Billbooks Wave
Monthly price $7.95/mo flat Free, or Pro $19/mo
Branded / logo invoices Pro plan only
Recurring invoices Pro plan only
Automatic payment reminders Pro, or with payments on
Automatic follow-ups on quotes Invoices only
Appointment scheduler Not built in
Digital signatures Not offered
QR code to pay Checkout links only
Online payments region Depends on your gateway US and Canada only
Card / bank payment fees Your own gateway rate 2.9% + $0.60 / 1% ($1 min)
Live support Included Pro or paid add-on only

Wave offers a free Starter plan and a Pro plan at $19/month. Per Wave’s pricing and support documentation (August 2026): branded invoices, recurring invoices, and bank-transaction auto-import are Pro features; automatic reminders apply to invoices only and require Pro or online payments enabled; Wave has no native appointment scheduler and no e-signature (estimates are accepted with a button); payment QR codes appear on Wave Checkout links, not on the invoice. Wave payment processing is 2.9% + $0.60 per card and 1% (minimum $1) per bank payment, in the US and Canada. Billbooks connects your own payment gateway, so your rate and regions depend on that provider. Sources: waveapps.com/pricing, Wave support docs, billbooks.com/pricing.

Why people pick Billbooks for invoicing

Branding and automation included

Your logo on every invoice, recurring invoices, and automatic reminders come as standard, not as a $19 a month step-up.

Works beyond the US and Canada

Billbooks connects payment gateways used around the world, so you are not limited to two countries for taking payment.

Support you can reach

Help is included rather than reserved for paying Pro or add-on customers, so you are not on your own on the free tier.

Where Wave may suit you better

To be straight with you: Wave’s free Starter plan genuinely costs nothing to send invoices and keep simple books, which is great if you are just starting out in the US or Canada and do not yet need branded invoices or automation. Billbooks is a flat-price tool that includes branding, recurring invoices, and reminders from the start, works with gateways beyond North America, and includes support.

Professional invoicing, included from day one, at a flat price.

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Billbooks pricing, in full view

One flat price, with the professional features included rather than gated.

Trial
Free for 30 days
Free
no credit card needed
Get Started
1 User
5 Clients
100 Items
3 Projects
5 Invoices & Estimates
Most popular
Basic
For freelancers
$7.95 /mo per org
 
Choose Plan
2 Users
100 Clients
650 Items
50 Projects
Unlimited Invoices & Estimates
Standard
For small business
$14.95 /mo per org
 
Choose Plan
5 Users
500 Clients
1,000 Items
500 Projects
Unlimited Invoices & Estimates
Professional
For growing teams
$29.95 /mo per org
 
Choose Plan
10 Users
Unlimited Clients
Unlimited Items
Unlimited Projects
Unlimited Invoices & Estimates
Every paid plan includes unlimited expenses and every feature. Pricing is per organization.
Billed in USD at checkout.
Custom

A plan built for high-volume transactions or business models that do not fit the mold.

Contact Sales
API integration
Self hosted
Custom workflows
Custom reporting
Custom payment gateways
WhatsApp integration
QR codes
Custom templates
Private SMTP
Integrate with your system

What people say about Billbooks

Real reviews from people who send their own invoices

★★★★★

“I used to hate sending invoices and payment reminders. I never imagined a boring, cumbersome task could be this intuitive and fun.”

Zhang Wei
Entrepreneur

★★★★★

“I used to waste hours on invoicing. With Billbooks it is all done before my coffee gets cold, so I focus on growing my store.”

Jenna Carter
Boutique owner

★★★★★

“We are always on the move, and Billbooks keeps our billing just as fast and reliable. No training needed, just invoices out and money in.”

Derrick Simmons
Logistics Manager

You'll love sending invoices from our app

An app so good you will want to get tasks done instead of putting them off. Stay on track and keep your cashflow going.

Billbooks mobile app

Questions

Is Billbooks cheaper than Wave? +

Not on the entry tier. Wave has a genuinely free Starter plan, where Billbooks costs $7.95 a month. Billbooks becomes the cheaper option against Wave Pro at $19 a month, which is the tier most businesses need.

What does Wave do that Billbooks does not? +

Wave offers a free plan and free accounting alongside invoicing, which Billbooks does not match beyond its 30-day trial. For a business sending a few simple invoices and wanting basic books at no cost, Wave does something Billbooks does not.

Should I switch from Wave to Billbooks? +

Switch to Billbooks if you need branded invoices, recurring invoices or automatic payment reminders, all of which Wave reserves for its $19 Pro plan. Billbooks includes them at $7.95. Stay with Wave if the free Starter plan genuinely covers you.

Is Billbooks a good Wave alternative? +

Billbooks is the better value once you need Wave Pro features, costing $7.95 against $19 for branded and recurring invoices and reminders. Wave keeps the advantage for anyone whose needs fit inside its free tier.

Which Wave features require the Pro plan? +

Branded invoices, recurring invoices, automatic payment reminders and bank-transaction auto-import are all Pro features at $19 a month. Billbooks includes every one of them on the $7.95 Basic plan.

Does Wave chase unpaid quotes? +

No. Wave automates reminders on invoices only and has no native appointment scheduler. Billbooks follows up on quotes as well as invoices and includes a scheduler on the Basic plan.

Is Wave genuinely free? +

The Starter plan is genuinely free for sending basic invoices and includes simple accounting, which Billbooks does not match. The cost appears when you want branding, recurring billing or reminders, which move you to Pro at $19.

Wave has a free plan. Why pay for Billbooks? +

Wave is free to send basic invoices, but the professional touches, branded invoices, recurring invoices, and automatic reminders, are on its $19 a month Pro plan. Billbooks includes those on a flat $7.95 plan, so you get the full invoicing workflow for less than Wave Pro.

How do payment fees compare? +

Wave processes card payments at 2.9% plus $0.60 and bank payments at 1% (minimum $1), in the US and Canada. Billbooks connects your own payment gateway, so your rate and available regions depend on the provider you choose.

Does Wave do everything Billbooks does? +

Not on the invoicing workflow. Billbooks includes automatic follow-ups on quotes, an appointment scheduler, digital signatures, and a payment QR code on the invoice itself. Wave automates reminders on invoices only, has no native scheduler and no e-signature, and its QR codes sit on separate Checkout links rather than the invoice. Wave does include simple built-in accounting, which Billbooks keeps lighter.

Can I take payments outside the US and Canada? +

With Wave, card and bank payments are limited to the US and Canada. Billbooks works with payment gateways used in many countries, so it fits businesses outside North America.

Can I move over from Wave? +

Yes. You can set up clients and start invoicing in minutes, and our team can help import your client list. A 30-day free trial with no credit card lets you try before you switch.

Is support included? +

Yes. Support is included with Billbooks rather than reserved for paid Pro or add-on customers, so you can get help regardless of your plan.

Get the professional features without the step-up

30-day free trial. No credit card required.

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