Wave Alternative

Looking for a Wave alternative?

Reliable invoicing with pricing that stays where it is. No features quietly moved behind a paywall, no acquisition anxiety.

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Why people leave Wave

What changed at Wave

Wave built a loyal user base on a genuinely free product. That product has changed significantly.

Bank import moved to paid

Automatic bank transaction import, previously free, now requires a Wave Pro subscription at $16 to $19 per month. Users who built workflows around it had no warning before the switch.

No live support on the free tier

Free-tier users have no access to live chat or phone support. Issues are handled through a self-serve help centre and community forums, which is slow when you have a payment or invoice problem to resolve.

Payroll reliability problems

Wave Payroll has accumulated a public record of delayed direct deposits and tax filing errors. For a product that handles employee pay and tax remittances, reliability is not optional.

H&R Block acquisition

H&R Block acquired Wave in 2019. Since then, product decisions have shifted toward integration with H&R Block's tax services. For freelancers who just need invoicing, the product roadmap no longer aligns with their needs.

Side by side

Tidybill vs Wave

A direct look at what each product offers and what it costs.

Feature Tidybill Wave
Starting price
$0 free forever
$0 free tier available
Core invoicing (free tier)
Full-featured
Full-featured
Recurring invoices
Starter ($7/mo)
Pro ($16-19/mo)
Client portal
Starter ($7/mo)
Not available
Time tracking
Starter ($7/mo)
Not available
Live support
All plans
Paid services only
Team members
Up to 25
Limited
Data ownership
Your data, export anytime
H&R Block owned platform
Feature paywalls
No. Transparent, stable tiers
Features moved to paid without notice

Transparent pricing, no surprises

The features in each tier stay there. What is free today is free next year. What is paid is clearly listed upfront.

Start for free, no credit card

Free plan is free forever. Paid plans start at $7/mo.

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Wave's free features?
Wave moved automatic bank transaction import behind a paid Pro plan ($16 to $19 per month) after years of offering it for free. Users who relied on that feature for bookkeeping were required to pay or lose the functionality. This was not the first time Wave had moved previously free features to a paid tier after H&R Block's acquisition in 2019.
Is Tidybill really free?
Yes. The Free plan is free forever with no credit card required. You get 1 company, 5 clients, 5 invoices per month, professional invoice templates, and online payments via Stripe. There is no trial clock running. The free tier is not a stripped-down demo, it is a functional product.
How does Tidybill compare to Wave Pro on price?
Wave Pro is $16 to $19 per month depending on billing cycle. Tidybill Starter is $7 per month billed annually ($84/year) or $9 per month billed monthly. Starter includes recurring invoices, time tracking, client portal, quotes and estimates, and expense tracking. Tidybill Pro, which covers unlimited clients, invoices, and projects, is $15 per month annually or $18 per month monthly.
Can I import my data from Wave?
Wave lets you export your client list and invoice history as CSV files from your account settings. Tidybill supports manual CSV import for clients and invoices, so you can bring your records across without re-entering everything by hand.
Is there a contract or long-term commitment?
No. Tidybill has no contracts. Monthly plans renew each month and can be cancelled at any time. Annual plans are billed upfront but include a 30-day money-back guarantee. Downgrading to the free plan is always an option and your data stays intact.