Wave vs Akaunting
A detailed comparison of Wave and Akaunting to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
💰 Pricing Comparison
| Plan | Wave | Akaunting |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✓ Free accounting and invoicing | ✓ Free (self-hosted) |
| Lowest Paid | Free | Free |
| Enterprise | Paid payroll available | Paid modules available |
⚡ Feature Comparison
| Feature | Wave | Akaunting |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | ✓ | — |
| Invoicing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Receipt scanning | ✓ | — |
| Financial reports | ✓ | — |
| Bank connections | ✓ | — |
| Payments | ✓ | — |
| Payroll (paid) | ✓ | — |
| Multi-currency | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dashboard | ✓ | — |
| Mobile app | ✓ | — |
| Expenses | — | ✓ |
| Banking | — | ✓ |
| Reports | — | ✓ |
| Multi-company | — | ✓ |
| Self-hosting | — | ✓ |
| App store | — | ✓ |
| API | — | ✓ |
| Custom modules | — | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rating | ⭐ 4 | ⭐ 3.9 |
Pros & Cons
Wave
Pros
- ✓ Completely free
- ✓ Easy to use
- ✓ Good for basics
- ✓ Receipt scanning
Cons
- ✗ Limited features
- ✗ No inventory
- ✗ No time tracking
- ✗ Basic reporting
Akaunting
Pros
- ✓ Free and open source
- ✓ Web-based
- ✓ Self-hostable
- ✓ Modern interface
Cons
- ✗ Limited features vs paid tools
- ✗ Requires hosting
- ✗ Small community
- ✗ Basic reporting
🏆 The Verdict
Choose Wave if: You need freelancers and micro-businesses wanting free accounting. Wave excels with its completely free and easy to use.
Choose Akaunting if: You need small businesses wanting free, self-hosted accounting. Akaunting stands out with its free and open source and web-based.
Best free option: Both Wave and Akaunting offer free tiers. Wave offers "Free accounting and invoicing" while Akaunting offers "Free (self-hosted)".
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wave better than Akaunting?
It depends on your needs. Wave is better for freelancers and micro-businesses wanting free accounting, while Akaunting is better for small businesses wanting free, self-hosted accounting. Both are excellent tools rated 4 and 3.9 respectively.
Which is cheaper, Wave or Akaunting?
Wave starts at Free while Akaunting starts at Free. Both offer free tiers.
Can I switch from Wave to Akaunting?
Most tools offer import/export features to help you migrate. We recommend trying Akaunting's free tier before fully committing to a switch.
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