KashFlow vs Wave Comparison
Compare KashFlow vs Wave features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
KashFlow
5.3/10
KashFlow is a UK cloud accounting package from IRIS for sole traders and small businesses. It covers invoicing, bank feeds, VAT filing, and basic payroll.
Wave
4.9/10
Wave is a free-to-start accounting, invoicing, payments and payroll tool for very small businesses and freelancers in the US and Canada.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.3/10 | 4.9/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 2/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 3/10 |
| Compliance | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Integration | 5/10 | 3/10 |
| Security | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Support | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Cost | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Ease of Use | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | £14/mo Starter | $19/mo Pro |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | £28/mo Business | $19/mo Pro |
| Features | ||
| Inventory Accounting | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Financial Reporting | ||
| General Ledger | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Online Payments | ||
| Payroll | ||
| Audit Trail | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Tax Compliance | Not listed | |
KashFlow vs Wave cost by team size
| Team size | KashFlow | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | £14/moStarter | FreeStarter |
| 5 users | £28/moBusiness | $19/moPro |
| 10 users | £28/moBusiness | $19/moPro |
| 25 users | £28/moBusiness | $19/moPro |
| 50 users | £28/moBusiness | $19/moPro |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose KashFlow
- Higher Analytics score (5/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Compliance score (6/10 vs 4/10)
- Includes Inventory Accounting, which Wave lacks
Why choose Wave
- Has a free plan (KashFlow does not)
- Higher Ease of Use score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 8/10)
- Better fit for freelancers (9/10 vs 7/10)
Pros & Cons
KashFlow
Pros
- Low entry price, with steep introductory discounts for new customers
- Payroll for up to five employees is included rather than sold separately
- VAT management and online submission are built into both plans
- Stock control and multi-currency are included even on the cheapest plan
- Accountants can use KashFlow Connect at no charge
Cons
- The Starter plan caps invoices at 10 and bank reconciliation at 25 transactions, and allows only one user
- Reviewers call it too basic for medium-sized businesses and difficult to customise
- Very low Trustpilot rating (1.4) and app store ratings, with complaints about customer service
- The API is SOAP-based, and some reviewers say it integrates less well than rivals
Wave
Pros
- The free Starter plan includes unlimited invoices, estimates and bookkeeping records.
- Pro is a flat $19 per business rather than per user.
- US payroll now includes tax filing in all 50 states at a single price.
- Pro waives the $0.60 card fee on the first 10 payments each month.
Cons
- Free users get only chatbot support, there is no phone support, and reviewers report slow responses even on paid plans.
- There is no inventory tracking, time tracking or audit trail.
- Reports can only be adjusted by date range and cash or accrual basis.
- Trustpilot reviewers describe payroll problems after Wave moved payroll processing to Check in mid-2025.
- Automatic bank feeds and extra users require the Pro plan.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
KashFlow scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 5.3/10 against 4.9/10 for Wave. The largest gap is in Analytics: 5/10 for KashFlow and 3/10 for Wave.
Wave has a free plan; KashFlow does not list one.
Wave is the better fit for freelancers: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 7/10 for KashFlow.
KashFlow has Inventory Accounting, which Wave lacks.
