Wave’s $0 plan: unlimited invoices, and the 2.9% + $0.60 that comes with them
The short answer
Wave’s Starter tier is $0 a month: unlimited estimates and invoices, receipt capture and basic bookkeeping records. The cost moves to payments, at 2.9% plus $0.60 per credit card transaction. Pro is $19 a month or $190 a year, and the accounting coach add-on starts at $149 a month.
What the $0 tier covers
Read from Wave’s pricing page on 19 October 2026. The Starter plan is listed at $0 and covers the basics a one-person business needs to invoice and keep records.
| Item | Starter | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $0per month | $19per month |
| Annual price | $0 | $190per year |
| Estimates and invoices | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Receipts and bookkeeping records | Included | Included |
| Card payments | 2.9% + $0.60 each | Discounted rate |
Where the money actually goes
The software is free. The payment rail is not. At 2.9% plus $0.60, a ₹-equivalent invoice paid by card quietly costs you a slice of every transaction. A business taking $2,000 a month in card payments pays roughly $58 in fees plus $0.60 per transaction.
That is not a hidden fee, it is the business model: free books, paid payments. If most of your clients pay by bank transfer instead of card, the $0 tier is genuinely $0.
When Pro is worth $19
Pro adds a discounted payment rate and the bookkeeping extras that matter once you have staff or inventory. The break-even is simple arithmetic: if the discount on card fees saves more than $19 a month, Pro pays for itself. Below that, stay on Starter.
The accounting coach add-on starts at $149 a month, which is a different purchase entirely: it is paying for a human, not software.
What to watch before you commit
Currency and tax rules vary by country, and free plans like this one are usually built around US dollar invoicing. Check the local tax fields and the payout options for your country before you move your books across. If you are still costing the whole stack, start with what an AI tool stack costs and automating invoice chasing.
Sources
Wave pricing page (waveapps.com/pricing), read 19 October 2026. Starter and Pro prices, the 2.9% + $0.60 card rate and the accounting coach starting price are from that page.
Prices and plan limits read from the vendor's own pricing page on 19 October 2026. Vendors change pricing without notice, so check before you pay.