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Software · head to head

Bidsketch vs Wave

Bidsketch logo

Bidsketch

Software

Professional Proposal Software

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wave logo

Wave

Software

Financial software for small businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Wave has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bidsketch tiers are seat caps rather than feature sets, at 1 user on Solo, 3 on Team and 8 on Business, with the same features throughout; Wave automatic bank transaction import and receipt scanning require the Pro plan at $19 a month
  • They diverge on capability: Bidsketch covers Proposal templates, Wave covers Double-entry accounting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bidsketch and Wave actually diverge.

Attributes where Bidsketch and Wave differ
AttributeBidsketchWave
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2010).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bidsketch

  • Proposal templates
  • Reusable content
  • Electronic signatures
  • Analytics
  • PDF export
  • Salesforce
  • FreshBooks
  • Zapier

Only in Wave

  • Double-entry accounting
  • Invoicing
  • Expense tracking
  • Financial reporting
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Receipt scanning
  • Multi-currency
  • Sales tax tracking

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bidsketch

  • Writing and sending client proposals from templatesnot Wave
  • Electronic signature and approval on a proposalnot Wave
  • Tracking when a proposal is openednot Wave
  • Reusable fee and content sections across proposalsnot Wave

Wave

  • Invoicing and bookkeeping for very small businesses and freelancersnot Bidsketch
  • Accepting card payments against issued invoicesnot Bidsketch

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bidsketch

  • Tiers are seat caps rather than feature sets, at 1 user on Solo, 3 on Team and 8 on Business, with the same features throughout
  • The $15 Starter plan is annual only, caps clients at 25 and excludes e-signatures and custom domains
  • Team is $79 a month billed monthly against $47 billed annually, a large gap for paying monthly
  • There is no free tier, only a 14 day trial

Wave

  • Automatic bank transaction import and receipt scanning require the Pro plan at $19 a month
  • The free plan pays a $0.60 per transaction fee on card payments on top of 2.9%, which Pro waives only for the first 10 transactions a month
  • Beyond 10 transactions a month the Pro plan pays the same per transaction fee as the free one
  • Amex is charged at 3.4% rather than 2.9% on both plans

Pricing, plan by plan

Bidsketch

$29/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Bidsketch review.

Wave

Free
  • AccountingFree
    • Unlimited invoicing
    • Expense tracking
    • Financial reports
  • Payments$undefined/transaction
    • 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction
    • Credit card processing
    • Bank payments (1%)
  • Payroll$35/month
    • $35/month base + $6/employee
    • Tax calculations
    • Direct deposit

Which should you pick?

Choose Bidsketch if

  • You need proposal templates.
  • You also want reusable content.
Bidsketch review

Choose Wave if

  • You need double-entry accounting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want invoicing.
Wave review

Questions people ask

Is Bidsketch or Wave better?
Neither clearly leads. Bidsketch starts at $29/month and Wave at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bidsketch or Wave?
Wave has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Bidsketch and Free for Wave.
Does Bidsketch or Wave run on more platforms?
Bidsketch runs on Web. Wave runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Wave for free?
Yes. Wave has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Bidsketch starts at $29/month.
What is Bidsketch best used for?
Bidsketch is most often used for writing and sending client proposals from templates, electronic signature and approval on a proposal, tracking when a proposal is opened, reusable fee and content sections across proposals. Of those, writing and sending client proposals from templates and electronic signature and approval on a proposal are not what Wave is typically brought in for.
What can Bidsketch do that Wave cannot?
Bidsketch covers Proposal templates, Reusable content, Electronic signatures, Analytics. Wave covers Double-entry accounting, Invoicing, Expense tracking, Financial reporting. Both handle Web support.
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