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Proposals · head to head

HoneyBook vs Wave

HoneyBook logo

HoneyBook

Proposals

Client management for creative entrepreneurs

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wave logo

Wave

Professional Services

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: HoneyBook no free tier; free trial ends after 30 days requiring upgrade; Wave automatic bank transaction import and receipt scanning require the Pro plan at $19 a month
  • They diverge on capability: HoneyBook covers Meeting scheduler, Wave covers Double-entry accounting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HoneyBook and Wave actually diverge.

Attributes where HoneyBook and Wave differ
AttributeHoneyBookWave
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
CategoryProposalsProfessional Services
Founded20132010

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 HoneyBook

  • Meeting scheduler
  • Contracts
  • Payments
  • Project management
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • QuickBooks
  • Zoom

Only in Wave

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

Both cover

  • Invoicing
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

HoneyBook

  • Schedulingnot Wave
  • Appointment bookingnot Wave
  • Time trackingnot Wave
  • Resource managementnot Wave
  • Team coordinationnot Wave

Wave

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

Where each one falls short

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

HoneyBook

  • No free tier; free trial ends after 30 days requiring upgrade
  • Essentials plan limited to 2 team members, requiring Premium upgrade for unlimited team access
  • Essentials plan limited to 10 live lead forms, requiring Premium for unlimited

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

HoneyBook

$29/month
  • Starter$29/month
    • Unlimited clients and projects
    • Invoices, payments, proposals, contracts
    • Calendar and templates
  • Essentials$49/month
    • All Starter features
    • Scheduler and automations
    • QuickBooks Online integration
  • Premium$109/month
    • All Essentials features
    • Unlimited team members
    • Priority support

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 HoneyBook if

  • You need meeting scheduler.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want contracts.
HoneyBook review

Choose Wave if

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

Questions people ask

Is HoneyBook or Wave better?
Neither clearly leads. HoneyBook 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, HoneyBook or Wave?
Wave has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for HoneyBook and Free for Wave.
Does HoneyBook or Wave run on more platforms?
HoneyBook runs on Web, iOS, Android. 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. HoneyBook starts at $29/month.
What is HoneyBook best used for?
HoneyBook is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what Wave is typically brought in for.
What can HoneyBook do that Wave cannot?
HoneyBook covers Meeting scheduler, Contracts, Payments, Project management. Wave covers Double-entry accounting, Expense tracking, Financial reporting, Bank reconciliation. Both handle Invoicing, Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HoneyBook: What is included in HoneyBook's free trial?

HoneyBook offers a free 30-day trial with no credit card required. You can test virtually every feature including proposals, invoices, contracts, digital signatures, payments, scheduling, and automations.

Source
Wave: Can I try Wave before committing to a paid plan?

Sign up for the Starter Plan to take the bookkeeping and invoicing basics for a spin. Then, whenever you're ready, upgrade to the Pro Plan to unlock even more money management features.

Source
HoneyBook: What are HoneyBook's pricing tiers?

HoneyBook offers three plans: Starter at $29/month (with invoices, proposals, contracts, client portal), Essentials at $49/month (adds scheduler, automations, up to 2 team members), and Premium at $109/month (unlimited team members, priority support). All billed annually with 60-day money-back guarantee.

Source
Wave: What happens if I want to cancel my subscription?

Yes, you can unsubscribe at any time. The cancellation of your subscription will take effect at the end of the billing period in which you cancel.

Source
HoneyBook: Does HoneyBook integrate with accounting software?

Yes. Essentials plan and above include QuickBooks Online integration for syncing invoices and payments.

Source
Wave: Can I upgrade or downgrade my plan easily?

To upgrade to the Pro Plan, sign into Wave. Visit your dashboard or use your invoicing or accounting features, and click the 'Upgrade now' button.

Source
HoneyBook: What platforms does HoneyBook support?

HoneyBook is available on web (browser), iOS, and Android.

Source
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