Softwr

Accounting · head to head

Maxio vs Wave

Maxio logo

Maxio

Accounting

Billing and financial reporting platform for B2B SaaS companies

From
$599/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: Maxio entry-level Grow plan starts at $599/month, making it costly for very early-stage startups.; Wave automatic bank transaction import and receipt scanning require the Pro plan at $19 a month
  • They diverge on capability: Maxio covers Usage-based billing, Wave covers Double-entry accounting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Maxio and Wave actually diverge.

Attributes where Maxio and Wave differ
AttributeMaxioWave
Starting price$599/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Platformsweb, apiWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryAccountingProfessional Services
FoundedUnknown2010

Identical on both: 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 Maxio

  • Usage-based billing
  • Subscription management
  • Revenue recognition
  • SaaS metrics dashboards
  • Dunning and collections
  • Accounting and CRM integrations

Only in Wave

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

What people use each for

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

Maxio

  • Billing for B2B SaaS companies with complex contractsnot Wave
  • Usage-based and hybrid pricing meteringnot Wave
  • GAAP/IFRS revenue recognition for finance teamsnot Wave
  • SaaS metrics reporting for investors and boardsnot Wave

Wave

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

Where each one falls short

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

Maxio

  • Entry-level Grow plan starts at $599/month, making it costly for very early-stage startups.
  • Pricing above the Grow tier requires a custom quote rather than transparent self-serve pricing.
  • Focused specifically on B2B SaaS billing, so it lacks general e-commerce checkout or consumer payment features found in platforms like FastSpring.
  • Advanced features like multi-entity support and expense amortization are gated behind paid add-ons.

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

Maxio

$599/month
  • Grow$599/month
    • For businesses up to $100k in monthly billings
    • Usage-based and recurring billing
    • Automated invoicing and dunning
  • Scale$undefined/month
    • For businesses over $100k in monthly billings
    • Advanced revenue management add-ons
    • Multi-entity 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 Maxio if

  • You need usage-based billing.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want subscription management.
Maxio 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 Maxio or Wave better?
Neither clearly leads. Maxio starts at $599/month and Wave at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Maxio or Wave?
Wave has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $599/month for Maxio and Free for Wave.
Does Maxio or Wave run on more platforms?
Maxio runs on web, api. 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. Maxio starts at $599/month.
What is Maxio best used for?
Maxio is most often used for billing for b2b saas companies with complex contracts, usage-based and hybrid pricing metering, gaap/ifrs revenue recognition for finance teams, saas metrics reporting for investors and boards. Of those, billing for b2b saas companies with complex contracts and usage-based and hybrid pricing metering are not what Wave is typically brought in for.
What can Maxio do that Wave cannot?
Maxio covers Usage-based billing, Subscription management, Revenue recognition, SaaS metrics dashboards. Wave covers Double-entry accounting, Invoicing, Expense tracking, Financial reporting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Maxio: What does Maxio cost?

Maxio's Grow plan costs $599/month for businesses with up to $100k in monthly billings. Businesses above that threshold need the Scale plan, which requires a custom quote from Maxio's sales team.

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
Maxio: Is there a free plan?

No, Maxio does not offer a free plan. The Grow plan at $599/month is the entry point, with unlimited users included at no extra cost.

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
Maxio: What does Maxio integrate with?

Maxio integrates with accounting systems like QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite, CRMs including Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive, and 20+ payment gateways alongside its own Maxio 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
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