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Professional Services · head to head

Plutio vs Wave

Plutio logo

Plutio

Professional Services

Run your entire business in one place

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Wave logo

Wave

Professional Services

Financial software for small businesses

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Wave has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Plutio core plan limited to 9 active clients and no team contributors; Wave automatic bank transaction import and receipt scanning require the Pro plan at $19 a month
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Plutio and Wave actually diverge.

Attributes where Plutio and Wave differ
AttributePlutioWave
Starting price$19/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2010

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Professional Services).

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 Plutio

Nothing recorded that Wave does not also cover.

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.

Plutio

  • Managing projects with Kanban boards, Gantt charts, calendarsnot Wave
  • Creating invoices, proposals, and contracts with e-signaturesnot Wave
  • Tracking billable hours and scheduling client appointmentsnot Wave
  • Building client intake forms and sharing project progress portalsnot Wave

Wave

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

Where each one falls short

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

Plutio

  • Core plan limited to 9 active clients and no team contributors
  • Core plan AI credits at 800/month is significantly lower than Pro at 2,500
  • Max plan at $199/month is a high entry point for larger teams

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

Plutio

$19/month
  • Core$19/month
    • Up to 9 active clients
    • No team contributors
    • 800 AI credits/month
  • Pro$49/month
    • Unlimited active clients
    • 30 contributors included
    • 2,500 AI credits/month
  • Max$199/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • 10,000 AI credits/month
    • 2 TB storage

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 Plutio if

Nothing in the data separates Plutio from Wave on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Choose Wave if

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

Questions people ask

Is Plutio or Wave better?
Neither clearly leads. Plutio starts at $19/month and Wave at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Plutio or Wave?
Wave has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $19/month for Plutio and Free for Wave.
Does Plutio or Wave run on more platforms?
Plutio 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. Plutio starts at $19/month.
What is Plutio best used for?
Plutio is most often used for managing projects with kanban boards, gantt charts, calendars, creating invoices, proposals, and contracts with e-signatures, tracking billable hours and scheduling client appointments, building client intake forms and sharing project progress portals. Of those, managing projects with kanban boards, gantt charts, calendars and creating invoices, proposals, and contracts with e-signatures are not what Wave is typically brought in for.
What can Plutio do that Wave cannot?
Wave covers Double-entry accounting, Invoicing, Expense tracking, Financial reporting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Plutio: How much does Plutio cost?

Plutio offers three pricing tiers: Core at $19/month, Pro at $49/month, and Max at $199/month. Annual billing is also available with approximately 2 months in savings compared to monthly payments.

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
Plutio: Does Plutio offer a free trial?

Yes, Plutio offers a 7-day free trial with full access to all features. No credit card is required to start the trial.

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
Plutio: What are the limits on Plutio's Core plan?

The Core plan supports up to 9 active clients with no team contributors, includes 800 AI credits per month, and provides 100 GB of storage. For unlimited clients or more contributors, the Pro plan ($49/month) is required.

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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