Softwr

Accounting & Finance · head to head

Stampli vs Wave

Stampli logo

Stampli

Accounting & Finance

AI-powered accounts payable automation

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wave logo

Wave

Freelancers

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: Stampli pricing is by quote only: the pricing page publishes no rate, no minimum and no cost driver, offering only a Request a Quote form; Wave automatic bank transaction import and receipt scanning require the Pro plan at $19 a month
  • They diverge on capability: Stampli covers AI invoice processing, Wave covers Double-entry accounting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Stampli and Wave actually diverge.

Attributes where Stampli and Wave differ
AttributeStampliWave
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
CategoryAccounting & FinanceFreelancers
Founded20142010

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 Stampli

  • AI invoice processing
  • Approval workflows
  • Vendor management
  • Payment processing
  • Audit trails
  • NetSuite
  • Sage Intacct
  • QuickBooks

Only in Wave

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

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Stampli

  • Automating accounts payable invoice capture and codingnot Wave
  • Routing invoice approvals with discussion held against each invoicenot Wave
  • Paying suppliers and issuing virtual cards from the AP workflownot Wave

Wave

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

Where each one falls short

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

Stampli

  • Pricing is by quote only: the pricing page publishes no rate, no minimum and no cost driver, offering only a Request a Quote form
  • Payments and card products are sold alongside the core AP automation rather than being separately priced on the public site

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

Stampli

$29/month
  • Essential$undefined/month
    • Invoice processing
    • Basic approvals
    • Email notifications
  • Professional$undefined/month
    • AI-powered coding
    • Advanced workflows
    • ERP integrations
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom workflows
    • API access
    • Dedicated 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 Stampli if

  • You need ai invoice processing.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want approval workflows.
Stampli 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 Stampli or Wave better?
Neither clearly leads. Stampli 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, Stampli or Wave?
Wave has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Stampli and Free for Wave.
Does Stampli or Wave run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Wave for free?
Yes. Wave has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Stampli starts at $29/month.
What is Stampli best used for?
Stampli is most often used for automating accounts payable invoice capture and coding, routing invoice approvals with discussion held against each invoice, paying suppliers and issuing virtual cards from the ap workflow. Of those, automating accounts payable invoice capture and coding and routing invoice approvals with discussion held against each invoice are not what Wave is typically brought in for.
What can Stampli do that Wave cannot?
Stampli covers AI invoice processing, Approval workflows, Vendor management, Payment processing. Wave covers Double-entry accounting, Invoicing, Expense tracking, Financial reporting. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Stampli

More on Wave

Keep looking

Other head to heads