Softwr

Professional Services · head to head

TravelPerk vs Wave

TravelPerk logo

TravelPerk

Professional Services

Corporate travel booking and expense management platform with policy controls

From
On request
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: TravelPerk pricing not transparently disclosed; organisations must request quotes and calculators to understand costs; 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 TravelPerk and Wave actually diverge.

Attributes where TravelPerk and Wave differ
AttributeTravelPerkWave
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb, 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 TravelPerk

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.

TravelPerk

  • Multinational enterprises consolidating travel and expense managementnot Wave
  • Professional services and consulting firms managing frequent traveller reimbursementnot Wave
  • Financial services and technology companies with strict spend controlsnot Wave
  • Event coordination and meeting logistics for hybrid teamsnot Wave
  • Companies seeking to reduce travel costs through policy enforcement and negotiated ratesnot Wave

Wave

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

Where each one falls short

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

TravelPerk

  • Pricing not transparently disclosed; organisations must request quotes and calculators to understand costs
  • Travel supplier inventory limited to partnerships (178 countries); less coverage than global GDS systems (Galileo, Sabre, Amadeus)
  • Requires integration setup with ERP and accounting systems; no standalone use for non-integrated workflows
  • Geographic limitations: primarily serves US, Canada, and EU; emerging market coverage is limited
  • Cashback programmes (Perk Card, Lodge Card) require company adoption; employee reimbursement workflows less developed

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

TravelPerk

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the TravelPerk 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 TravelPerk if

  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
TravelPerk 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 TravelPerk or Wave better?
Neither clearly leads. TravelPerk starts at On request and Wave at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, TravelPerk or Wave?
Wave has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for TravelPerk and Free for Wave.
Does TravelPerk or Wave run on more platforms?
TravelPerk runs on Web, iOS, Android, 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. TravelPerk starts at On request.
What is TravelPerk best used for?
TravelPerk is most often used for multinational enterprises consolidating travel and expense management, professional services and consulting firms managing frequent traveller reimbursement, financial services and technology companies with strict spend controls, event coordination and meeting logistics for hybrid teams. Of those, multinational enterprises consolidating travel and expense management and professional services and consulting firms managing frequent traveller reimbursement are not what Wave is typically brought in for.
What can TravelPerk do that Wave cannot?
Wave covers Double-entry accounting, Invoicing, Expense tracking, Financial reporting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

TravelPerk: What is included in Perk's travel booking service?

Perk covers flights, hotels, trains, and car rentals across 178 countries with special corporate rates. The platform includes 24/7 travel support for disruptions and automatic rebooking for flight delays.

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
TravelPerk: How does Perk's expense management integrate with accounting systems?

Perk captures receipts, categorises expenses, and syncs to ERP systems (SAP, Oracle) and accounting software (QuickBooks, NetSuite) for streamlined invoice reconciliation and reporting.

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
TravelPerk: Does Perk offer corporate cards?

Yes. Perk provides two corporate card programmes: Perk Card and Lodge Card with uncapped cashback on qualifying travel and dining purchases, reducing net spend.

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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