Software · head to head
Wave vs Plutio
The short version
- Only Wave has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Wave automatic bank transaction import and receipt scanning require the Pro plan at $19 a month; Plutio core plan at $19/month is limited to 9 active clients with no additional contributors
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Wave and Plutio actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Wave
- Double-entry accounting
- Invoicing
- Expense tracking
- Financial reporting
- Bank reconciliation
- Receipt scanning
- Multi-currency
- Sales tax tracking
Only in Plutio
Nothing recorded that Wave does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Wave
- Invoicing and bookkeeping for very small businesses and freelancersnot Plutio
- Accepting card payments against issued invoicesnot Plutio
Plutio
No use cases recorded yet. See the Plutio review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Plutio
- Core plan at $19/month is limited to 9 active clients with no additional contributors
- AI credits and workflow actions are capped by tier: 800 AI credits and 900 monthly workflow actions on Core versus 10,000 and 50,000 on Max
Pricing, plan by plan
Wave
Free- AccountingFree
- Unlimited invoicing
- Expense tracking
- Financial reports
- Payments$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
Plutio
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Plutio review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Wave if
- You need double-entry accounting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want invoicing.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Wave or Plutio better?
- Neither clearly leads. Wave starts at Free and Plutio at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Wave or Plutio?
- Wave has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Wave and On request for Plutio.
- Does Wave or Plutio run on more platforms?
- Wave runs on Web, Ios, Android. Plutio runs on Web.
- Can I use Wave for free?
- Yes. Wave has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Plutio starts at On request.
- What is Wave best used for?
- Wave is most often used for invoicing and bookkeeping for very small businesses and freelancers, accepting card payments against issued invoices. Of those, invoicing and bookkeeping for very small businesses and freelancers and accepting card payments against issued invoices are not what Plutio is typically brought in for.
- What can Wave do that Plutio cannot?
- Wave covers Double-entry accounting, Invoicing, Expense tracking, Financial reporting.