startbuddi vs Wave: an honest comparison

Wave is invoicing and double-entry accounting software for businesses in the US and Canada, with a free plan for unlimited invoices and bookkeeping records. startbuddi is a business workspace where invoices, payment links and expenses sit next to your contacts, inbox and marketing; pick Wave if you need real bookkeeping in North America, and startbuddi if you want to get paid through Paystack or Stripe from the same place you run your customers.

We make startbuddi, so we're biased. We've tried to be fair: we list where Wave is stronger, every fact about Wave links to its source, and anything we couldn't confirm on their own site is marked "not published". Checked in September 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.

startbuddi

startbuddi is best for

Small businesses that invoice from their customer list and take Paystack or Stripe payments

Wave

Wave is best for

US and Canadian freelancers who want free invoicing and double-entry bookkeeping

At a glance

Best for

startbuddiSmall businesses that invoice from their customer list and take Paystack or Stripe payments

WaveUS and Canadian freelancers who want free invoicing and double-entry bookkeeping

Free plan

startbuddiYes, the Free plan

WaveYes, Starter

First paid plan

startbuddiStarter, $29 a month

WavePro, $19 USD per month, billed monthly

Checked

startbuddiPrice book, October 2026

WaveSeptember 2026

Where each one is stronger

The short version. Wave first, because it does some things better than we do.

Wave is stronger at

Real accountingWave says it uses double-entry accounting, with balance sheet, profit and loss and cash flow reports; startbuddi has a cash-basis profit and loss only.

Bank connectionsWave Pro imports, merges and categorises bank transactions automatically; startbuddi has no bank feeds and expenses are entered by hand.

Unlimited free invoicesWave's free Starter plan has unlimited invoices, estimates and bills; startbuddi's Free plan allows 5 invoices a month.

Payroll and bookkeepersWave sells payroll as an add-on and offers a dedicated bookkeeper through Wave Advisors; startbuddi has neither.

Mobile appsWave has iOS and Android apps for invoicing; startbuddi is a web app.

startbuddi is stronger at

Works outside North Americastartbuddi takes Paystack payments in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa and Stripe worldwide, while Wave is for businesses in the US and Canada.

Invoices sit on the customer recordinvoices are created from a contact, and payments, notes and the collection timeline show on that contact's page next to their deals and conversations.

More ways to get paidpayment links, a pay-me page, a quick point-of-sale link and printable scan-to-pay QR codes live next to invoices, and every payment lands in one transactions feed.

Proposals and e-signed contractscontracts can be sent for signature from templates, and accepted estimates turn into invoices with the same line items.

More than moneythe same workspace runs contacts, a shared inbox, marketing, bookings and projects, with Chip on every screen.

Feature by feature

Each Wave value links to where we found it. Anything their site doesn't state is marked "not published".

Show differences only

startbuddi and Wave, feature by feature
Feature	startbuddi	Wave
Free planFree plan includes 5 invoices a month	Yes	YesSource (opens in a new tab)
Unlimited invoices on the free planUnlimited invoices from the Starter plan	No	YesSource (opens in a new tab)
EstimatesCustomers accept by replying to the email	Yes	YesSource (opens in a new tab)
Recurring invoicesDrafts rely on a daily job; check it's on before relying on it	Partial	YesSource (opens in a new tab)
Automatic late payment remindersOne-click Remind; automatic sequences rely on a daily job	Partial	Pro planSource (opens in a new tab)
Online card paymentsThrough your own Paystack or Stripe account	Yes	YesSource (opens in a new tab)
Automatic bank transaction import	No	Pro planSource (opens in a new tab)
Double-entry accountingCash-basis profit and loss only; not accounting software	No	YesSource (opens in a new tab)
Receipt captureUpload a receipt with each expense	Yes	Pro plan or add-onSource (opens in a new tab)
Payroll	No	Paid add-onSource (opens in a new tab)
Mobile apps	Web only	IOS and AndroidSource (opens in a new tab)
Where it's availablePaystack in 4 African countries, Stripe worldwide	Web app	US and Canada onlySource (opens in a new tab)

What each one looks like

Real screens, captured by us or taken from the official press kit, each dated.

startbuddi: Invoices — **startbuddi** · Invoices. Captured from our own account, personal details blurred.

startbuddi: Transactions — **startbuddi** · Transactions. Captured from our own account, personal details blurred.

startbuddi: Money reports — **startbuddi** · Money reports. Captured from our own account, personal details blurred.

Wave's own screens are on Wave's website. We don't show another company's product without a dated capture from a trial or its press kit.

Pricing side by side

List prices as each company publishes them. We never convert currencies.

See startbuddi pricing

startbuddi

FreeFree
Starter$29 a month
Growth$79 a month
Scale$199 a month

Prices in US dollars, billed monthly. From our pricing page, updated 7 Oct 2026.

Wave

StarterFreeSource (opens in a new tab)
Pro$19 USD per month, billed monthlySource (opens in a new tab)
Pro (annual)$190 USD per year, billed annuallySource (opens in a new tab)
Pro (Canada)$25 CAD per month, billed monthlySource (opens in a new tab)
Pro (Canada, annual)$250 CAD per year, billed annuallySource (opens in a new tab)
Wave Advisors$149 USD per month, starting price (includes Pro and a dedicated bookkeeper)Source (opens in a new tab)

Checked in September 2026. Check Wave's site for current plans.

Switching from Wave

What moving across involves.

Put your customer list in a CSV fileCollect your customers' names, emails, phone numbers and companies in a spreadsheet and save it as a CSV file.
Import it into startbuddi ContactsGo to Contacts, click Import, upload the file, map each column and review before importing. Up to 10,000 contacts go in at a time.
Connect how you get paidIn Money Manager → Settings, connect Paystack or Stripe and add your bank-transfer details, then set your invoice prefix, due days and tax rate under Invoice defaults.
Recreate open invoices and keep your booksRe-enter unpaid invoices and any retainer schedules by hand. startbuddi is not accounting software, so keep Wave or your accountant for bookkeeping and tax.

Sources

Checked in September 2026. startbuddi prices come from our own price book. Wave's website.

Questions people ask

Is startbuddi accounting software like Wave?

No. startbuddi has invoices, expenses, cash flow and a cash-basis profit and loss, but no general ledger, bank reconciliation, bank feeds or tax filing. If you need double-entry books, Wave does that and startbuddi does not.

Can I use startbuddi if I'm not in the US or Canada?

Yes. startbuddi is a web app and takes payments through Paystack (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa) or Stripe. Wave's help centre says Wave is for businesses in the US and Canada.

Does startbuddi have a free plan?

Yes. The Free plan includes Money Manager with 5 invoices a month, and paid plans have unlimited invoices. Every paid plan has a 30-day trial.

Can I use startbuddi and Wave together?

You can, but they don't sync. You would invoice in one place and copy the figures into the other, or export a CSV from startbuddi's reports for your bookkeeper.