FreshBooks
Strong ChoiceInvoicing, expenses, time tracking and accounting for freelancers and small service businesses. No free plan; Lite from $23/mo (30-day trial).
From $23/mo
Prices checked October 21, 2026freshbooks.com pricing page
78/100
Tool matchup
FreshBooks vs Wave
FreshBooks vs Wave for consultants. Compare two Ops & Finance tools on pricing, setup speed, strengths, and Curalo score.
Wave
Strong ChoiceSMB-friendly invoicing, payments, and lightweight accounting with a free starter path and optional paid automation features.
Free
Prices checked April 5, 2026waveapps.com pricing page
78/100
Verdict
FreshBooks and Wave are nearly tied.
Decision guidance
- FreshBooks: Strong on trust
- Wave: Strong on trust
- Both options are close on total score. Choose based on workflow constraints and setup preference.
What drives this decision
- Pricing sanity favors Wave by 3 points.
- Integrations favors FreshBooks by 3 points.
- Outcome fit favors FreshBooks by 1 points.
Decision shortcuts
Which one fits your practice
Choose FreshBooks if
- Best fit: Solo consultants and small firms who want invoicing, time, expenses and accounting in one place with little setup
- Integrations matters most to you: FreshBooks scores 12/15 vs 9/15 for Wave.
- Outcome fit matters most to you: FreshBooks scores 22/25 vs 21/25 for Wave.
Choose Wave if
- Best fit: Solo consultants and small service businesses that need invoicing and basic accounting without QuickBooks-level overhead
- Pricing sanity matters most to you: Wave scores 13/15 vs 10/15 for FreshBooks.
- UX polish matters most to you: Wave scores 12/15 vs 11/15 for FreshBooks.
Client-ready brief
Get this comparison decision brief
Send a concise summary of winner, trade-offs, and rollout recommendation.
- FreshBooks: 78/100
- Wave: 78/100
- FreshBooks and Wave are nearly tied.
Best fit
Who each tool is for
FreshBooks
Strong ChoiceBest for: Solo consultants and small firms who want invoicing, time, expenses and accounting in one place with little setup.
Why pick it: Invoices, time tracking, expenses and real accounting reports in one product built for service businesses, so billable hours become paid invoices without a second tool.
Watch for: Lite only lets you invoice 5 clients. If you only need a few invoices a month, a free option like Zoho Invoice or Wave is enough. If your business is registered in Israel, a local tool such as Morning fits better.
Wave
Strong ChoiceBest for: Solo consultants and small service businesses that need invoicing and basic accounting without QuickBooks-level overhead.
Why pick it: Low-friction free entry point makes it easy to professionalize billing and bookkeeping early.
Watch for: If you require advanced accounting controls, inventory, or complex tax workflows, you may outgrow it.
Swipe sideways to compare all columns.
FreshBooks | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Quick facts | ||
| Pricing sanity | From $23/mo | Free |
| Integrations | 6+ | 4+ |
| Score breakdown | ||
| Outcome fit | 22/25 | 21/25 |
| Setup speed | 14/20 | 14/20 |
| Pricing sanity | 10/15 | 13/15 |
| Integrations | 12/15 | 9/15 |
| UX polish | 11/15 | 12/15 |
| Trust & support | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Summary | ||
| Best for | Solo consultants and small firms who want invoicing, time, expenses and accounting in one place with little setup. | Solo consultants and small service businesses that need invoicing and basic accounting without QuickBooks-level overhead. |
| Main weakness | Weaker on pricing | Fewer integrations |
Pricing
Plan-by-plan pricing
FreshBooks
| Plan | Price | Limits (vendor's wording) |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $23 per account / month, billed monthly | Send invoices to up to 5 clients; expense tracking |
| Plus | $43 per account / month, billed monthly | Send invoices to up to 50 clients |
| Premium | $70 per account / month, billed monthly | More clients and features; see pricing page |
Prices checked October 21, 2026freshbooks.com pricing page
Wave
Plan-by-plan pricing is not recorded yet. See the starting price above and the vendor's pricing page.
Prices checked April 5, 2026waveapps.com pricing page
Cost calculator
What would you pay?
Seats
Billing
FreshBooks
No paid plan with a listed Annual price fits this team size. Contact sales or check the vendor's page.
Wave
Plan-by-plan pricing is not recorded yet. See the starting price above and the vendor's pricing page.
Uses list prices from each vendor's pricing page, before tax and discounts. Free plans and custom-quote plans are left out.
Method
How we checked
- Scores: Curalo rates each tool out of 100 on six consultant criteria (outcome fit, setup speed, pricing, integrations, UX, trust and support). See the scoring method
- FreshBooks: prices checked October 21, 2026 on the vendor's pricing page: freshbooks.com
- Wave: prices checked April 5, 2026 on the vendor's pricing page: waveapps.com
- Plans, limits and platforms are copied from each vendor's pricing page in the vendor's own terms.
- Anything a vendor does not publish is shown as not listed rather than guessed. Prices change, so confirm on the vendor's page before buying.
Common questions
Questions consultants ask before choosing
Which is better for consultants, FreshBooks or Wave?
FreshBooks and Wave both score 78/100 on Curalo's consultant rubric, so choose by workflow fit and price.
Is FreshBooks or Wave cheaper?
FreshBooks's cheapest paid plan is Lite at $23 per account / month, billed monthly. Wave: Free.
When is FreshBooks the wrong choice?
Lite only lets you invoice 5 clients. If you only need a few invoices a month, a free option like Zoho Invoice or Wave is enough. If your business is registered in Israel, a local tool such as Morning fits better.
When is Wave the wrong choice?
If you require advanced accounting controls, inventory, or complex tax workflows, you may outgrow it.
Guides
Guides for this matchup
The Consultant's Pricing Playbook: From Hourly to Value-Based
A framework to evaluate five pricing models, calculate what to charge, and build tiered packages — with formulas, scripts, and sourced benchmarks for solo consultants.
Ops and Finance Automation GuideA complete operations and finance stack for independent consultants — scheduling, invoicing, bookkeeping, and time tracking with budget tiers, setup sprints, and weekly cadences.
The First 30 Days: Setting Up Your Independent Consulting PracticeA stage-by-stage guide to setting up your consulting practice in the first month — from entity formation to first client delivery, with budget tiers at every step.
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