Both are strong choices. The short answer: pick Xero if you are teams that want modern UX and unlimited seats. Pick Wave if you are micro businesses that want free books.
| Xero | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| In one line | Clean cloud accounting with unlimited users on every plan. | Genuinely free accounting and invoicing. |
| Pricing | From $20/mo | Free accounting; pay for payments/payroll |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Best for | Teams that want modern UX and unlimited seats | Micro businesses that want free books |
| Category | Accounting & Bookkeeping | Accounting & Bookkeeping |
| Website | xero.com | waveapps.com |