If you have inventory, then ZipBooks isn’t the right software for you—try QuickBooks Online, which has great inventory accounting. ZipBooks is also better than QuickBooks Essentials for Project accounting. However, QuickBooks users who upgrade to QuickBooks Plus for $90 per month will have project accounting superior to ZipBooks. Most who left a ZipBooks review praised the ease of use, layout, and user experience (UX). One reviewer even mentioned that they like the fact it only has the basic features they need, so they don’t have to “wade through” a bunch of unnecessary clutter.

1. Wave Accounting enables you to generate invoices and customize them for your logo and brand color accents.
2. Wave’s Starter and Pro Plans are affordable ways to set up invoicing and accounting solutions for your business.
3. But there are some integrations that should be important, such as integration with financial institutions, payroll integration, and online payment capability.

In this ZipBooks review, I’ll examine its Sophisticated tier’s features to help you determine if it’s a good fit for your business. We are driven by the Fit Small Business mission to provide you with the best answers to your small business questions—allowing you to choose the right accounting solution for your needs. Our meticulous evaluation process makes us a trustworthy source for accounting software insights. We don’t just scratch the surface; we immerse ourselves in every platform we review by exploring the features down to the finest nuances. Both programs support expense tracking, client portals, items, and a similar number of reports. Invoice Ninja is also the only other software to offer an eCommerce feature similar to Wave’s Checkouts.

In this side-by-side comparison we examine two popular software applications; Zipbooks and Wave, looking at features, ease of use, and cost to make the decision just a little bit easier. Both Wave and ZipBooks offer forever free plans, but they each offer slightly different features with different limitations. The biggest issue we have with Wave Accounting is its lack of scalability. While it works well for independent freelancers and micro-businesses, if you are looking to scale your business you may need to transition to different software. The benefit of signing up for Wave Payment is a faster payment cycle as your clients can pay you directly from your invoice.

How We Evaluated ZipBooks

Enjoy a software that makes sense when you start sending invoices and tracking project information from your free ZipBooks account. Among the choices is a completely free plan with no time limits while the rest are premium plans with more advanced features. You may also start with its 30-day free trial to check out its full functionality.

If you were drawn to Wave because of its price, QuickBooks Self-Employed and its features are designed specifically for you at a small monthly cost. The software is a great choice for freelancers needing extra help managing their business and staying tax compliant without spending tons of money or hours to do so. If this is you, there are plenty of more scalable and capable accounting software options available.

Best Free Accounting Software Programs for 2024

With Wave Accounting you can generate invoices on the go from your iOS or Android device, and you will get notified every time your invoice is opened, gets due, or is paid. With such a feature rich invoicing module it is no surprise that Wave Accounting ranks in the top 17 invoicing software for freelancers. A chart of accounts is a default feature and will serve the needs of small to medium-sized businesses. The chart of accounts allows you to add additional accounts based on your needs. ZipBooks doesn’t help with preparing and filing income tax returns. However, they offer extra services like bookkeeping and tax support for an added monthly fee.

Why You Can Trust Fit Small Business

Merchant Maverick’s ratings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from user reviews. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships. While Wave is one of the best free accounting software options, it isn’t the only option. Invoice Ninja is also a great alternative to Wave if you just need invoicing software rather than full accounting software. Invoice Ninja is ideal for small businesses that need invoicing and basic financial management but aren’t quite ready for a full-on accounting program such as Wave.

The company makes its money off of additional services, such as its bookkeeping advisors. Consider why you’re looking at Wave alternatives in the first place. Are you an existing Wave user who is discontented with a certain aspect of the software? Are you a potential user who is worried Wave won’t have all the features you need? If you can pinpoint the issue you have with Wave, it’ll be easier to find a program that eliminates that problem. Best for small businesses looking for free invoicing software with ample automations and light eCommerce tools.

It automatically categorizes your transactions and tracks the money you make and the amounts owed in your accounts receivable report. It also lets you perform project-based accounting https://1investing.in/ through tagging and time tracking. The Smarter Plan supports up to five users and offers additional benefits like connectivity to multiple bank accounts and a time tracker function.

For a free-to-use accounting software, Wave Accounting is rich with features. The list of available features is extensive and includes sales, purchasing, accounting, banking, and reporting. You can do double-entry accounting, and you can link the software to your bank account, eliminating the need for multiple entries. ZipBooks has a slight edge in this category as it offers live chat support and a chatbot. It also provides better customer service to users of the free plan.

You can add sales tax items in ZipBooks by jurisdiction and then add them to your invoices but, first, you need to encode sales tax rates in the settings. In ZipBooks Starter, you can include 1099 classification for independent contractors and charge sales taxes to invoices. Wave also shares the same features, plus creating sales tax adjustments on credit memos and viewing sales tax liabilities in detail. However, you can’t file sales tax returns and pay sales tax liability within ZipBooks or Wave.

If you’re a small business owner, the search for the perfect business accounting software can feel like a never-ending maze. You may have come across ZipBooks vs Wave comparison articles in your research, two excellent choices that promise to simplify your financial management. You can automatically sync the hours tracked in ZipBooks with Gusto so that the hours you pay your employees for match the hours you’ve tracked for accounting. ZipBooks also integrates with Square and PayPal to accept electronic payments from your customers. We have an extensive history of reviewing small business accounting software, and we stay up-to-date with the latest features and enhancements.

ZipBooks vs Wave: Features

However, Wave can also connect with more than 2,000 apps through Zapier. There’s also an Accountant plan designed for professional accountants who provide accounting services to clients. Wave’s Launchpad offers a great starting point for new users, letting you choose whether to access Professional Invoicing, Better zipbooks vs wave Bookkeeping, or Reliable Payroll. Just click on one of the options, and Wave will guide you through the entire setup process. Both ZipBooks and Wave offer easy system navigation, a must for small business owners who have little time to spend dealing with a complicated application with a steep learning curve.

Most importantly, you can’t customize your chart of accounts in the two lower-tier plans. Invoice Ninja offers more invoice templates that are highly customizable. Invoice Ninja also provides a basic project management feature, which Wave lacks. Additionally, Invoice Ninja has more payment processing options, better customer service, and a cool listening commands feature. While not as well-known as QuickBooks or Xero, the software offers almost all the same features at a much more affordable cost. Add strong mobile apps, excellent customer service, and some of the best invoicing on the market, and Zoho Books becomes a great contender for businesses looking for a Wave alternative.