Wave Accounting vs QuickBooks Enterprise

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Our analysts compared Wave Accounting vs QuickBooks Enterprise based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Accounting Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Wave Accounting Software Tool

Product Basics

Wave Accounting streamlines financial management for small businesses and freelancers. Its intuitive interface simplifies bookkeeping tasks like expense tracking, invoicing, and receipt scanning. Users praise its ease of use and mobile accessibility, making it ideal for entrepreneurs on the go. Wave offers core accounting features like bank reconciliation and income/expense reports, all for free. Premium plans unlock advanced functionalities like payroll, double-entry bookkeeping, and tax filing for an affordable monthly fee. Compared to similar products, Wave shines in user experience. Reviews highlight its intuitive design, helpful tutorials, and responsive customer support. However, its free plan lacks features crucial for larger businesses, requiring an upgrade for robust accounting needs. Ultimately, Wave excels as a beginner-friendly, cost-effective solution for solopreneurs and small teams seeking hassle-free financial management.

Pros
  • Free core features
  • Easy to use interface
  • Mobile-friendly design
  • Excellent customer support
  • Free bank reconciliation
Cons
  • Limited features in free plan
  • No inventory tracking
  • No double-entry accounting
  • Few integrations with other software
  • Limited reporting options
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QuickBooks Enterprise is an accounting ERP that enables users to hold one million patrons, vendors and inventory items, 100,000 classes, 45 custom fields and no more than 40 users. Users can manage bookkeeping, inventory, reporting, pricing rules, job costing,time tracking and more.

Its noteworthy features include pricing, job costing, hosting, field service management, order management and more.
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$20 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$1,922 Annually
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Assistance

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24/7 Live Support
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Product Insights

  • Free: Utilize Wave Accounting's free features forever, making it a great help for entrepreneurs and freelancers who may find themselves in the preliminary stages of launching their business or service.  
  • Easy Setup: Get to work immediately with easy account setup and installation. 
  • Available Anywhere: Access this solution on computers and mobile devices to access and change anything from practically any location. All changes are automatically saved and synced so users always see current information. 
  • Instant Transactions: Connect bank accounts for instant transaction recordings. It also eliminates manually inputting receipts. 
  • Stay Organized for Tax Season: Sort incomes, expenses, payments and invoices in one centralized location for tax time.  
  • Collaborate with Accountants: Share data and collaborate with accountants for smooth financial processing and advice. 
  • Top-Notch Security: Protect financial information with security components such as bank connections with 256-bit encryption in read-only formats and PCI Level-1 security for managing credit cards and bank account information. 
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  • Maintain Order Fulfillment: Handle every aspect of the order fulfillment process from beginning to end via advanced inventory management, barcode scanning and strengthened picking, packing and shipping. 
  • Track Projects: Maintain cash flow, construct more accurate estimates and keep revenue profitable by following job costs throughout several construction projects. 
  • In-Depth Reports: Leverage the advanced reporting apparatus to draft documents with suitable KPIs and contemplate better business strategies. 
  • Several Reports: Browse more than 200 report templates and 70 tailored industry documents via the reporting accessory. 
  • Adjust Pricing: Govern, alter and initiate automatic fees with the advanced pricing module. 
  • Offer Discounts: Establish quantity discounts, manufacturing markdowns, seasonal and scheduled promotions and top-priority customer rules. 
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  • Link Accounts and Credit Cards: Connect an unlimited amount of bank accounts and credit cards. Users may supervise multiple businesses with one account. 
  • Smooth Integrations: Integrate Shopify transactions and link with PayPal, Shoeboxed and Etsy accounts. 
  • Intricate Dashboards: Elaborate dashboards that display cash balances, invoice statuses, incomes, expenses and payments. This accessory also provides bill and invoice reminders. 
  • Export Various Reports: Export a variety of accounting reports such as profit and loss, sales tax, cash flow, comparative and others. 
  • Automatic Updates: Receive prompt updates and reminders on invoices, payments and payroll details. 
  • Evaluate High Volumes of Transactions: Process a bulk amount of transactions to ensure rapid bookkeeping practices. Users can also perform and accept transactions in foreign currencies and search for transactions based on descriptions. 
  • Double-Entry Accounting: Operate with double-entry accounting—a method that chronicles transactions in two or more accounts — that performs prompt exchange rate calculations and has a flexible sales tax module. 
  • Adaptable Expense and Income Categories: Use account IDs to create adjustable expense and income categories, sometimes called chart of accounts. There's also an unlimited income and expense tracking accessory. 
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  • User Permissions: Permit anywhere from one to 40 users that work simultaneously on this solution and initiate user permissions to safeguard confidential information. Choose from one of 14 preset roles for new users and permit which users can review, alter or erase particular patrons, suppliers or data. 
  • Payroll:  Construct infinite checks, initiate direct deposit, sort payroll taxes and generate W2 forms. Users may install calendar reminders to meet payroll tax deadlines on time. 
  • Reporting: Peruse more than 200 adjustable report templates suitable for particular industries or create reports from scratch. 
  • Payments: Maintain updates and allocate costs straightaway to banks to always stay in the loop of bottom lines. Instantly match, attach and chronicle ACH and credit transactions made within QuickBooks. 
  • Time Tracking: Contrast and compare budgeted against actual hours, distribute responsibilities and track progress. Managers and clients may effortlessly validate finished timesheets and projects from mobile devices with the digital signature capture extension. 
  • Bank Management: Arrange bank transactions faster with improved payee, account and class matching. Leverage improved regulations and batch editing to reduce data entry and recognize and fix issues. 
  • Payment Receipts: Tailor receipts with business logos and more for a professional and consistent format for patron messages. 
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Product Ranking

#4

among all
Accounting Software

#27

among all
Accounting Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Wave Accounting
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Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Banking And Cash Management Budget And Expense Management Financial Statements And Revenue Management General Ledger And Chart Of Accounts Integration And Extensibility Inventory Management Journal Entries Mobile Support Multi-company Accounting And Asset Management Platform Capabilities Project Accounting Reporting And Analytics Tax Management 78 92 87 57 98 61 58 50 73 90 65 78 56 70 88 0 25 50 75 100
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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 2602 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 17875 reviews
88%
of users recommend this product

Wave Accounting has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 2602 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

90%
of users recommend this product

QuickBooks Enterprise has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 90% when considering 17875 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

4.0 (15)
5.0 (9)
4.4 (203)
4.2 (629)
4.43 (1298)
n/a
4.4 (964)
4.5 (16874)
4.0 (122)
4.3 (363)

Awards

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QuickBooks Enterprise stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

System Performance: Of the users who mentioned this solution's performance, precisely 65% said it's easy to use, documents all tasks performed and provides accurate information.
Modules: Approximately 57% of users who discussed this program's functionality said it has a variety of capabilities such as an assortment of reports, bank account synching and invoice reminders.
Cost: Of the users who mentioned this application's pricing, approximately 87% of users said they like the free version because it comes with plenty of appliances.
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Implementation: Of the users who discussed this program's implementation process, roughly 57% said it was straightforward and the interface was easy to learn.
Performability: Approximately 63% of users who mentioned this solution's overall performance stated it's great for entrepreneurs and small businesses and makes mundane bookkeeping tasks simple.
Functionality: Of the users who addressed this application's features, 68% said it's feature-rich, offers payroll and sales tax management and effortlessly tracks account receivables.
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Frustrating reconciliation process: Users often describe matching transactions as difficult and time-consuming, leading to delayed reconciliation and potential errors.
Limited reporting options: Users express a desire for more robust and flexible reporting features, including better sorting, exporting, and preset date options for generating customized reports.
Lack of phone support: Wave relies primarily on email and online resources for support, which can be frustrating for users who prefer immediate assistance or have complex issues to resolve.
Occasional glitches and errors: Users have reported occasional software glitches, such as duplicated transactions or difficulties with bank syncing, which can disrupt workflows and create data inconsistencies.
No inventory management: Wave lacks full-fledged inventory tracking and management capabilities, making it unsuitable for businesses with complex inventory needs or those who sell directly through eCommerce platforms.
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Training: Nearly 42% of users who discussed the software's training process said it had a slightly toilsome learning curve.
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Wave Accounting users appreciate its simplicity and affordability, making it a popular choice for freelancers and solopreneurs. The free plan covers essential features like invoicing, expense tracking, and basic reporting, catering to those with straightforward accounting needs. Users praise its intuitive interface and mobile app for on-the-go tracking, highlighting its convenience compared to clunky desktop software. However, Wave's limitations become apparent as businesses grow. Users cite frustrating reconciliation issues, limited reporting options, and the lack of advanced features like inventory management or payroll integrations. Compared to competitors like Quickbooks or Xero, Wave feels less capable of handling complex accounting workflows. While its automatic bank imports save time, the absence of phone support can be a dealbreaker for some users who need immediate help troubleshooting issues. Ultimately, Wave shines for its ease of use and zero-cost entry point, but its lack of scalability and robust features might necessitate switching to more powerful alternatives as businesses evolve. Choosing Wave comes down to prioritizing convenience and affordability over comprehensive functionality and expert support.

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QuickBooks Enterprise is a thorough accounting ERP with features aplenty — such as user permissions, reporting, bank management, payroll, time tracking and more — to keep bookkeeping tasks hassle free. Although some users find that the training materials and installation process were difficult, the majority found the implementation satisfactory and the interface manageable. This platform is handy for small businesses and entrepreneurs as it streamlines routine accounting assignments. Most users find this ERP an efficient accessory.

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