Deelo vs Wave

Wave is solopreneurs who want free invoicing with basic accounting. Deelo is the all-in-one alternative with 50+ apps at a fraction of the cost.

Deelo

Price: Free / from $19/seat/mo

Best for: Businesses that want one platform for everything

Strengths

  • 50+ integrated apps in one platform — CRM, invoicing, scheduling, helpdesk, eCommerce, HR, and more
  • Free plan with all apps included; paid plans from $19/seat/month with no contracts
  • Data flows between apps automatically — no integrations to configure or maintain
  • Built-in AI assistant that works across all your business data

Considerations

  • Newer platform with a growing but smaller community compared to legacy tools
  • Individual apps may have fewer niche features than a single-purpose competitor
  • Ecosystem of third-party integrations is still expanding

Wave

Price: Free + payment processing fees

Best for: Solopreneurs who want free invoicing with basic accounting

Strengths

  • Completely free invoicing and accounting
  • Clean interface that is easy for non-accountants
  • Free receipt scanning and bank connections

Gaps Deelo fills

  • Revenue comes from payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.60)
  • No project management, CRM, or scheduling
  • Limited customer support — community forums are the main resource

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

FeatureDeeloWave
Professional invoice templates with custom branding
Online payment acceptance (card, ACH, PayPal)
Automated payment reminders and overdue notices
Recurring invoices and subscription billing
Expense tracking and receipt capture
Multi-currency and multi-tax support
Built-in CRM
Invoicing & billing
50+ integrated business apps
AI assistant
No long-term contract required
Free plan available

Where Each Platform Excels

Pricing & Value

Deelo starts free with all 50+ apps and upgrades to $19/seat/month. Wave costs Free + payment processing fees and only covers invoicing. For businesses that need more than one tool, Deelo replaces multiple subscriptions with a single, affordable platform.

Platform Breadth

Wave excels at invoicing with features like professional invoice templates with custom branding and online payment acceptance (card, ach, paypal). Deelo matches these capabilities and adds CRM, invoicing, scheduling, helpdesk, eCommerce, HR, project management, and 40+ more apps — all connected, all included.

Setup & Learning Curve

Deelo gets most businesses running in under 15 minutes with industry-specific onboarding. Wave also offers a clean setup experience. The difference is that with Deelo, you set up one platform instead of integrating five.

Support & AI

Deelo includes a built-in AI assistant that can answer questions, pull data, and help you navigate across all 50+ apps. Wave may offer support documentation and chat, but it cannot reach into your CRM, invoices, and schedules the way Deelo's integrated assistant can.

Which One Is Right for You?

Choose Wave if...

  • You only need invoicing and nothing else
  • You are already deeply invested in the Wave ecosystem
  • You need the most specialized invoicing features regardless of cost

Choose Deelo if...

  • You want invoicing plus CRM, invoicing, scheduling, and more in one platform
  • You are tired of paying for and managing multiple SaaS subscriptions
  • You want an AI-powered platform that grows with your business
  • You want to start free with no contract lock-in

Try the Wave Alternative That Does It All

Get invoicing plus 50+ business apps, free. No credit card, no contract.