READ AND CATEGORIZED
Uploaded, read, placed.
A statement uploaded in Banks & Cards is read and categorized as it lands, with lines the AI can’t place left for you to answer. The statement then has to tie to the ledger before the month closes.
RANKING · WAVE ALTERNATIVES
The best Wave alternatives
for when free costs you your evenings.
The best Wave alternative is ZeraBooks, for owners who are done doing the books themselves. Wave’s Starter plan is free, but the categorizing and reconciling are still your hours. ZeraBooks’ AI does that work from your bank statements, proves each month against the bank, and the switch includes free setup and catch-up. The price of ZeraBooks AI bookkeeping is $79 a month billed annually.
We make ZeraBooks · 7-day trial · $79 a month billed annually
WHAT FREE REALLY COSTS
When does free accounting software stop being cheap?
A fictional owner who spends six hours a month categorizing and reconciling, valuing an hour of their time at $50.
| Doing it yourself on a free plan | ZeraBooks doing it | |
|---|---|---|
| Software | $0 | $79 a month billed annually |
| Owner’s hours a month | 6 | Minutes to upload statements and answer questions |
| Value of those hours | $300 | Close to $0 |
| Month proven against the bank | If you reconcile it | Every month, before it closes |
Fictional example. Put in your own hours and rate; past about an hour and a half a month at $50 ($79 ÷ $50 = 1.6 hours), the free plan costs more than ZeraBooks billed annually.
FREE SETUP
Leaving Wave? We move you and catch you up.
Send us your statements and Wave’s closing reports. On a free 15-minute call we set ZeraBooks up and catch up the months since.
THE RANKING
What are the best alternatives to Wave?
- 1
ZeraBooks
First for owners who want their hours back: statements in, a categorized and reconciled month out, invoices and bills in the same general ledger. Small business picks across the market are on the best bookkeeping software for small business page.
$79/mo billed annuallyBooks done for you
- 2
Zoho Books
Also free to start, with paid plans from $20 a month per organization.
Free, then $20/mo
- 3
FreshBooks
Invoicing-led, from $23 a month with 5 clients on Lite.
$23/mo
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
HOW THE WORK GETS DONE
What happens to a statement in ZeraBooks?
MORE SOFTWARE RANKINGS
Best AI accounting software, by need
- Best AI accounting softwareAn honest comparison of the AI accounting tools worth a look.
- Best bookkeeping software for small businessEight tools ranked on who does the monthly books.
- Best AI bookkeeperSeven AI agents ranked on what each does without you.
- Best Digits alternativesDigits today, and eight alternatives ranked.
- Best Puzzle alternativesPuzzle’s plans and AI credits, and eight alternatives.
- Best accounting software for self-employedInvoicing limits by plan and the books ready at tax time.
- Best accounting software for startupsFrom months behind to investor-ready, and eight tools ranked.
- Best accounting software for MacHow each runs on a Mac, and the PDFs Excel for Mac can’t read.
Is Wave still free?
Wave’s pricing page lists a Starter plan at $0 and a paid Pro plan, on November 8, 2026.
What is the best free alternative to Wave?
Zoho Books has a free plan. If the real cost is your time, ZeraBooks does the books for $79 a month billed annually.
How do I move from Wave to ZeraBooks?
Export Wave’s closing reports and download your bank statements. ZeraBooks starts from your closing balances, and we catch up the months since for free.
What is the best AI accounting software?
ZeraBooks takes first place on the best AI accounting software hub, ahead of Digits and Puzzle.
Sources and further reading
FREE SETUP + CATCH-UP
Get your evenings back.
Setup and catch-up free.
Start the 7-day trial, or book the free setup call and bring your statements.