Comparison
eddies vs Wave
Wave is a web-first accounting suite that also sends invoices. eddies is an iPhone-native invoicing app that doesn't try to do accounting. Different tools, different problems — here's how to tell which one is actually yours.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | eddies | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Primary surface | iPhone-native | Web-first (with companion mobile app) |
| Free tier | Yes — unlimited invoices | Yes — invoicing + accounting |
| Paid tier | eddies Pro — $7.99/mo (custom branding) | Wave Pro — starting around $16/mo (bank reconciliation, other features) |
| Account required | No | Yes — Wave account required |
| Data storage | Your iPhone (+ your iCloud) | Wave servers |
| Full accounting | No | Yes — double-entry bookkeeping |
| Expense tracking | No | Yes |
| Bank feed connection | No | Yes (paid tier for automation) |
| Receipt scanning | No | Yes |
| Payment processing | No — invoicing only | Yes (Wave Payments) |
| Unlimited invoices | Yes | Yes |
| Currencies | 150+ built in | Limited multi-currency |
| Time to first invoice | Under 1 minute | 10+ minutes (account, setup) |
| Offline use | Full functionality offline | Requires internet for most workflows |
These aren't really the same product
Let's name it: eddies and Wave overlap at exactly one screen — the invoice. Wave wants to be your entire back office. eddies wants to be the fastest way to send a PDF invoice from your phone. That's the whole ambition.
If your bookkeeping is real — receipts, expenses, bank reconciliation, reports — Wave has legitimate value even at its free tier. If your bookkeeping is "I send invoices, my accountant handles the rest," Wave is more back office than you need.
When eddies wins
- Your whole freelance operation runs from your iPhone. Speed is the point.
- You outsource bookkeeping to an accountant or a separate tax service and just need a fast invoicing tool.
- You value privacy. Client data on your device, not on somebody's server farm. That's it.
- You bill in many currencies and want them built in without configuration.
- You want to send an invoice in seconds without opening a laptop.
When Wave wins
- You need actual accounting — expense tracking, categorization, reports, reconciliation.
- You process payments directly from invoices via credit card or ACH.
- You run a real small business (employees, multiple revenue streams, receipts to log).
- You prefer working from a browser and treat mobile as secondary.
- Free is your hard line and you'd rather run everything from one tool.
Using eddies and Wave together
A lot of freelancers just run both:
- Send invoices from eddies on your iPhone — the moment a job is done, before you get back to your desk.
- Log the resulting income in Wave when you sit down to update your books — usually weekly or monthly.
- Track expenses and receipts in Wave throughout the month for tax prep.
- Reconcile at month-end in Wave so income and expenses tie out to your bank statements.
eddies spits out a PDF you can share via any iOS app — Wave email, shared drive, wherever. Done.
FAQ
Is eddies a full replacement for Wave?
No, and it does not try to be. Wave is a full small-business accounting suite — invoicing, expenses, banking, receipts, payments, payroll add-on. eddies is invoicing only. If you need bookkeeping, keep Wave; if invoicing is the only Wave feature you actually use, eddies handles that part faster and locally.
Does Wave have a good iPhone app?
Wave's mobile apps are companion pieces to the web app rather than the primary experience — most workflows still assume you have a browser. eddies is the opposite: iPhone is the whole product. If your invoicing happens on your phone, eddies will feel considerably faster and simpler.
Which is cheaper?
Both have free tiers. Wave's free tier is broader (invoicing + accounting) but requires an account and lives on Wave's servers. eddies is free with no account and unlimited invoices, but does not include accounting. Wave Pro adds automatic bank reconciliation and other features at around $16/month; eddies Pro is $7.99/month for custom branding — different scope, different price.
Can I use eddies alongside Wave?
Yes, freelancers often do. Use eddies for fast invoicing from your iPhone, then log the resulting income in Wave (or another accounting tool) for bookkeeping and tax prep. eddies exports PDF invoices and can share them via any iOS app, so pushing a copy into Wave is a few taps.
Does eddies handle sales tax or VAT?
eddies supports adding tax lines to individual invoices — set a rate, include or exclude tax, or turn it off. It does not calculate sales tax obligations by jurisdiction, file returns, or track sales tax liability the way an accounting suite would. For that layer, Wave or a dedicated tool is the right fit.
Invoice like you mean business.
Free forever. No account. No card. First invoice in under a minute.
Get it free