Compare · facts captured 2026-08-24
Wave is free-to-start accounting and invoicing. ficary is a leftover inbox. We will not invent their current paid add-on prices.
Nominative comparison, not a partnership. Firm sales open when this suite is in the product. Tax prep stays last. ficary has not earned SOC 2, ISO 27001, or a HIPAA attestation.
| Axis | Wave | ficary |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Accounting/invoicing marketed as free; payments and payroll are paid — verify on waveapps.com | Free to start. Pro for bills/vendors/jobs |
| Inbox | A register and receipts | Leftover list as the product |
| Firm layer | Not practice management | Firm CRM and work live; mail/portal partial |
Choose Wave when you need invoices and a register today at the lowest cash outlay.
A low-friction start and invoices without a bookkeeping contract. If price is the only axis, they are hard to beat on the homepage.
Choose ficary when the register is not the product — leftovers are.
An inbox that tells the owner what still needs a human. Free accounting that still leaves August open is the failure we exist to stop.
Map a CSV. Reconnect the bank.
Isolation and private inference: Protected SKU. No earned SOC 2, ISO 27001, or HIPAA badge. No client stories and no unpublished seat prices.
For an owner who outgrew a free register, yes that is the door. We do not compete on “free forever accounting” as a slogan.
Also: Wave alternatives · leave Wave · ficary vs FreshBooks · ficary vs QuickBooks Online · ficary vs Zoho Books · all comparisons
Practice + books
Google and Microsoft. As-of WIP. Realization. Fee caps. One close. Write us when you are ready to leave.