Hnry vs Wave (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Hnry if

• Fits if you're a New Zealand sole trader who doesn't want to think about tax
• Works for contractors who'd like tax taken out of each payment automatically

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you run a company or have staff, as the pages describe sole traders only
• Pricey if you earn a lot: the 1% fee runs up to $1,500 plus GST a year
• Tight if you're paid in many small amounts: payments under $50 carry a $0.50 plus GST minimum
• Watch out: the Australian and UK versions are separate sites that we didn't read

Pick Wave if

• Fits if you're a sole trader in the US or Canada who mostly sends invoices
• Works for owners who'd pay Wave's own bookkeepers, from $149 a month, to keep the books

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if your business is outside the US or Canada
• Skip it if you bill by the hour, as there's no time tracking, projects or inventory on the listing
• Tight if you stay free, since every bank transaction is typed in by hand and card fees are 2.9% plus $0.60
• Watch out: live chat and email support need Pro or a paid add-on, and run weekdays 9 AM to 4:45 PM Eastern only
• Pricey if you add payroll, at $40 a month in the US plus $6 per employee and per contractor paid

Hnry

• The fee is 1% + GST of income paid into the Hnry Account, so it rises with earnings up to $1,500 + GST a year.
• Payments under $50 carry a minimum fee of $0.50 + GST each, per the pricing FAQ.
• It is built for sole traders; the pages do not describe it as a ledger for companies or staffed businesses.
• Prices were read on the New Zealand site; Australian and UK versions are separate sites that were not read.

Wave

• Wave describes itself as serving businesses in the US and Canada, and its pricing page shows prices only in US and Canadian dollars.
• Payroll costs $40 a month in the US plus $6 per active employee and $6 per contractor paid (Canada: $25 CAD base).
• Bank feeds, automatic reminders and most third-party integrations need Pro; Starter has no bank import.
• Live chat and email support come only with Pro or a paid add-on, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 4:45 PM Eastern.

Hnry

Tax calculated and paid for you

Self-employed income paid into the Hnry Account has tax calculated, deducted and paid, and the rest goes where you direct it.

Tax filings

Hnry acts as your accountant and files your tax returns when they are due, as part of the fee.

Invoicing

Send invoices from the app and have unpaid ones chased. The pricing page says using Hnry to invoice is optional.

Expenses and business Mastercard

Log expenses from a photo, or pay with the Hnry Business Mastercard, which raises business expenses automatically.

Allocations and mileage

Set automatic payments to savings, investments or charities, and track mileage with the separate Mileage by Hnry app.

Wave

Invoices and estimates

Unlimited invoices and estimates on the free plan. Pro removes Wave branding, adds reusable message templates and sends automatic late payment reminders.

Online payments

Customers pay invoices by card or bank payment once online payments are approved; deposits can be collected through estimates.

Bookkeeping and bank feeds

Unlimited bookkeeping records on every plan. Pro imports bank transactions through Plaid, then merges and categorizes them.

Receipt capture

Receipts uploaded from the mobile app, desktop or email become records by OCR. Included in Pro, or $8 a month on Starter.

Wave Payroll

Pays employees and contractors, with tax filing in all 50 US states and CRA remittances in Canada. A separate add-on.

Wave Advisors

Wave's in-house bookkeepers can keep the books for you or coach you to do them yourself, from $149 a month.

Hnry

• Pay as you earn$0

  No subscription. Fee is 1% + GST of each payment into your Hnry Account, capped at $1,500 + GST a year, and covers tax filing, expenses and support.

Wave

• Starter$0

  Unlimited invoices, estimates, bills and records. Card payments cost 2.9% plus $0.60 each, and bank transactions are not imported automatically.

• Pro$19

  per month, billed monthly

  Bank feeds with auto-categorizing, unlimited receipt capture, late payment reminders, more users and card fees of 2.9% with no fixed fee on the first 10 a month.

• Wave Advisors$149

  per month and up

  Pro features plus a dedicated bookkeeper who keeps the books and prepares monthly financial statements. Mobile receipts are not included.

Hnry

No public discounts listed.

Wave

• Annual discount

  Save $38 with annual Pro billing

  Pro costs $190 a year when billed annually, against $228 for twelve monthly payments of $19.

• Other savings

  Half off Pro for the first 3 months

  New Pro subscribers paying monthly on Wave's website pay $9.50 a month for the first three months, saving $28.50, then the listed $19 a month.

• Other savings

  Black Friday: Wave Advisors from $134 a month

  Bookkeeping plans bought from November 2 to November 30, 2026 start at $134 a month instead of $149, with up to 25% off two-year plans and $30 to $40 off coaching sessions.