Paddle vs Wave
Side-by-side comparison to help you pick the right tool.
| Paddle | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Merchant of record payments for SaaS and software companies. | Free accounting, invoicing, and receipts for freelancers and small businesses. |
| Category | Finance Invoicing | Finance Invoicing |
| Pricing | Usage Based | Freemium |
| Skill Level | Developer | Beginner |
| Platforms | Web, Browser, Api Headless | Web, Browser, Ios, Android |
| Use Cases | Solo Indie, Small Team, Side Project | Solo Indie, Client Work |
| Traits | Fast To Set Up, Good Api, Active Development, Eu Gdpr Compliant | Has Free Tier, Fast To Set Up |
| Best For | Best for SaaS founders and indie developers who want to sell globally without dealing with international tax compliance and payment processor integrations themselves. | Best for freelancers and sole traders who need proper accounting and invoicing without a monthly software subscription. |
Paddle
Paddle acts as the merchant of record for your SaaS or software product — it handles checkout, VAT/tax compliance in 200+ countries, subscription management, fraud protection, and chargebacks. You never touch tax filings for international sales. Usage-based pricing at 5 % + $0.50 per transaction.
View detailsWave
Wave offers free double-entry accounting, unlimited invoicing, and receipt scanning — no per-invoice or monthly fee for core features. Payroll and payment processing are paid add-ons. It is the strongest free accounting option for freelancers and micro-businesses that do not need inventory or project tracking.
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