Tillage vs WaveThe free accounting and invoicing alternative
Updated . Every Wave fact links to its source.
Tillage
Wave
Monthly price
$0, unlimited users, quotes and invoices
Free Starter plan; Pro $19/mo or $190/yr
Online payment fees
Your client can cover them
Cards 2.9% + 60¢ (Pro: no 60¢ on the first 10 a month); bank payments 1%, $1 minimum
Margin on quotes
Variance buffer and profit margin on every line
No markup or margin controls found
The short answer
Wave is small-business accounting with free invoicing, real double-entry bookkeeping and optional payroll. Tillage is free invoicing for agencies, with quotes that protect your margin, contracts, payment schedules and fees your client can cover. Wave replaces your bookkeeping. Tillage replaces your quoting and billing workflow, alongside the books you already keep.
Choose Tillage if
- YesYou quote projects and need contracts and milestone billing
- YesYou want clients to cover payment processing fees
- YesYou already keep books in QuickBooks, Xero or Puzzle
Choose Wave if
- YesYou need free double-entry accounting and financial reports
- YesYou want payroll and receipt capture in the same app
- YesYou only send simple invoices and estimates
Tillage vs Wave, feature by feature
| Feature | Tillage | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | Yes$0, unlimited users, quotes and invoices | YesFree Starter plan; Pro $19/mo or $190/yr |
| Online payment fees | YesStripe 2.9% + 30¢ (cards) or 0.8% capped at $5 (ACH), plus 1% capped at $50 per invoice | PartlyCards 2.9% + 60¢ (Pro: no 60¢ on the first 10 a month); bank payments 1%, $1 minimum |
| Pass fees to clients | YesBoth Stripe and platform fees, set team-wide | NoWave does not permit surcharging |
| Quotes and estimates | YesHours × rate, or itemized with units and sections | YesUnlimited estimates |
| Variance and profit margin on quotes | YesVariance buffer and profit margin on every line | NoNo markup or margin controls found |
| Contracts with e-signatures | YesGenerated from approved quotes | NoNo contracts or e-signatures found |
| Deposits and milestone payment schedules | YesPercentages triggered by signing, dates or milestones | PartlyDeposits through estimates; no milestone schedules |
| Recurring invoices and retainers | YesWeekly, monthly, quarterly, every six months or yearly | PartlyPro plan only |
| Client pages with no login | YesSecure links to approve, sign and pay | PartlyInvoice payment links; no client portal |
| Time tracking | NoNot a time tracker | NoThrough third-party integrations |
| Full accounting and bookkeeping | NoUse alongside your accounting software | YesDouble-entry bookkeeping and reports |
| QuickBooks or Xero sync | NoComing soon: QuickBooks Online, Xero, Mercury and Puzzle | PartlyNot needed: Wave is the accounting system |
| AI quote drafting | YesDrafts line items, hours and rates with your OpenAI or Claude key | NoNone found |
| Claude and ChatGPT through MCP | YesQuotes, contracts and invoices | PartlyPublic API with webhooks; no MCP |
Wave pricing
Priced per business, not per user. Online payments require Wave’s approval.
- Starter
- FreeUnlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping
- Pro
- $19/mo, or $190/yrPer business. Adds team users, bank import, recurring invoices, late reminders
- Add-ons
- Payroll from $25–$40/mo; bookkeeping help from $149/moReceipt capture is extra on Starter
- Tillage, for comparison
- $0/month with unlimited users1% when paid online, capped at $50 per invoice. Your client can cover it. See pricing
Where Wave is better
No tool is right for everyone. Here is where it may suit you better.
Real accounting for free
Double-entry bookkeeping and financial reports at no cost, so you may not need a separate accounting tool.
Payroll and bookkeeping help
Payroll, receipt capture and done-for-you bookkeeping are available in the same product.
Low-cost paid tier
Pro is $19 a month per business, and waives the 60¢ card fee on the first 10 payments each month.
A public API
Documented API and webhooks for custom integrations.
Where Tillage is better for agencies
Clients can cover the fees
Wave does not allow surcharging, so you always absorb processing. Tillage lets each client cover card, ACH and platform fees, so you receive the full invoice.
Quotes with margin and contracts
Wave estimates have no margin controls and Wave has no contracts. Tillage builds quotes with variance and profit margin, then turns approved quotes into signed contracts.
Milestone billing
Wave handles a deposit through an estimate. Tillage splits projects into deposits and milestones, issuing each invoice on signing, a date or a milestone.
Lower card fees per payment
Wave charges 2.9% + 60¢ per card payment after the first 10 on Pro. Tillage uses Stripe’s 2.9% + 30¢, plus a 1% platform fee your client can cover.
Recent Wave changes
May 2024
Wave moved to a free Starter plan and a paid Pro plan at $16 a month. Legacy businesses moved to Starter on June 10, 2024.
By Dec 2025
Pro’s list price rose to $19 a month ($190 a year).
Switching from Wave
- 1
Export your customer list from Wave and import it into Tillage as clients.
- 2
Connect Tillage to your accounting software, or keep Wave for books and use Tillage for quoting and billing.
- 3
Recreate your common estimate items as services in Tillage, with variance and margin.
- 4
Set up Stripe in Tillage and choose which clients cover the fees.
Related guides and tools
Best free invoicing software
How the free plans compare, and where each one sets its limits.
Invoicing software for agencies
Quotes, contracts and payment schedules in one free tool.
Quoting software with margin
Hours × rate quotes with your margin built in.
Billing schedules
Deposits, milestones and retainers without copying invoices.
Sources
Checked Oct 7, 2026. Pricing and features change, so if something here is out of date, email support@tillage.ai and we will fix it.
Tillage vs Wave questions
Wave is free too. Why switch?
Wave is free accounting with basic invoicing. Tillage is free invoicing built for agencies: margin on every quote, contracts, milestone payment schedules, and clients who can cover the fees. Wave doesn’t allow surcharging.
Can I use Wave and Tillage together?
Yes. Many businesses keep Wave for bookkeeping and use Tillage for quotes, contracts and invoicing.
Which has lower payment fees?
For cards, Wave charges 2.9% + 60¢ (Pro waives the 60¢ on the first 10 payments a month). Tillage uses Stripe at 2.9% + 30¢ plus a 1% platform fee capped at $50, and your client can cover all of it.
Does Tillage do accounting like Wave?
No. Tillage is not accounting software. Keep your books where they are; sync with QuickBooks Online, Xero, Mercury and Puzzle is coming soon.
