Canada · Wave alternative
The Wave alternative for Canadian small businesses whose books have grown
Wave is a common first step for Canadian freelancers. When you add staff, a second province or US customers, HelloBooks keeps a free starting point and adds Pro at C$22.99/month for more users, bank connections and currencies.
No credit card. All prices in Canadian dollars (CAD).
HelloBooks vs Wave (Canada)
| Feature | HelloBooks | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (CAD) | Free Plan, no credit card; Pro C$22.99/mo | Free starter plan; see Wave's current Canadian pricing on its website for paid plans |
| Free Plan | Free for good: 200 transactions a year across invoices, bills and quotes, 2 users, reminders and reports; Free invoices carry a small HelloBooks footer | Free invoicing and accounting; see Wave's website for what the free plan includes |
| GST / HST / PST / QST | GST, HST, PST and QST, each posted to its own account | GST / HST / PST / QST supported |
| Place-of-supply rules | Tax follows the customer's province, set once on the contact | Sales taxes set up in Wave's tax settings |
| Payroll forms | T4s from posted payroll; T5, T5018 and ROE are roadmap items | Wave Payroll is a separate paid add-on; see Wave's website for pricing and coverage |
| AI categorisation | AI categorisation included, even on Free, with starter AI credits | Automatic transaction categorisation on Wave's paid plan |
| Multi-currency | Multi-currency with automatic FX on Pro | See Wave's website for current multi-currency support |
| Users and bank connections | 2 users on Free; unlimited users and bank connections on Pro | See Wave's website for current limits |
| Bank coverage | Plaid-supported, rolling out by region; statement upload today. Up to 1 live bank feed on Free where your bank is supported | See Wave for current bank-connection coverage |
Prices checked on: HelloBooks prices from our Canadian price list, checked 29 September 2026. No competitor prices are quoted on this page; check each vendor's site for current pricing. All prices in Canadian dollars (CAD).
Looking for free accounting software Canada businesses can start on today, or GST/HST accounting software built for multi-province sellers? Both start on the Free Plan.
Canada migration runbook (from Wave)
- 1
Export from Wave
Settings → Data Export → CSV bundle (customers, vendors, products, accounts, transactions).
- 2
Run the Wave importer
On a paid plan, the guided Wave importer loads accounts, contacts, products, opening balances and past transactions. Look over the account mapping before committing.
- 3
Compare the numbers
Match the HelloBooks trial balance to Wave's on the cutover date and glance at the GST/HST return preview.
- 4
Bank accounts
Wave bank connections do not carry over. Upload statements, or connect a live feed where available in your region.
- 5
Tax from here on
New invoices take tax from each customer's province; review the return in HelloBooks and file with CRA.
- 6
Payroll history
If you ran Wave Payroll, enter year-to-date totals as an opening journal so T4s cover the full year.
A dedicated importer covers Wave on paid plans; see the migration guide for exactly what is imported. Keep your old system running until the trial balance matches.
Comparing Wave alternatives in Canada? What to check when leaving Wave
Wave keeps some features as separate add-ons, so list what you use before you switch.
- Which Wave add-ons you pay for today, such as payroll or payments.
- Receipts attached to Wave transactions; download the ones you need.
- Open customer invoices and unpaid vendor bills on cutover day.
- Your GST/HST registration number and filing frequency.
- Any sales tax rates you entered by hand in Wave.
Canada Wave switch — frequently asked
Try the Wave alternative — free
Keep a free plan and gain room to grow: Pro at C$22.99/month when you need more users, more bank feeds or invoices in US dollars.
Start freeNo credit card. See Canada pricing. All prices in Canadian dollars (CAD).