Bench
Wave
Bench
Wave
Bench
Wave
Bench
Wave
Bench
No signals
Wave
Bench
No signals
Wave
Users: 1 business
Limits: No tax filing included, 12-month contract lock-in, One business only
Users: 1 business
Limits: Full year commitment required upfront, No tax services
Users: 1 business
Limits: 12-month contract lock-in, One business only, Tax errors reported by some users
Users: 1 business
Limits: Full year commitment required, Reports of tax filing errors
Users: Unlimited users
Limits: No automatic bank transaction imports, limited receipt scanning, no phone support, chatbot only
Users: Unlimited users
Limits: Support response times still slow (multiple business days), no phone support
Users: Base fee + $6/employee
Limits: Recent issues with Check provider transition, tax filing errors reported by users
Users: Base fee + $6/employee
Limits: User must file and pay taxes manually, less automation than tax-service option
Users: Dedicated bookkeeper
Limits: High cost for small businesses, may not suit businesses with simple needs
| Feature | Bench | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Human bookkeepers High turnover rate | ||
| Free invoicing Unlimited invoices on free plan | ||
| Bank connections Reconnection issues | ||
| Expense tracking Manual entry on free, auto-import on Pro | ||
| Monthly bookkeeping Often delayed | ||
| Year-end financials Tax-ready statements | ||
| 1099 reporting Both plans | ||
| Accounting | ||
| Bank reconciliation Connection issues frequently reported | ||
| Double-entry accounting Basic chart of accounts included | ||
| Automatic bank imports Pro plan only ($16/month) | ||
| Premium | ||
| Tax filing Premium plan only, errors reported | ||
| Expenses | ||
| Receipt scanning Limited on free, blurry photo issues reported | ||
| Support | ||
| Consistent bookkeeper 6+ changes/year reported | ||
| Responsive support Frequent complaints | ||
| Customer support Paid users only, 5-7 day response times | ||
| Payroll | ||
| Payroll processing Paid add-on with reliability issues since 2025 | ||
| Reliability | ||
| Timely book completion Major weakness | ||
| Payments | ||
| Online payments 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction | ||
| Flexibility | ||
| No contract lock-in 12-month contract required | ||
| Inventory | ||
| Inventory management Not available | ||
| Projects | ||
| Project tracking No job costing or project profitability | ||
| International | ||
| Multi-currency Basic support with conversion headaches | ||
| Accessibility | ||
| Mobile app iOS better than Android, receipt issues | ||
| Reporting | ||
| Financial reports Basic reports, limited customization | ||