Pronto Invoice vs Wave

We’re Pronto Invoice, so naturally we think our product is the better choice. But this is a comparison where we need to be especially straightforward — because Wave offers something genuinely hard to compete with: free unlimited invoicing and free full accounting.

Wave is a free accounting and invoicing platform that includes unlimited invoices, double-entry bookkeeping, financial reporting, receipt scanning, and multi-user access — all at $0/month. Wave makes money primarily through payment processing fees and their payroll add-on. It’s a legitimate, full-featured business tool at an unbeatable price point.

Pronto Invoice takes a different approach: AI-powered invoice creation, a mobile-first offline experience, and a focus on speed for field service professionals. We charge for our software but take zero markup on your payments.

The question isn’t really “which is better” — it’s “which approach fits your business?”

Pricing Comparison

This is where the conversation gets interesting.

Pronto Invoice Pricing

Wave Pricing

What the Numbers Mean

On sticker price, Wave wins. Free unlimited invoices and free accounting is objectively cheaper than $12/month for unlimited invoices without accounting. No amount of feature comparison changes this math.

But the total cost picture is more nuanced. Wave makes money through payment processing fees: 2.9% + $0.60 per credit card transaction. Pronto Invoice charges $0 markup — you use your own Stripe or PayPal rate.

Let’s compare total monthly costs for a business processing $5,000/month in card payments:

At $5,000/month in card payments, Pronto Invoice actually costs less when you include processing fees — and you get AI creation, offline mode, and SMS delivery. The breakeven point depends on your payment volume, average transaction size, and your Stripe rate.

If you don’t process card payments (cash, check, or transfer only), Wave is cheaper. Period.

Where Pronto Invoice Wins

AI-Powered Invoice Creation

Pronto Invoice’s Smart AI lets you create invoices by typing (or dictating) what you need:

• “Invoice John Smith $500 for plumbing repair”
• “Bill ABC Corp for 3 hours electrical work at $85/hour”
• “New invoice for Sarah Chen, website design, $3,000”

The AI handles client matching, item suggestions, tax calculations, and document assembly. Repeat clients take under 15 seconds.

Wave uses traditional form-based creation. Select a client, add line items, set terms, and send. It works well — but it’s a manual process that takes significantly longer, especially on a phone.

Learn more about Smart AI Assistance

True Offline-First Mobile Experience

Pronto Invoice was built mobile-first. The phone app IS the product.

• Full offline support. Create invoices, add clients, manage items, and preview PDFs with no internet. Everything syncs when you reconnect.
• One-handed operation. Navigation and primary actions designed for thumb reach.
• Sub-2-second launch. Fully native iOS (SwiftUI) and Android (Jetpack Compose) apps.
• Voice input. Dictate invoices in the field with dirty or gloved hands.

Wave has mobile apps, but the platform is web-first. The mobile experience reflects that — it’s functional but not optimized for field work. And Wave does not support any offline use. No signal means no invoicing.

For a plumber finishing a job in a client’s basement with no cell service, this is the difference between invoicing on-site (Pronto Invoice) and invoicing later when you get back to the truck (Wave).

Explore the Mobile App

Zero Payment Processing Markup

Pronto Invoice never touches your payment processing. Connect your own Stripe or PayPal account, pay your own rate, and keep any volume discounts you negotiate.

Wave processes all payments through their own platform. Their rates (2.9% + $0.60 per card, 1% for ACH) are their primary revenue source. You cannot connect your own payment processor or negotiate lower rates.

For businesses processing significant payment volume, this difference compounds:

SMS Invoice Delivery

Pronto Invoice sends invoices via text message (Growth plan, $12/month). For field service pros, SMS gets faster client responses than email. Wave delivers invoices via email only.

Recurring Invoices at a Lower Price

Pronto Invoice includes recurring invoices on Growth ($12/month). Wave restricts recurring invoices to their Pro plan ($16/month). Pronto Invoice is $4/month cheaper for this feature — and includes AI creation, QuickBooks sync, and SMS delivery that Wave Pro doesn’t offer.

Client Portal

Pronto Invoice Pro includes a client portal where clients can view all their invoices, payment history, and outstanding balances in one place. Wave does not offer a client portal.

Where Wave Might Be Better

We believe in honest comparisons. Wave has genuine, significant advantages:

Free Full Accounting

This is Wave’s strongest card. Free double-entry bookkeeping, chart of accounts, journal entries, profit and loss reports, balance sheets, sales tax reports, and aging reports. Pronto Invoice does not do accounting at all — it syncs with QuickBooks ($30+/month). If you need accounting and can’t afford QuickBooks, Wave is objectively the better choice.

Free Unlimited Invoices

Wave’s free plan includes unlimited invoices with unlimited clients. Pronto Invoice’s free plan caps at 10 invoices/month and 5 clients. If you don’t need AI creation, offline mode, or SMS delivery, and you want to send as many invoices as possible for $0, Wave delivers.

Free Multi-User Access

Wave includes multiple user accounts with permission levels at no additional cost. Pronto Invoice charges $24/month (Pro plan) for up to 3 team members. For teams that need multiple users without per-user fees, Wave’s approach is more accessible.

Financial Reporting

Wave includes comprehensive financial reports: profit and loss, balance sheet, sales tax, accounts aging, and more. Pronto Invoice offers basic reporting on Growth and advanced reporting on Pro, but nothing approaching full accounting reports. For businesses that need financial reporting without a separate accounting tool, Wave provides substantially more.

No Subscription Required

Wave’s core product is genuinely free — not freemium with watermarks or aggressive upsells. You get a complete invoicing and accounting tool without paying a monthly fee. For businesses watching every dollar, this matters.

What Real Users Say

Pronto Invoice Users

“I can invoice customers before I leave their driveway. The AI just gets it — I say what the job was and it builds the invoice.” — Mike R., Plumbing Contractor

“Finally an invoicing app that works without cell service. Half my jobs are in basements or rural properties.” — Dave T., Electrician

What Wave Users Say

“Can’t beat free. The accounting features alone would cost $30+/month anywhere else.” — Online review

“Great for desk work but the mobile experience is frustrating. I end up doing everything on my laptop.” — App Store review

“The processing fees add up fast. Wish I could use my own Stripe account.” — Community review

Who Should Choose Pronto Invoice?

Contractors and Field Service Professionals

You finish jobs on-site and need to invoice immediately — often without cell service. AI creates invoices in seconds. Offline mode works everywhere. Speed matters more than free.

• See HVAC invoice templates
• See plumbing invoice templates
• See electrical invoice templates

Businesses Processing Significant Card Volume

You process $5,000+ per month in card payments. Pronto Invoice’s zero-markup processing plus subscription cost can be cheaper than Wave’s per-transaction fees.

• View pricing plans

Businesses Already Using QuickBooks

You already have QuickBooks for accounting. Wave’s accounting features would be redundant. Pronto Invoice syncs with your QuickBooks and adds AI creation, offline mobile, and SMS delivery.

Making the Switch

Getting started with Pronto Invoice takes less than 2 minutes:

1. Download the app (iOS or Android) or sign up on the web
2. Enter your business name and email — that’s the only required setup
3. Create your first invoice using Smart AI or the guided 5-step workflow
4. Send it — via email, text, or share link

No data migration needed. Your Pronto Invoice account starts fresh, and you can build your client list and item catalog as you go. Your Wave account remains active for historical records and accounting data.

Try it risk-free:

• Free plan: 10 invoices/month, no credit card required
• Paid plans: 14-day free trial with full access