Basecamp vs Wave: compare pricing, features, ratings, and best use cases to pick the right tool for your one-person business.

Basecamp

★ 4/5

$15/user mo

Simple all-in-one project and team suite.

Best for

  • SMB

Pros

  • Opinionated

Cons

  • Small feel

Wave

★ 4/5

Freemium — free accounting; Payments processing fee, Payroll paid

Genuinely free double-entry accounting, invoicing, and receipt tracking for micro-businesses, with paid payment-processing and payroll add-ons.

Best for

  • Micro-businesses, freelancers, and sole traders needing real books at $0
  • Solopreneurs who invoice by bank transfer and want clean reporting
  • New self-employed users not yet ready for a paid accounting subscription

Pros

  • Core accounting and invoicing are genuinely free with no trial timer
  • Quick, approachable onboarding for non-accountants
  • Usable standard reports for income, expenses, and cash flow
  • Receipt scanning reduces manual data entry

Cons

  • Payment processing and payroll fees sit on top of the free core
  • No advanced inventory or deep job/project costing
  • Payroll is a US-only paid add-on

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