Free Alternatives to Wave Apps
Wave Apps is gone for most of the world. Here is the free accounting tool we built to replace it.
We Ran Our Business on Wave Apps for Six Years
From 2014 to 2020, Wave Apps was how we invoiced clients, tracked what we owed, and pulled our year-end numbers. It was free, it was clean, and it never tried to push us onto a paid plan for basic features. For a small business outside the US, that was rare.
When Wave was acquired by H&R Block, things changed. The product shifted its focus to North America. Features started disappearing for international users. Eventually, Wave stopped accepting new signups from outside the US and Canada entirely.
We looked at every alternative out there. QuickBooks wanted $30/month. Xero wanted $15/month. FreshBooks wanted $19/month. All of them for features that Wave had given us for free. So we decided to build Fastbooks — the free accounting app that Wave should have been.
What Makes Fastbooks the Best Wave Apps Alternative
We did not just clone Wave. We took everything we loved about it and added the features we always wished it had.
- ✓ Available worldwide — We will never geo-restrict our product. If you have a business, you can use Fastbooks.
- ✓ AI-powered features — Upload a bill and AI extracts the vendor, amount, and date automatically. Ask the AI Accountant questions about your books.
- ✓ Recurring invoices — Set up repeating invoices and let Fastbooks generate them automatically on schedule.
- ✓ Product catalogue — Manage your products and services in one place. When creating invoices, just search and select — prices fill in automatically.
- ✓ Quote to invoice — Send quotes, get approval, and convert to an invoice with one click.
- ✓ No ads, no clutter — Wave showed ads to fund the free product. Fastbooks is completely ad-free.
Side-by-Side: Fastbooks vs Wave Apps
| Feature | Fastbooks | Wave Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Available outside US/Canada | ✓ | ✗ |
| Free invoicing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Quotes & estimates | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bill tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recurring invoices | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI bill extraction (OCR) | ✓ | ✗ |
| AI Accountant assistant | ✓ | ✗ |
| Product catalogue | ✓ | ✗ |
| 13+ financial reports | ✓ | ✓ |
| Email documents to clients | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shareable public links | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dark mode | ✓ | ✗ |
| Keyboard shortcuts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Team management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bulk actions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ad-free | ✓ | ✗ |
Built for How Small Businesses Actually Work
Professional Invoicing
Create branded invoices, email them directly to clients, and track payment status. Set up recurring invoices for regular clients.
Smart Bill Management
Upload bills and let AI read them for you. Attach receipts, track due dates, and never miss a payment.
AI Accountant
Ask questions about your business finances in plain English. Your AI assistant knows your books and gives you answers instantly.
Reports That Matter
Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, Aged Receivables, Revenue by Customer, and 9 more reports — ready when your accountant or tax authority asks.
Perfect For
- Former Wave Apps users who need a new home for their bookkeeping
- Freelancers, consultants, and agencies
- Small businesses in the UK, EU, Australia, India, and everywhere else Wave left behind
- Anyone who believes accounting software should be free for small businesses
Ready to Replace Wave Apps?
Create your free Fastbooks account in under a minute. No credit card, no trial, no catch.