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Rippling vs Wave
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Rippling and Wave.
| Feature | Rippling | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Enterprise | Free |
| Free Tier | No | Yes |
| Monthly Cost (Solo) | $8 | $0 |
| Target Audience | startups, small-business, enterprise | solopreneurs, creators |
| Verified | Yes | Yes |
| Solo-Friendly | No | Yes |
| Open Source | No | No |
| Editorial Rating | 4.5/5 | 4/5 |
| Categories | HR & Recruiting, Finance | Finance |
| Key Features | Unified HR, IT, and Finance, Global payroll (50+ countries), Device management, App provisioning, Corporate cards | Free accounting, Free invoicing, Receipt scanning, Bank connections, Financial reports |
| Free Tier Quality | None | excellent |
Pricing Breakdown
Rippling
Core HR: $8/user/month. Payroll: additional per-user. Benefits: additional per-user. IT/Device Management: additional. Typically $15-35/user/month total. Custom quote required.
Wave
Accounting and Invoicing: free. Payroll: $20-40/month base + $6/employee. Payments: 2.9% + $0.60 (credit card), 1% ($1 min) for bank payments.
Integration Overlap
Only in Rippling (10)
Only in Wave (6)
Use Case Fit
Rippling
- * All-in-one HR and payroll
- * Employee onboarding automation
- * Device and app management
- * Benefits administration
- * Compliance and reporting
Wave
- * Free small business accounting
- * Invoice creation and online payments
- * Expense tracking and categorization
- * Financial reporting for tax preparation
- * Receipt scanning and organization
Rippling
Pros
- + Single platform for HR, IT, and Finance
- + Best onboarding automation
- + Global payroll in 50+ countries
Cons
- - Complex per-module pricing
- - Can be overwhelming for very small teams
Wave
Pros
- + Core features completely free
- + Unlimited invoicing
- + Good for basic bookkeeping
- + Receipt scanning included
Cons
- - Payment processing costs extra
- - Limited integrations
- - Less powerful than QuickBooks
- - US and Canada focused
Editorial Verdict
For solo founders on a budget, Wave wins with solo-friendly pricing and a excellent free tier. For the highest-rated experience, Rippling edges ahead with a 4.5/5 editorial rating.
Sarah Chen
Editor-in-Chief