Wave Alternative: Due On Time vs Wave
Wave is the better choice if you want free invoicing and free bookkeeping in one place. Due On Time is an alternative if you want invoicing built around getting paid: reminder schedules you choose after the due date, open tracking and Pay now through your own Stripe account, from $12 a month, with a free plan for PDF invoices.
Wave facts checked on 1 November 2026 on Wave's own website; sources are listed below. Prices and features change, so check their site before you decide.
Wave vs Due On Time at a glance
| Wave | Due On Time | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Starter $0; Pro $19/month or $190/year per business | Free plan; Starter $12/month ($120/year); Pro $27/month ($264/year) |
| Free plan | Yes: unlimited invoices, estimates and bookkeeping records | Yes: unlimited invoices and PDF downloads, up to 3 clients, no email sending. Free invoice generator with no sign-up. |
| Card payment fee | 2.9% + $0.60 (Pro: no $0.60 on the first 10 each month); ACH 1%, $1 minimum | Stripe's own fees for your country, paid from your Stripe account; Due On Time adds 0% |
| Automatic payment reminders | With Wave payments or Pro: on the due date, or 3, 7 or 14 days before or after | Yes, by email after the due date: up to 3 per invoice on Starter, unlimited on Pro |
| Automatic late fees | No | Yes, on Pro: flat or a percent of the unpaid balance, once or repeating, with an optional cap |
| Recurring invoices | Yes; auto-send needs Wave payments or Pro | Yes, weekly to yearly, on Starter and Pro (no automatic card charge) |
| Accounting | Yes, free double-entry bookkeeping and reports | No. Expense receipts with AI scanning only |
| Mobile app | iOS and Android, free | No app; works in the phone browser |
| Multi-currency | Yes, with exchange gain and loss tracking | 15 currencies |
| Payroll | Add-on: $40/month + $6 per employee | No |
What is Wave?
Wave is small business software with free invoicing and bookkeeping, paid online payments, a Pro plan, payroll and a bookkeeping service.
Where Wave is better
- Free bookkeeping: reconciliation and accounting reports on the free plan.
- Free unlimited invoices and estimates on Wave's free Starter plan.
- Mobile apps, payroll (add-on) and a paid bookkeeping service.
- Reminders can go before the due date as well as after.
- Multi-currency accounting with exchange gains and losses.
Where Due On Time is better
- Reminder schedules start right after you send an invoice, with editable wording and a Pay now button in every reminder.
- Pay now runs on your own Stripe account at Stripe's fees, with no Due On Time fee on top.
- See when the client opens each emailed invoice.
- A free invoice generator that needs no account at all.
- Automatic late fees on Pro; Wave does not add late fees by itself.
Should you choose Wave or Due On Time?
Pick Wave if you want free invoicing and free bookkeeping together, need payroll, or want a phone app.
Pick Due On Time if you already have bookkeeping covered and want a focused tool to send invoices, follow up automatically and get paid through your own Stripe account.
Read how automatic reminders, recurring invoices and Pay now work.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wave really free?
Wave's Starter plan is $0 for invoices, estimates and bookkeeping. Online payments cost a fee per payment, and Pro ($19 a month) adds bank connections, automatic reminders without Wave payments, and more.
What is a good alternative to Wave for freelancers?
If you only need invoicing and getting paid, Due On Time sends invoices, tracks opens, sends automatic reminders and takes card payments through your own Stripe account, from $12 a month. If you need free bookkeeping, Wave is hard to beat.
Does Due On Time do bookkeeping like Wave?
No. Due On Time does not keep accounts. It tracks invoices, payments and expense receipts.
Does Wave add late fees automatically?
No. Wave's help center says it has no feature that adds a late fee automatically; you add one as a line item. Due On Time adds automatic late fees on the Pro plan, if you turn them on.
Sources
All checked on 1 November 2026.