InvoiceAdept vs Wave UK (2026): trades invoicing vs free North American books
A plumber who needs a CIS-shaped invoice on WhatsApp and a Canadian freelancer who wants free unlimited bookkeeping records are not shopping for the same product. InvoiceAdept and Wave both raise invoices. That is where the similarity ends.
InvoiceAdept is invoicing software built for UK trades. You raise the invoice, send it (including WhatsApp on paid plans), and get paid. It keeps a digital record of that income. It does not send Making Tax Digital updates to HMRC and it does not submit your Self Assessment, VAT return, or CIS300.
Wave is a North American product from Wave Financial (part of the H&R Block family). It is built for freelancers and small businesses who want free unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records on Starter, with optional Pro automation and online payments priced in USD or CAD. It is not on HMRC's recognised Making Tax Digital software lists for Income Tax. It does not file UK VAT to HMRC. It has no Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) workflow. A UK user who pays Wave Pro pays in foreign currency.
If a comparison page treats those as the same feature set, close it. HMRC's software guidance is clear: compatible software for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax has to create digital records, send quarterly updates, and submit the tax return. An invoicing app that stores PDFs and exports a spreadsheet has done the first of those. It has not done the second or the third. Wave's free North American books are a bookkeeping job for freelancers abroad - not a UK trade invoice job, and not an HMRC filing job.
Pricing honesty (checked 13 September 2026 against waveapps.com/pricing): Wave Starter $0 with unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records; Wave Pro $19 USD/month billed monthly or about $190 USD/year billed annually; Wave's FAQ still cites $19 USD / $25 CAD per business. Online payments: Starter from 2.9% + $0.60 (Amex 3.4% + $0.60); Pro first 10 card transactions per monthly period at 2.9% + $0 then +$0.60. InvoiceAdept: Free £0 (five invoices/month); Pro £7.99 excl VAT; Pro+ £12.99 excl VAT; annual 20% off advertised. We are not inventing GBP Wave prices - Wave prints USD/CAD. Confirm live pages before you pay.
Related reading: InvoiceAdept vs FreshBooks, vs InvoiceFree, vs Sage, vs Xero, MTD invoicing for UK trades, pricing and the free invoice generator.
Rules and links checked 13 September 2026. General information only, not tax or software-procurement advice. InvoiceAdept is from Tech Me Today Ltd, Companies House 15917255, ICO ZB944663. Support: [email protected].
The short version
If you need... | Lean toward... |
|---|---|
Fast UK trade invoices, WhatsApp send, CIS lines on the PDF | InvoiceAdept Pro or Pro+ |
Free unlimited invoices + bookkeeping records in USD/CAD | Wave Starter |
Bank auto-import, receipt capture, late reminders on Wave | Wave Pro ($19 USD/mo) |
Someone who files CIS300 / VAT / MTD / Self Assessment inside the invoicing app | Neither - InvoiceAdept does not file; Wave does not file UK HMRC returns |
Both clean UK trade invoices and NA side books | InvoiceAdept for UK jobs + Wave only if you have a genuine separate NA ledger - never double-invoice |
Do not buy "MTD-ready invoicing" or "free unlimited books" as a magic filing button. Digital records are not the same as submitting returns to HMRC.
What each product actually is
InvoiceAdept | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
Category | UK trades invoicing SaaS + digital records | NA freelancer invoicing + bookkeeping (Wave Financial / H&R Block family) |
Primary job | Create, send, chase, collect invoices in GBP | Unlimited invoices + books at $0; Pro automation |
CIS on invoice | Pro+ labour vs materials | No CIS |
Files VAT to HMRC | No | No UK VAT filing |
Files CIS300 / ITSA / SA | No | No UK HMRC filing path |
WhatsApp-native send | Yes on Pro / Pro+ | Not a headline UK trade feature |
Currency | GBP excl VAT | USD / CAD |
Best used as | Front end for UK trades | Free NA books / Pro automation |
InvoiceAdept is built for UK trades who need a proper invoice out of the door. The company behind it is Tech Me Today Ltd, Companies House 15917255, ICO registration ZB944663.
Wave is free-to-start invoicing and bookkeeping for freelancers and North American small businesses. The invoice is one screen among books, receipts and bank import - not a CIS-first UK trade layout.
Live Wave pricing (checked 13 September 2026)
From Wave's live pricing page (waveapps.com/pricing). Figures are as Wave printed them on 13 September 2026 - confirm live before you pay. All subscription figures below are in USD or CAD. A UK user paying Wave Pro is paying in foreign currency; your card or bank may add FX fees and your accounting still needs GBP records for HMRC. We are not inventing a GBP price Wave did not print.
Plan | Price (as printed 13 Sep 2026) | What it includes (as marketed) |
|---|---|---|
Starter | $0 | Unlimited estimates, invoices, bills, bookkeeping records; mobile app invoicing; cash-flow / customer dashboard |
Pro (monthly) | $19 USD / month (FAQ also cites $25 CAD) | Everything in Starter, plus discounted online payments for first 10 card txns/mo, bank auto-import, auto-merge/categorise, unlimited receipt capture, automate late payment reminders |
Pro (annual) | ~$190 USD / year | Same Pro feature set, billed annually |
Wave Advisors | From higher monthly starting prices (page showed from about $149/month class) | Hands-off bookkeeping add-on - confirm live |
Online payments (separate from the subscription):
Path | Card fee shape (as printed 13 Sep 2026) |
|---|---|
Starter + online payments | From 2.9% + $0.60 per credit card; 3.4% + $0.60 Amex |
Pro + online payments | 2.9% + $0 (Visa/Mastercard/Discover) for first 10 transactions per monthly period, then 2.9% + $0.60; Amex 3.4% + $0 then +$0.60. Discover processing noted as US-only on Wave's page |
Optional add-ons on the same live page included receipt capture pricing on Starter (Pro includes it), payroll from separate monthly rates, and Wave Advisors bookkeeping. Confirm live; add-on cards move.
InvoiceAdept has no "$0 unlimited forever invoices" shape. It has a 5 invoices a month Free plan in GBP, then unlimited invoices on Pro at £7.99 excl. VAT. Different trap. Different product. Different currency.
InvoiceAdept pricing (honest)
Plan | Monthly (excl VAT) | What you get (high level) |
|---|---|---|
Free | £0 | Five invoices per month, 1 user, email/PDF/portal |
Pro | £7.99 | Unlimited invoicing, WhatsApp send, Stripe payments, up to 3 users |
Pro+ | £12.99 | Pro + CIS invoice lines, bank recon, cashflow, reports, audit log, unlimited users |
Stripe's own fees apply (UK cards typically 1.5% + 20p; international higher). InvoiceAdept adds no platform fee on top of Stripe. Annual billing is advertised at 20% off. Paid features have a 14-day trial. Check pricing live.
Side-by-side feature matrix
InvoiceAdept | Wave (13 Sep 2026) | |
|---|---|---|
What it is | UK trade invoicing and digital records | NA freelancer invoicing + bookkeeping (Wave Financial / H&R Block family) |
Price (13 Sep 2026) | Free / Pro £7.99 / Pro+ £12.99 excl. VAT. Annual 20% off advertised | Starter $0 / Pro $19 USD/mo (~$190 USD/year). FAQ also $25 CAD. UK pays foreign currency |
Entry / free shape | Free: 5 invoices/month, 1 user | Starter: unlimited estimates/invoices/bills/bookkeeping records at $0 |
Invoice limits | Unlimited invoices on Pro and Pro+ | Unlimited on Starter and Pro (product shape) |
CIS | Deduction on the invoice on Pro+ (£12.99). Labour vs materials. Does not file CIS300 | No CIS. Not a UK construction-trades product |
MTD: records | Yes - invoices, payments, expenses on paid plans; export for an accountant | Bookkeeping records as Wave markets them - not a substitute for HMRC-recognised UK filing software |
MTD: filing to HMRC | No. No quarterly ITSA updates, Self Assessment, VAT return, or CIS300 | No UK MTD Income Tax filing on HMRC recognised lists; does not file UK VAT to HMRC |
Currency | GBP, excl. VAT on plans | USD / CAD subscription and payment fees |
WhatsApp send | Native send on Pro and Pro+ | Not a headline UK trade feature. You can share a PDF yourself |
Card / online payment fees | Stripe on Pro. InvoiceAdept adds no platform fee. Published UK rate on our pricing page: typically 1.5% + 20p UK cards - confirm on pricing | Starter from 2.9% + $0.60; Pro discounted first 10 then fees (USD). FX for UK users on top of product fees |
Who it is for | UK trades who bill from a phone, get paid, and keep a clean income record to export | NA freelancers / small businesses who want free books + optional Pro automation |
Best used as | Front end: send, chase, collect (UK) | Free NA books / Pro automation - not UK CIS or HMRC filing |
That table is the article. The rest is why those rows look like that.
Records versus filing, in HMRC's words
Start on GOV.UK, not on a feature grid.
Find out if and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is the live rule. You need to use it if you are a sole trader or landlord on Self Assessment, you have self-employment or property income, and your qualifying income is over the threshold for the relevant year.
HMRC's current wording:
over £50,000 for the 2024 to 2025 tax year - you should have started from 6 April 2026
over £30,000 for the 2025 to 2026 tax year - from 6 April 2027
over £20,000 for the 2026 to 2027 tax year - from 6 April 2028
Qualifying income is not profit. It is total income from self-employment and property before expenses. A builder who invoiced £56,000 and spent £24,000 on materials is over the 2026 line even if the year felt tight. HMRC reviews your Self Assessment return and writes to people who need to join. They also say that if you did not get a letter, it is still your job to check. There is a tool on that same page. Use it.
Partnerships come later. HMRC says it will set out that timeline separately.
Choose the right software for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is the other page that matters. Compatible software must:
1. create, store and correct digital records of self-employment and property income and expenses 2. send quarterly updates to HMRC - summaries, not tax payments 3. submit the tax return by 31 January the following year
HMRC also says you can use more than one product, but only one product for each separate submission. That is the legal room for a two-tool setup: InvoiceAdept as the place invoices are born, and HMRC-recognised software (or an accountant's package) as the place filings leave the building. Wave is not that filing product for UK Income Tax.
Job | InvoiceAdept | Wave | HMRC-recognised filing tool / accountant |
|---|---|---|---|
Create digital invoice records | Yes | Yes (as marketed) | Yes |
Send quarterly ITSA updates | No | No (not UK MTD ITSA software) | Yes - that is the point |
Submit Self Assessment | No | No | Yes |
Submit UK VAT return | No | No | Yes if VAT-registered |
File CIS300 | No | No CIS at all | Confirm per accounts product |
If you are mandated for Income Tax and you only kept Wave PDFs or InvoiceAdept PDFs in Downloads, you have records. You do not have a filing product. That is not a small gap. It is the whole of MTD for Income Tax.
VAT registration threshold and product choice
VAT is a fourth job if you are registered. The VAT registration threshold is £90,000 of taxable turnover on a rolling 12 months, or if you expect to go over it in the next 30 days - register for VAT. Never use the old £85,000 figure. MTD for VAT has been live for VAT-registered businesses for years. InvoiceAdept can put 20% on a line. It cannot submit the VAT return. Wave does not file UK VAT to HMRC. That shopping trip starts at a product that actually files UK VAT - not at a free North American books plan, and not at a £7.99 UK invoicing plan that does not file either.
Situation | InvoiceAdept role | Wave role | Filing role |
|---|---|---|---|
Under £90k, not VAT-registered | Raise invoices; export for SA | Optional NA books only if needed | Self Assessment / ITSA when mandated |
Over £90k / VAT-registered | Show VAT on lines; export | Not UK VAT filing | MTD VAT software or accountant |
Tempted by "free unlimited" as VAT solution | Wrong tool for filing | Wrong tool for UK VAT | Buy the filing product |
CIS: the gap on Wave versus Pro+
Under the Construction Industry Scheme, contractors deduct money from a subcontractor's labour and pass it to HMRC. Those deductions are advance payments towards the subcontractor's tax and National Insurance.
What you must do as a CIS subcontractor is the GOV.UK page to read first. If you are registered, contractors normally deduct 20%. If you are not registered, they must deduct 30%. Gross payment status means no deduction (0%), if HMRC has granted it. Materials are not in the labour deduction. An invoice that knocks 20% off a mixed lump of labour-plus-timber is how subcontractors give money away.
InvoiceAdept's job on CIS invoices is the document: gross labour, materials, the rate, the amount withheld, the net payable, UTR on the page. That lives on Pro+ at £12.99 a month excl. VAT. It is not on Free or Pro. It is also not the contractor's monthly CIS return. We do not file CIS300.
Wave: there is no CIS. Wave is built for freelancers and North American small business, not UK construction trades. We are not claiming Wave secretly files CIS300, and we are not inventing a CIS module the product does not offer.
CIS need | InvoiceAdept | Wave |
|---|---|---|
Labour vs materials on the PDF | Pro+ | Not available |
Deduction rate / net payable visible | Pro+ | Not available |
File CIS300 monthly return | No - neither product | No - no CIS |
Householder private work | No CIS on the invoice (householder is not a CIS contractor) | Still no UK CIS workflow |
So: InvoiceAdept Pro+ is the better invoice for a subcontractor who needs the deduction visible before the PDF leaves WhatsApp. Wave is not in that conversation. If you need contractor CIS300 help inside accounts software, look at UK accounts tools that actually print CIS on the feature grid - see the sibling vs Xero and vs Sage comparisons and the wider round-up in best CIS invoice software UK 2026. Neither of those is Wave.
Free unlimited Wave versus InvoiceAdept Free's 5-invoice cap - honest both ways
This is the row people miss when they compare "$0 unlimited" with "£0 free".
Wave Starter at $0 really does market unlimited estimates, invoices, bills and bookkeeping records. That is a strong free shape for a North American freelancer who wants books without a subscription. Pro at $19 USD / month (or $25 CAD) is the paid automation layer - bank auto-import, receipt capture, late reminders, discounted first-ten payment fees - not the unlock for "being allowed to invoice".
InvoiceAdept Free is capped at 5 invoices a month, not unlimited. One kitchen job with deposit, stage and final can burn the Free cap on a single contract. Free is a way in, not a working trade's forever plan. InvoiceAdept Pro is £7.99 a month excl. VAT with unlimited invoices, WhatsApp send, and Stripe with no InvoiceAdept platform fee. It does not submit your VAT return. It does not send quarterly Income Tax updates. It is not Wave Pro with a smaller logo.
Cap / free shape you actually hit | Wave | InvoiceAdept |
|---|---|---|
Trying the product for £0 / $0 | Starter: unlimited invoices + books at $0 | Free: 5 invoices/month at £0 |
Working volume without invoice math | Still Starter (unlimited) - or Pro for automation | Pro: unlimited invoices at £7.99 excl. VAT |
CIS on the document | No | Pro+ £12.99 excl. VAT |
UK HMRC filing in-product | No | No |
Currency of the subscription | USD / CAD | GBP excl. VAT |
Honest both ways:
Wave wins the free unlimited headline. If your only requirement is "raise as many invoices as I want at $0 and keep simple books," Wave Starter is the stronger free shape on paper. InvoiceAdept Free will feel tight the week you invoice more than five times.
InvoiceAdept wins the UK trade job. If you need GBP pricing, WhatsApp-native send, Stripe UK card rates with no InvoiceAdept platform fee, or CIS lines on Pro+, Wave's free unlimited books do not close that gap. Free unlimited in the wrong currency for the wrong compliance job is still the wrong tool.
Neither free tier files to HMRC. Do not treat Wave Starter or InvoiceAdept Free as MTD filing software. Records are not filing.
A kitchen fitter who bills deposit, stage and final, plus extras, plus the next three jobs, will burn InvoiceAdept Free's five invoices fast - and still should not pick Wave just because Starter is unlimited if they need CIS, WhatsApp, or GBP Stripe.
Payments, WhatsApp and Stripe
UK trades already close extras in WhatsApp. The customer who approved the extra socket in a voice note is not waiting in Outlook. Sending the invoice in the same thread is matching how the job was sold.
InvoiceAdept Pro and Pro+ send the invoice through WhatsApp from the app, payment link attached. You are not photographing a paper pad on the dash. Walkthroughs: how to invoice a client as a UK tradesperson and the WhatsApp path from our features pages.
Wave sends professional invoices, estimates and (with payments enabled) online collection in its own product. That is real invoicing for freelancers who live in email and Wave's portal. It is not a WhatsApp-native send for UK domestic trades. For a Canadian design client or a monthly retainer billed in USD, Wave's path still wins. Use WhatsApp for domestic and small commercial UK customers who already message you. Use email for anyone with a purchase order.
Payment path | InvoiceAdept (Pro) | Wave (13 Sep 2026) |
|---|---|---|
Native WhatsApp send | Yes | No (share PDF yourself) |
Card fees (as marketed) | Stripe typically 1.5% + 20p UK cards; no InvoiceAdept platform fee | Starter 2.9% + $0.60; Pro first 10 then fees (USD) |
Settlement currency | GBP via Stripe connected account | USD/CAD payment stack |
Bank transfer | Put sort code on invoice - cheapest when customer pays Faster Payments | Customer pays in Wave's currency stack |
On InvoiceAdept Pro, the customer can pay by card from the invoice. Stripe processes it. InvoiceAdept does not add a second percentage. Funds land in your Stripe-connected account; we do not hold the money.
A worked InvoiceAdept example, using only the published Stripe shape. A £1,200 bathroom invoice paid on a standard UK card: 1.5% is £18.00, plus 20p, £18.20. That is Stripe, not us. Wave-plus-card will be whatever Wave's payment path charges in USD/CAD on the day you enable it, plus any FX if you are a UK business settling oddly.
Bank transfer remains the cheapest way to get paid on both products when the customer pays in your home currency. Faster Payments into your own UK account costs you nothing in platform fees. Put the sort code on the invoice. Offer the card button for the customer who will not open a banking app.
Currency and FX reality for UK users
Cost line | Wave UK user | InvoiceAdept UK user |
|---|---|---|
Subscription | $19 USD/mo or ~$190 USD/year (or CAD) + possible FX | £7.99 / £12.99 excl VAT in GBP |
Card fee currency | USD fee shape | GBP Stripe shape |
HMRC books | Still need GBP records | GBP native |
Invented GBP Wave price | Do not invent one - confirm live FX on your card | Not applicable |
If a blog quotes "Wave costs about £15/month" without a dated FX source, treat it as stale marketing. This guide keeps Wave's printed USD/CAD figures dated 13 September 2026.
When Wave still wins
Wave is not "the worse invoicing app". It is a coherent North American free-books product. It wins when:
You are a freelancer or small business in the US or Canada (or you deliberately bill in USD/CAD) and free unlimited invoices plus bookkeeping records on Starter is the whole shopping trip.
You want Pro automation - bank auto-import, receipt capture, late reminders - at $19 USD / month without needing UK CIS or HMRC filing inside the same brand.
You are happy with Wave's online payment fee shape (2.9% + $0.60 class fees, Pro first-ten discount) and your customers pay in that currency stack.
You are not a CIS subcontractor and you will never need labour-versus-materials deduction lines on a UK construction invoice.
You already have a UK accountant or HMRC-recognised filing product for MTD / VAT / Self Assessment, and Wave is only a side ledger for a NA side hustle - used carefully, without double-counting income.
WhatsApp-native send and GBP Stripe rates are irrelevant to how you get paid.
If that list is you, stay on Wave. Do not add InvoiceAdept for sport.
When InvoiceAdept wins
InvoiceAdept wins when:
You are a UK trade billing from a phone, often in WhatsApp, and the invoice is the product.
You need a CIS-shaped invoice on Pro+ - gross labour, materials out of the deduction base, rate, net payable - and you are not asking the invoicing app to file CIS300.
You want GBP pricing (Free / Pro £7.99 / Pro+ £12.99 excl. VAT) rather than paying a USD/CAD subscription and card-fee stack as a UK business.
You want Stripe card links with no InvoiceAdept platform fee, at the published UK card rate shape on our pricing page (typically 1.5% + 20p - confirm live), without budgeting Wave's 2.9% + $0.60-class fees and FX.
You already have an accountant, or FreeAgent/Xero/Sage/QuickBooks for filing, and you only needed the front end to get paid.
Five invoices a month is enough to try it on Free; you already know you will pay £7.99 or £12.99 when the cap goes.
You were about to pick Wave because "unlimited free invoices" sounded like UK compliance. It is not.
Sibling pages if Wave is not your actual shortlist: vs FreshBooks, vs InvoiceFree, vs Xero, vs FreeAgent, vs Sage, vs QuickBooks, vs SumUp Invoices.
Using both carefully - never "integration" by double-invoicing
HMRC allows more than one product, with a hard rule: one product per submission. The clean version for a UK trade who still wants trade invoicing is usually not Wave-plus-InvoiceAdept unless you have a genuine second currency or NA customer book.
If you still need both for a rare mixed setup:
1. Create and send the UK invoice in InvoiceAdept. Collect the card or wait for BACS. That is the income record the UK customer sees. 2. Make sure the same income lands in your filing product once - from the bank feed when the money arrives, or from a disciplined export - not from raising a second invoice in Wave for the same job. 3. File VAT and quarterly Income Tax updates from HMRC-recognised software (or an accountant). Do not assume Wave files UK VAT or ITSA. InvoiceAdept still files neither. 4. Pick a source of truth. For HMRC, that is the filing product. For "has this UK customer paid?", that is InvoiceAdept. For any deliberate NA side books, Wave - kept separate.
Anti-pattern | Why it hurts | Better habit |
|---|---|---|
Raise the same job in Wave and InvoiceAdept | Double income / messy VAT | One invoice per job |
Call double entry "integration" | It is not an API - it is duplicate paperwork | Export or bank feed once |
Treat Wave Starter as UK MTD filing | Wave is not HMRC-recognised for UK ITSA | Buy filing software or use an accountant |
Treat InvoiceAdept Pro as CIS300 filing | We do not file CIS300 | Contractor remains responsible for the return |
If you invoice and keep books inside Wave in USD/CAD, and you do not need CIS or WhatsApp-native send, and you are not a UK-mandated sole trader trying to satisfy HMRC with Wave alone, you may not need InvoiceAdept. If an accountant already files from their own Xero, Sage, QuickBooks or FreeAgent file, you do not need Wave for UK filing either - you need to ask them which export they actually want. Adding a third ledger is how VAT gets declared twice and CIS gets declared never.
Who should pick which
Situation | Better first move | Why |
|---|---|---|
You bill from the van in the UK, often in WhatsApp, and an accountant already files | InvoiceAdept Pro or Pro+ | You are shopping for UK trade invoicing, not NA free books |
NA freelancer who wants unlimited invoices + books at $0 | Wave Starter | That is the product Wave is |
Want bank auto-import / receipt capture on top of Wave | Wave Pro ($19 USD / mo) | Automation layer - still not UK CIS or HMRC filing |
CIS subcontractor who needs labour vs materials on the PDF | InvoiceAdept Pro+ | No CIS on Wave |
Contractor who needs CIS300 help | Not Wave; look at UK accounts tools that print CIS | InvoiceAdept does not file CIS300 either |
UK trade tempted by "free unlimited" headlines | Do not pick Wave for HMRC or CIS | Free unlimited ≠ UK filing or CIS |
Five invoices a month to try a trades tool | InvoiceAdept Free | Way in. Not a forever plan |
You already invoice inside Wave in USD/CAD and do not care about WhatsApp or CIS | Stay in Wave | Do not add a second invoice book for sport |
You were about to buy "MTD-ready invoicing" as your only tool | Neither as your only tool for Income Tax | Records are not filing. Read the MTD invoicing guide |
Choose InvoiceAdept, and keep filing elsewhere, if you need WhatsApp send, GBP Stripe without a platform fee, or a CIS-shaped invoice on Pro+, and someone else already files (or you will buy a filing product separately).
Choose Wave as your main system if you are shopping for North American free books / Pro automation, your customers and currency fit USD/CAD, and CIS / UK HMRC filing are irrelevant or already handled elsewhere.
Use both only if you have a deliberate split (UK trades jobs in InvoiceAdept; separate NA books in Wave) and you are disciplined about double-invoicing and double-declaring.
Choose neither as your only tool if you are a mandated sole trader for Income Tax and you were about to buy invoicing software because a landing page said "free" or "MTD". Records are not filing. A free North American ledger is not a quarterly Income Tax update.
Feature depth: estimates, quotes and deposits
Workflow | InvoiceAdept | Wave |
|---|---|---|
Estimates / quotes | Quotes on paid plans; convert to invoice | Unlimited estimates on Starter |
Accept deposits on estimates | Deposit invoice patterns via our deposit guide | Wave markets deposits through estimates with payments |
UK trade deposit + stage + final | Common pattern - watch Free 5-invoice cap | Unlimited on Starter - still not CIS |
See also our deposit invoice template.
Feature depth: expenses, receipts and bank automation
Workflow | InvoiceAdept | Wave |
|---|---|---|
Expense tracking | On paid plans | Bookkeeping records; Pro receipt capture |
Bank auto-import | Bank recon on Pro+ | Pro: auto-import via Plaid where supported |
Receipt OCR | Not our headline product | Pro digitally captures unlimited receipts |
UK trade van workflow priority | Invoice send first | Books first |
Wave Pro's automation is real for freelancers who want books without spreadsheets. It still does not become UK CIS or HMRC filing.
Feature depth: reminders, chase and late payment
InvoiceAdept paid plans include automatic reminders. Wave Pro automates late payment reminders (commonly marketed as 3, 7 and 14 days after due - confirm live).
For UK business-to-business debts, late payment interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts framework is often discussed as Bank Rate + 8%. Bank Rate illustrative figure used in our guides: 3.75% (held 30 July 2026; next MPC 17 September 2026 at time of writing) so illustrative statutory interest 11.75% where the Act applies. Mark illustrative; confirm Bank of England and legislation on the day. Consumer debts are different - do not paste statutory interest onto every householder invoice without advice.
Late payment tool | InvoiceAdept | Wave |
|---|---|---|
Automated reminders | Paid plans | Pro |
Statutory interest calculator built-in as legal advice | No - neither claims that | No |
Bank Rate note in our guides | 3.75% → 11.75% illustrative | N/A product feature |
Pricing scenarios (illustrative monthly, excl VAT / as printed)
These are illustrative shopping maths, not FX forecasts and not advice.
Scenario | Likely stack | Rough monthly shape |
|---|---|---|
UK electrician, WhatsApp, accountant files | InvoiceAdept Pro | £7.99 excl VAT + Stripe on card takes |
UK CIS subcontractor needing PDF lines | InvoiceAdept Pro+ | £12.99 excl VAT |
Canadian designer, unlimited free books | Wave Starter | $0 + optional payments fees |
US freelancer wanting bank import | Wave Pro | $19 USD/mo |
UK trade buying Wave "because free" for CIS | Wrong stack | Still no CIS; FX on Pro if upgraded |
What we are not claiming
InvoiceAdept is not HMRC-recognised filing software for MTD VAT or MTD for Income Tax. We do not send quarterly updates. We do not submit the return. We do not file CIS300. CIS is not on the Free or Pro plan. The free plan is five invoices, not unlimited. We do not take a platform cut of Stripe payments, and we also do not pretend Stripe is free. We do not run payroll. We do not claim InvoiceAdept is free forever with unlimited invoices and CIS.
Wave is not "the worse invoicing app". It is a coherent North American free-to-start invoicing and bookkeeping product with a genuine unlimited Starter shape and a real Pro automation tier. It is not a UK CIS-first trade tool. It is not HMRC-recognised MTD software for UK Income Tax. It does not file UK VAT to HMRC. USD/CAD prices are not GBP. Online payment fees in dollars are not Stripe UK card rates.
We are not inventing star ratings, "trusted by thousands", fake UK MTD ticks for Wave, a CIS module Wave does not offer, GBP Wave list prices, or Income Tax quarterly filing from free bookkeeping records. Prices checked 13 September 2026; confirm on waveapps.com/pricing and invoiceadept.com/pricing before you pay.
Common shopping mistakes
Mistake | Why it hurts | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Picking Wave for UK CIS | No CIS workflow | InvoiceAdept Pro+ for invoice lines; accounts tool for CIS300 if needed |
Treating Wave Starter as MTD filing | Not HMRC-recognised for UK ITSA | Buy filing software / accountant |
Treating InvoiceAdept as VAT return software | We do not file | MTD VAT product when registered |
Ignoring the Free 5-invoice cap | Deposit + stage + final burns Free | Upgrade to Pro when volume starts |
Inventing a GBP Wave price from a blog | Stale FX / wrong aisle | Use Wave's printed USD/CAD + your bank FX |
Double-invoicing and calling it integration | Duplicate income | One invoice per job |
Using old £85k VAT threshold | Wrong | Use £90,000 |
Migration and dual-run checklist
Step | If moving toward InvoiceAdept | If staying on Wave for NA work |
|---|---|---|
1 | Export open invoices / customer list if useful | Keep NA customers in Wave |
2 | Recreate active UK jobs once in InvoiceAdept | Do not recreate UK CIS jobs in Wave |
3 | Tell accountant which export is source of truth | Keep Wave as side ledger only |
4 | Stop raising new UK invoices in Wave | Stop raising UK trade invoices twice |
5 | Confirm filing product for ITSA / VAT | Confirm filing product still exists |
Free invoice generator CTA
Build a first UK invoice draft in InvoiceAdept's free invoice generator so customer, lines, VAT and (on Pro+) CIS stay readable. Free is £0 for five invoices per month. Pro is £7.99 excl VAT and includes WhatsApp send. Pro+ is £12.99 excl VAT and includes CIS lines. Stripe's own fees apply; InvoiceAdept adds no platform fee.
How InvoiceAdept describes itself honestly
Claim we make | Claim we do not make |
|---|---|
UK trades invoicing + digital records | HMRC filing software |
CIS lines on Pro+ | We file CIS300 |
WhatsApp send on Pro / Pro+ | Unlimited Free forever |
Stripe with no platform fee | Stripe is free |
Export for your accountant | We replace your accountant |
How to read Wave marketing honestly
Wave markets | What UK trades should hear |
|---|---|
Unlimited free invoices and books | Strong free shape - USD/CAD product |
Pro automation and payments | Real for freelancers - not UK CIS |
Online payments from 2.9% + $0.60 | Dollar fee stack + possible FX |
Wave Advisors bookkeeping | NA bookkeeping help - not UK CIS300 |
Stripe fees versus subscription maths
Example | InvoiceAdept path | Wave path (illustrative) |
|---|---|---|
£1,200 UK card | ~£18.20 Stripe (1.5%+20p) + Pro subscription if used | Wave USD fee % on converted amount + FX - confirm live |
Bank transfer £1,200 | £0 platform fee | Customer pays into your UK account - Wave optional |
Volume of invoices | Free 5/mo or Pro unlimited | Starter unlimited |
Support, legal entity and trust signals
InvoiceAdept | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
Operator | Tech Me Today Ltd (15917255), ICO ZB944663 | Wave Financial / H&R Block family |
Support email | Wave Help Centre / chat hours as marketed (Eastern time on their page) | |
UK Companies House entity for InvoiceAdept | Yes | Wave is not a UK trades CIS product |
Accountant collaboration patterns
Pattern | Works? |
|---|---|
InvoiceAdept front end + accountant Xero/Sage/FreeAgent filing | Yes - common |
Wave only for UK CIS + MTD filing | No |
Wave NA side hustle + InvoiceAdept UK jobs + one filing product | Yes if disciplined |
Three ledgers all claiming to be truth | No |
Security, audit log and multi-user habits
InvoiceAdept Pro+ includes an audit log and unlimited users. Pro allows up to 3 users. Free is 1 user. Wave grants collaborator access shapes on Pro (admin/editor/viewer as marketed) - confirm live. Multi-user is not a substitute for CIS or HMRC filing.
Construction-specific invoice content
UK construction blogs that help when Wave is the wrong aisle: CIS explained, domestic reverse charge, how to invoice a client, retention.
When to stay on Free, upgrade, or leave
Signal | Move |
|---|---|
Fewer than 5 UK invoices/month, testing | InvoiceAdept Free |
WhatsApp send + unlimited invoices | Pro £7.99 |
CIS lines needed | Pro+ £12.99 |
Need VAT return / ITSA filing in-product | Leave for filing software (or keep InvoiceAdept as front end only) |
Pure NA freelancer, unlimited free books | Wave Starter |
Want Wave bank import | Wave Pro |
Final comparison scorecard (qualitative, not a fake 9.7/10)
Dimension | Edge |
|---|---|
Free unlimited invoices | Wave Starter |
UK WhatsApp trade send | InvoiceAdept |
CIS on the PDF | InvoiceAdept Pro+ |
UK HMRC filing | Neither (buy filing tool) |
GBP pricing honesty | InvoiceAdept |
NA bookkeeping automation | Wave Pro |
Stripe UK card fee shape | InvoiceAdept + Stripe |
Fake star ratings | Neither - we do not invent them |
Detailed plan chooser for UK trades
Your week | Plan |
|---|---|
Trying the product | Free (5 invoices) |
Billing hard from WhatsApp | Pro |
CIS subcontract invoices | Pro+ |
Need quarterly ITSA send | Filing software + optional InvoiceAdept front end |
Detailed plan chooser for NA freelancers
Your week | Plan |
|---|---|
Unlimited invoices + simple books | Wave Starter |
Bank import + receipts | Wave Pro |
Need UK CIS | Do not use Wave for that job |
Export, CSV and year-end habits
Export before year-end. Ask your accountant whether they want InvoiceAdept CSV, bank statements, or both. Do not assume Wave exports replace UK MTD filing. Do not assume InvoiceAdept exports submit themselves.
Mobile versus desktop reality for trades
InvoiceAdept is built for phone-first trade invoicing including WhatsApp. Wave has a mobile app for invoicing as marketed. Phone convenience does not create CIS or HMRC filing.
Common objections and straight answers
Objection | Straight answer |
|---|---|
"Wave is free so it must be better" | Free unlimited ≠ UK CIS or filing |
"InvoiceAdept Free is too small" | Correct for working volume - Pro is £7.99 |
"I need MTD in one app" | Neither of these two is your filing product |
"I will integrate by invoicing twice" | That is not integration |
Implementation week plan (either tool)
Day | InvoiceAdept path | Wave path (if NA-fit) |
|---|---|---|
1 | Create account; add business details | Create Starter; confirm currency |
2 | Import or add customers | Add customers |
3 | Raise first invoice; test PDF | Raise first invoice |
4 | Enable WhatsApp on Pro if upgrading | Review payments eligibility |
5 | Confirm accountant export habit | Confirm you are not using it for UK CIS |
6-7 | Decide Free vs Pro vs Pro+ | Decide Starter vs Pro |
FAQ
Does InvoiceAdept file Making Tax Digital updates to HMRC?
No. We keep digital records of invoices, payments and (on paid plans) expenses, and you can export them. We do not send quarterly Income Tax updates and we do not submit your Self Assessment or VAT return. If you are mandated, use HMRC-recognised software - Xero, FreeAgent, Sage and QuickBooks are common Income Tax / accounts options - or an accountant who files. Longer read: MTD invoicing for UK trades.
Is Wave MTD-compatible for UK Income Tax?
No. Wave is a North American product. It is not on HMRC's recognised Making Tax Digital software lists for Income Tax. Do not treat Wave Starter or Pro as your quarterly update / tax return product for UK Self Assessment. InvoiceAdept also does not file ITSA.
Does Wave file UK VAT to HMRC?
No. Wave does not file UK VAT returns to HMRC. InvoiceAdept can show VAT on invoice lines but also does not submit the VAT return. If you are VAT-registered (threshold £90,000), you need a product or accountant that actually submits MTD VAT.
Does Wave support CIS?
No. Wave has no Construction Industry Scheme workflow. It is built for freelancers and NA small business, not UK construction trades. InvoiceAdept puts CIS deduction lines on the invoice on Pro+ only, and still does not file CIS300.
Can I use InvoiceAdept and Wave together?
Only if you are disciplined and you have a real reason (for example a separate NA customer book). Invoice in one place per job, file UK tax from HMRC-recognised software, and do not raise the same job twice. HMRC allows more than one product but only one product per submission. Ask your accountant which export they want. Never call double-invoicing "integration".
Which is cheaper?
It depends what you are buying. Wave Starter is $0 with unlimited invoices and books - the stronger free headline. InvoiceAdept Free is £0 with a 5-invoice cap. InvoiceAdept Pro is £7.99 excl. VAT. Wave Pro is $19 USD / month (FAQ also $25 CAD). Those numbers are not substitutes. Paying $0 for Wave and nothing for UK filing, when you are mandated, is not cheaper. It is incomplete. Paying £7.99 for UK invoicing without filing software is the same incomplete shape if you are mandated.
Why does Wave price in dollars?
Wave is a North American product (Wave Financial / H&R Block family). Subscriptions and payment fees are printed in USD and CAD. UK users pay in foreign currency and may face FX costs. InvoiceAdept prices in GBP excl. VAT. We do not invent a GBP Wave list price.
Does either product file my CIS300?
InvoiceAdept: no. Wave: no CIS at all. Contractors remain responsible for verification, deductions and the return. See GOV.UK on CIS subcontractors.
I earn under £50,000. Can I ignore filing software?
Maybe for this tax year, maybe not. The £50,000 test is qualifying income for 2024 to 2025, before expenses, and it is already in force from 6 April 2026 for people over that line. Later years use £30,000 then £20,000. Use HMRC's checker. Digital invoice records are still useful below the line. Filing software becomes mandatory above it for Income Tax. VAT is a separate £90,000-threshold conversation.
Are InvoiceAdept prices including VAT?
InvoiceAdept states that all prices exclude VAT. Wave prices above are as printed in USD/CAD on 13 September 2026 - confirm at checkout for taxes in your jurisdiction. Stripe and Wave payment partners charge separately.
Who operates InvoiceAdept?
Tech Me Today Ltd. Companies House 15917255. ICO registration ZB944663.
Does InvoiceAdept send invoices on WhatsApp?
Yes, on Pro and Pro+. Native send from the app, payment link attached. Wave is not a WhatsApp-native send. Start from how to invoice a client as a UK tradesperson or the CIS invoices feature page if deductions matter.
What was Wave's price on 13 September 2026?
As printed on waveapps.com/pricing: Starter $0; Pro $19 USD/month or about $190 USD/year; FAQ also cites $25 CAD per business. Payments Starter 2.9% + $0.60 (Amex higher); Pro first 10 then fees. Confirm live before you pay.
Should I pick Wave because InvoiceAdept Free only allows five invoices?
Only if Wave fits your currency and compliance job. Unlimited free invoices in the wrong product still leave you without CIS lines, WhatsApp-native send, and UK filing. Most UK trades who outgrow Free should look at InvoiceAdept Pro (£7.99) rather than switching aisle to Wave for the unlimited headline alone.
If you want the UK invoicing half sorted first, start on the free plan - five invoices - and talk to whoever files your tax before the next quarter date, not after it. If you need North American free books, open Wave pricing, confirm USD/CAD billing and payment fees, and ask whether CIS or UK HMRC filing will ever matter to you before you lock in.
Related guides
About this comparison
Written for UK trades comparing a UK invoicing-first product with a North American free-to-start invoicing and bookkeeping product. General information, not tax advice. Prices and plan features checked on waveapps.com/pricing and invoiceadept.com/pricing on 13 September 2026; confirm live pages before you pay. Tax thresholds and MTD rules from GOV.UK as cited above. VAT threshold used: £90,000 (not the old £85,000 figure). Bank Rate illustrative 3.75% → statutory late interest 11.75% where Bank Rate + 8% applies between businesses - mark illustrative.
InvoiceAdept is from Tech Me Today Ltd, Companies House 15917255, ICO ZB944663. Support: [email protected].
Last reviewed: 13 September 2026. Author: InvoiceAdept Editorial. Category: Invoicing. Slug kept: invoiceadept-vs-wave-uk. UUID: 04b2c4a4-3b31-41e5-a389-d6243c990032.
Bottom line
Wave Starter wins the free unlimited books headline in USD/CAD. InvoiceAdept wins the UK trade invoice job - WhatsApp, GBP, Stripe UK shape, CIS on Pro+. Neither files your CIS300, VAT return, or MTD Income Tax updates. Buy the filing product (or accountant) for filing. Do not invent GBP Wave prices. Do not double-invoice and call it integration.
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