For independent contractors, consultants or small businesses looking for affordable invoicing with project management capabilities, Bloom is perfect. It has reasonable prices and a free plan. With excellent reporting, round-the-clock support and numerous integrations, Xero is a comprehensive business management solution.
Despite their disparate specialties, Bloom and Wave both offer invoicing features like spending tracking, estimates and personalized templates. Bloom excels at project-focused features whereas Wave offers pre-built financial reports, mileage tracking and bank connections. Both are ideal for service-oriented businesses and more general financial management needs.
Two different pricing philosophies are highlighted in the Bloom vs Wave pricing comparison. While Bloom uses a tiered model with plans starting at $9/month and going up to $39/month, Wave offers unlimited users and clients on their free plan.
Bloom provides transparent fee structures, QuickBooks compatibility, CRM integrations via Zapier and competitive payment processing via Stripe and Square. Wave streamlines payment processing by offering a fixed fee and few integration choices.
Bloom is a modern platform with sophisticated design and robust mobile functionality for independent contractors and small-to medium-sized agencies. On the other hand, wave offers an infinite user capacity and serves small businesses and independent contractors.
Wave is suitable for businesses because of its advanced financial reporting and bank connections while Bloom offers consultants and agencies first-rate project management and time tracking.
Wave‘s unlimited users and basic accounting features make it perfect for freelancers, small businesses and startups. Bloom provides sophisticated features for client communication, time tracking and project management. Both provide basic financial management and affordability.
| Bloom | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Core Features | ||
| Custom Templates | Multiple portfolio and invoice templates available | Multiple customizable invoice templates available |
| Send Estimates/Quotations | Yes | Yes |
| Recurring Billing Automation | Yes | Yes |
| Expense Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Time Tracking | Yes | No |
| Mileage Tracking | No | Yes, via Driversnote integration |
| Automated Payment Reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Project-Based Billing | Yes | No |
| Tax Handling | Yes | Yes (basic tax support) |
| User Permissions/Role Management | Yes | Yes |
| File Uploads | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing and Plans | ||
| Free Plan Availability | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing Range | Starter: $9/month Standard: $22/month Plus: $39/month |
Starter: $0/month Pro: $16/month |
| Trial Period | 7 days | No trial (free plan available) |
| User Limits | Starter: 1 user Standard: 1 user Plus: unlimited users |
Unlimited |
| Client Limits | Not explicitly limited | Unlimited |
| Storage Limits | Starter: 100 GB/month Standard: 1 TB/month Plus: 2 TB/month |
Yes (via Driversnote integration) |
| Payment Processing Fees | Credit Card (Stripe): 2.9% + $0.30 American Express: 3.4% + $0.30 ACH: 0.8% |
Starter: 2.9% + $0.60 Pro: 2.9% + $0 (first 10), then 2.9% + $0.60 |
| Ease of Use | ||
| User Interface | Simple and elegant design | Simple |
| Onboarding Experience | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile App Availability | Yes | Available for iOS and Android |
| Mobile App Functionality | Project Management, Workflows, Instant Booking, Client Communication | Invoicing and payment management |
| Integration | ||
| Payment Gateways Supported | Stripe, Square, Alternative Payment Methods | Credit card, bank transfer, ACH payments |
| Accounting Software Compatibility | QuickBooks, Xero | QuickBooks, FreshBooks, spreadsheets, export capabilities for other software |
| CRM Integration | Zapier Integration, Direct Integrations, Calendar Sync, Website Embeds | BlueCamroo, various CRMs via Zapier, API available for custom integrations |
| API Availability | Yes | Yes |
| Reporting & Analytics | ||
| Bank Connections | No | Yes |
| Pre-Built Financial Reports | No | Yes |
| Custom Report Creation | No | No |
| Security & Compliance | ||
| Dashboard Metrics | Yes | Yes |
| Data Encryption | Yes | Yes |
| GDPR Compliance | Yes | Yes |
| Backup Options | No | Automatic |
| Customer Support | ||
| Support Channels | Chat, Email | Email, Chat |
| Help Center/Knowledge Base | Yes | Yes |
| 24/7 Support | No | No |
| Adaptability | ||
| Multi-Currency Support | Yes | Yes |
| Localization | Yes | English |
| Industry-Specific Customization | Yes | Yes |
| Scalability | Freelancers to Small-Medium Agencies | Freelancers to Small Businesses |
| Read Bloom Review | Read Wave Review |
