Ashby vs Wave Payroll

Ashby

Ashby is a modern all-in-one recruiting platform built for high-growth companies. It combines ATS, CRM, scheduling, and analytics in a single tool, eliminating the need for multiple recruiting tools. Ashby is loved by tech startups and scale-ups for its powerful analytics and modern interface that helps recruiting teams make data-driven hiring decisions.

Paid pricing · Get Pricing →

Wave Payroll

Wave Payroll is a simple payroll solution built into the Wave accounting ecosystem. It is designed for very small businesses that already use Wave for accounting and want an integrated payroll solution. Wave Payroll handles direct deposit, tax payments, and W-2s, making it a natural choice for businesses already in the Wave ecosystem.

Paid pricing · Get Pricing →

Pros

• ✓All-in-one platform eliminates need for separate recruiting CRM and scheduling tools
• ✓Exceptional analytics — best-in-class reporting for recruiting teams
• ✓Modern and fast interface loved by recruiting ops teams
• ✓Strong integrations with developer tools

Cons

• ✗Expensive — pricing requires custom quote and targets growth-stage companies
• ✗Overkill for small teams making fewer than 20 hires per year
• ✗Requires dedicated recruiting ops resources to get full value
• ✗Less widely known than Greenhouse or Lever

Pros

• ✓Seamlessly integrates with Wave accounting — no manual data transfer needed
• ✓Very affordable pricing for micro-businesses
• ✓Simple interface with minimal setup required
• ✓Free Wave accounting included with subscription

Cons

• ✗Limited features compared to dedicated payroll platforms
• ✗Tax filing is only automatic in select states — manual filing required in others
• ✗No mobile payroll app
• ✗Not suitable for businesses with complex payroll needs

Best For

High-growth tech companies wanting an all-in-one recruiting platform with exceptional analytics

Best For

Micro-businesses already using Wave accounting that want simple integrated payroll