SoftwareDuel

Wave vs Lattice

A head-to-head comparison to help you pick the right tool

Wave

Wave is a free accounting and invoicing platform designed for small businesses, freelancers, and solopreneurs. It offers genuinely free accounting, invoicing, and receipt scanning with no subscription fee. Wave makes money through payment processing and payroll add-ons. It is one of the best free accounting tools available for very small businesses with simple needs.

Freemium pricing · Get Pricing →

Lattice

Lattice is a people management platform that helps companies run performance reviews, set goals, and measure employee engagement. It combines performance management, OKRs, career development, and compensation tools in one platform. Lattice is widely used by tech companies that invest heavily in people development.

Paid pricing · Get Pricing →

Pros

  • Genuinely free accounting and invoicing — no subscription required
  • Clean and easy to use interface
  • Good enough for most very small businesses and freelancers
  • Receipt scanning and bank connections included free

Cons

  • Limited features compared to paid alternatives
  • Customer support is minimal on the free plan
  • Not suitable for growing businesses with complex needs
  • Payroll and payment processing add-ons can add up in cost

Pros

  • Best-in-class performance review and OKR tools
  • Strong engagement survey capabilities with actionable insights
  • Career development and growth tracking features
  • Good analytics for people managers and HR teams

Cons

  • No payroll or core HRIS functionality
  • Can be expensive when combining multiple modules
  • Some users find the platform complex to administer initially

Our Take

Choose Wave if solopreneurs and very small businesses wanting free accounting and invoicing software. Choose Lattice if mid-size companies focused on performance management.

Best For

Solopreneurs and very small businesses wanting free accounting and invoicing software

Best For

Mid-size companies focused on performance management

Wave vs Lattice: Accounting Software Comparison | SoftwareDuel