Free accounting...
built for Americans.
Wave is genuinely free - and genuinely US-focused. No MTD compliance, no UK payroll, no Companies House, and support that doesn't understand HMRC. UK Ltd directors need something built for Britain.
Wave
Free accounting built for US and Canadian businesses. Great invoicing and basic reports - but missing everything UK businesses need for compliance.
- No Making Tax Digital support
- Payroll is US/Canada only
- No UK compliance or HMRC integration
AccountsOS
AI-powered accounting built specifically for UK Ltd companies. MTD compliant, Companies House integrated, with voice and chat.
- "What's my VAT liability this quarter?"
- Voice commands + AI auto-categorization
- MTD, Companies House, UK tax optimization
The UK compliance gap
Wave is built for the US market. Here's what UK businesses are missing - and why "free" ends up costing you more.
No VAT Returns
Can't calculate or submit VAT. You need separate MTD software.
No Corporation Tax
No CT600 preparation, no Corp Tax estimation, no planning.
No Companies House
No deadline tracking for Confirmation Statement or Annual Accounts.
No PAYE/RTI
Can't run UK payroll. Wave payroll is North America only.
No UK Bank Feeds
Limited UK bank connections. Many UK banks aren't supported.
No Dividend Tracking
No support for tracking dividends or optimal salary/dividend split.
The hidden cost of "free": You'll need separate software for MTD (£10-20/month), payroll (£5-15/month), and likely still pay an accountant more because Wave's data doesn't match UK requirements.
What UK businesses discover about Wave
It seems perfect until you need to actually file with HMRC.
"Wait, there's no MTD support?"
UK VAT-registered businesses must file digitally via Making Tax Digital. Wave has zero HMRC integration - you'll need separate software or manual filing, defeating the purpose of an accounting app.
"The payroll is US only"
Wave's payroll handles W-2s and 1099s, not PAYE and RTI. If you have employees or pay yourself a salary, you need additional UK payroll software. That's not free anymore.
"Support doesn't understand UK tax"
Wave support is based in North America. Questions about VAT, Corporation Tax, or HMRC deadlines get generic responses. They simply don't know UK tax law.
"The chart of accounts is wrong"
Wave uses US GAAP categories by default. You'll spend hours reconfiguring accounts to match UK standards - or confuse your accountant at year-end.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | AccountsOS | Wave |
|---|---|---|
Making Tax Digital (MTD) compliant AccountsOS handles MTD for VAT. Wave has no HMRC integration whatsoever. | ||
UK payroll Wave payroll is US and Canada only. No PAYE, no RTI, no UK tax codes. | Coming | |
Companies House integration Auto-sync filing deadlines. Wave doesn't know Companies House exists. | ||
UK chart of accounts AccountsOS uses UK GAAP categories. Wave uses US GAAP by default. | ||
Ask questions in plain English "What's my VAT liability?" vs navigating reports | ||
Voice commands Hands-free expense logging while driving or working | ||
AI auto-categorization AccountsOS uses AI for smart categorization. Wave requires manual entry. | ||
Proactive tax optimization AI finds savings you'd miss - salary/dividend split, expense claims | ||
Free tier Wave is genuinely free. AccountsOS is free during Early Access (then £9/month) but built for UK. | ||
Invoicing Both offer invoicing - Wave's is free, AccountsOS includes it in the plan. | ||
Receipt scanning Both capture receipts via photo or upload. | ||
Basic reports (P&L, Balance Sheet) Both generate financial statements. |
Wave Pricing
Free
Core accounting and invoicing. Payroll extra (US/CA only).
- + Genuinely free core features
- - No UK compliance (MTD, HMRC)
- - No UK payroll
- - Limited UK bank connections
AccountsOS Pricing
£19/month
Full UK Ltd company accounting. Built for Britain.
- + MTD compliant VAT filing
- + Companies House deadline sync
- + AI chat + voice commands
- + Corporation Tax planning
Wave is 2015 accounting. AccountsOS is AI-native.
Wave was built before AI transformed productivity. AccountsOS was built for the age of intelligent automation.
Wave: Manual Everything
- Manually categorize every transaction
- Navigate menus to find information
- Create reports then interpret them yourself
- No proactive alerts or suggestions
- Type everything - no voice input
AccountsOS: AI-Powered
- AI auto-categorizes with context awareness
- Ask questions: "What did I spend on travel?"
- Chat explains what reports mean
- Proactive tax optimization alerts
- Voice commands for hands-free operation
When Wave actually makes sense
Wave isn't bad - it's just built for a different market.
You're not UK-based
Wave works great in the US and Canada where it was designed. Full payroll, tax integration, and support.
You're a hobbyist or side project
Not VAT registered, no employees, just tracking income and expenses for fun or a very small side hustle.
Budget is literally zero
If you truly cannot afford £19/month and are willing to do compliance separately, Wave's free core is genuinely free.
But if you're a UK limited company?
You need accounting that speaks HMRC, understands Corporation Tax, and integrates with Companies House - not software that thinks you file taxes in April.
UK accounting for UK businesses.
Free during Early Access. MTD compliant from day one. AI that actually understands Corporation Tax, VAT, and Companies House deadlines.
Get Started FreeNo credit card required. Built for Britain.