Asana vs Wave — An Honest Breakdown for mid-market Australian businesses
Wondering whether Asana or Wave is the better fit for Professional Services? We break down features, pricing, and real-world suitability so you can choose with confidence — backed by 12+ of hands-on experience.
Feature Comparison
Side-by-side feature ratings for Asana and Wave.
| Feature | Asana | Wave | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task management | When it comes to task management, Wave pulls clearly ahead of Asana — a factor worth weighing if this capability is important to your team. | ||
| Project views (board/list/timeline) | On project views (board/list/timeline), Wave is marginally stronger — but Asana still delivers a solid experience here. | ||
| Resource management | Asana has a notable advantage in resource management. | ||
| Time tracking | When it comes to time tracking, Wave pulls clearly ahead of Asana — a factor worth weighing if this capability is important to your team. | ||
| Collaboration tools | Wave edges out Asana on collaboration tools, though the gap is modest enough that other factors may matter more. | ||
| Reporting and dashboards | Wave holds a small advantage in reporting and dashboards. For most mid-market Australian businesses, this difference alone would not drive the decision. | ||
| Invoicing | Wave edges out Asana on invoicing, though the gap is modest enough that other factors may matter more. | ||
| Expense tracking | Asana has a notable advantage in expense tracking. | ||
| Bank reconciliation | On bank reconciliation, Asana is marginally stronger — but Wave still delivers a solid experience here. | ||
| Payroll | Asana has a slight edge in payroll. | ||
| Tax reporting and BAS | Wave holds a small advantage in tax reporting and bas. For most mid-market Australian businesses, this difference alone would not drive the decision. | ||
| Multi-currency support | Wave holds a small advantage in multi-currency support. For most mid-market Australian businesses, this difference alone would not drive the decision. |
Task management
Asana
Wave
When it comes to task management, Wave pulls clearly ahead of Asana — a factor worth weighing if this capability is important to your team.
Project views (board/list/timeline)
Asana
Wave
On project views (board/list/timeline), Wave is marginally stronger — but Asana still delivers a solid experience here.
Resource management
Asana
Wave
Asana has a notable advantage in resource management.
Time tracking
Asana
Wave
When it comes to time tracking, Wave pulls clearly ahead of Asana — a factor worth weighing if this capability is important to your team.
Collaboration tools
Asana
Wave
Wave edges out Asana on collaboration tools, though the gap is modest enough that other factors may matter more.
Reporting and dashboards
Asana
Wave
Wave holds a small advantage in reporting and dashboards. For most mid-market Australian businesses, this difference alone would not drive the decision.
Invoicing
Asana
Wave
Wave edges out Asana on invoicing, though the gap is modest enough that other factors may matter more.
Expense tracking
Asana
Wave
Asana has a notable advantage in expense tracking.
Bank reconciliation
Asana
Wave
On bank reconciliation, Asana is marginally stronger — but Wave still delivers a solid experience here.
Payroll
Asana
Wave
Asana has a slight edge in payroll.
Tax reporting and BAS
Asana
Wave
Wave holds a small advantage in tax reporting and bas. For most mid-market Australian businesses, this difference alone would not drive the decision.
Multi-currency support
Asana
Wave
Wave holds a small advantage in multi-currency support. For most mid-market Australian businesses, this difference alone would not drive the decision.
Pricing Comparison
General pricing information for each platform.
Asana
Free tier; paid from ~$13.49/user/month
Prices shown are approximate and may differ based on your plan, team size, and billing cycle. Verify directly with the vendor for current AUD rates.
Wave
Free for invoicing and accounting
Pricing may vary based on team size, features, and region. Contact the vendor for the latest Australian pricing.
Pros & Cons
An honest look at the strengths and limitations of each platform.
Asana
Pros
- Well-documented REST API for custom integrations
- Keeps distributed teams on track
- Well-established platform with strong market presence
- Cloud-based with reliable uptime
- Popular across Professional Services, Education, Retail & E-commerce
Cons
- No real-time webhook support — relies on polling for sync
- Reporting features often locked behind higher tiers
- Onboarding documentation could be more comprehensive
- Customisation may require learning curve
Wave
Pros
- Regular platform updates and improvements
- Solid feature set for its price point
- Mobile-friendly interface
- Australian tax compliance built in
- Extensive integration ecosystem with 30+ connectors
Cons
- May require accounting knowledge to configure properly
- Add-on costs for advanced features
- Bank feed reliability varies by institution
- Onboarding documentation could be more comprehensive
Best For
Which tool suits which use case.
Choose Asana if you need
- ✓ Task and project tracking
- ✓ Complex data models (tasks, projects, sections and more)
- ✓ Professional Services businesses
- ✓ Teams needing extensive third-party integrations
- ✓ Education organisations
Choose Wave if you need
- ✓ Teams needing extensive third-party integrations
- ✓ Education organisations
- ✓ Financial reporting
- ✓ Professional Services businesses
- ✓ Complex data models (invoices, customers, payments and more)
Expert Verdict
Our Harvard-educated consultants' take on this comparison.
Clever Ops Recommendation
Asana and Wave sit in different parts of your tech stack — project management and accounting & finance respectively. Rather than choosing one over the other, the smarter question is how to make them work together seamlessly. With 12+ of integration experience, Clever Ops can design a workflow where both tools complement each other perfectly.
Migration Notes
What to know about switching between Asana and Wave.
Migrating Between Asana and Wave
Migrating between Asana and Wave involves transferring your core data and mapping custom fields. Clever Ops follows a structured migration process: discovery, data mapping, test migration, verification, and cutover. We typically complete migrations within 4-8 weeks. Historical data is preserved, and we run parallel systems during the transition to minimise risk. Post-migration, we provide 3 months of support to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Asana vs Wave FAQ
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