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Loom vs Wave

Loom vs Wave: Side-by-Side Feature & Pricing Comparison

An honest comparison of Loom and Wave for Australian mid-market Australian businesses. See feature ratings, pricing, pros and cons to make the right choice - or let our Harvard-educated experts help you decide.

12
Features compared
50+
Clients advised
98%
Client retention
12+
Years experience

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature analysis for Loom and Wave.

Messaging features

Loom

Loom provides messaging features functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses

Wave

Limitation: Australian-specific features like BAS preparation, STP compliance, and local bank feeds are limited or absent compared to Xero and MYOB

Day-to-day messaging features workflows feel different between Loom and Wave - watch a recorded walkthrough of each before judging which fits your team.

Video and audio quality

Loom

Automatic transcription with chapters makes video content searchable and skimmable, reducing the time viewers spend finding relevant sections

Wave

Wave provides video and audio quality functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses

Loom highlights video and audio quality as a core strength. Wave offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.

File sharing

Loom

Limitation: Video quality and file sizes can strain bandwidth for teams with limited internet connectivity, particularly in regional areas

Wave

Wave provides file sharing functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses

Both Loom and Wave address file sharing. The right choice depends on whether you prioritise depth of functionality or breadth of your overall platform.

Team channels

Loom

Limitation: Video quality and file sizes can strain bandwidth for teams with limited internet connectivity, particularly in regional areas

Wave

Wave includes team collaboration features. Multi-user capabilities vary by plan tier

For team channels, evaluate both platforms against your specific workflow requirements rather than feature lists alone. A free trial or vendor demo will clarify the differences.

Search and history

Loom

Automatic transcription with chapters makes video content searchable and skimmable, reducing the time viewers spend finding relevant sections

Wave

Wave provides search and history functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses

Loom highlights search and history as a core strength. Wave offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.

Security and compliance

Loom

Loom provides standard security controls. Contact the vendor for detailed compliance certifications

Wave

Limitation: Australian-specific features like BAS preparation, STP compliance, and local bank feeds are limited or absent compared to Xero and MYOB

Loom and Wave take different philosophical approaches to security and compliance; the better fit is usually the one that matches how your team already thinks about the problem.

Invoicing

Loom

Loom provides invoicing functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses

Wave

Completely free accounting and invoicing with no feature limitations, hidden fees, or artificial caps on transactions or customers

Wave highlights invoicing as a core strength. Loom offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.

Expense tracking

Loom

Loom provides expense tracking functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses

Wave

Receipt scanning via mobile app uses OCR to extract expense details automatically, reducing manual data entry

Wave highlights expense tracking as a core strength. Loom offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.

Bank reconciliation

Loom

Loom provides bank reconciliation functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses

Wave

Limitation: Australian-specific features like BAS preparation, STP compliance, and local bank feeds are limited or absent compared to Xero and MYOB

For bank reconciliation, evaluate both platforms against your specific workflow requirements rather than feature lists alone. A free trial or vendor demo will clarify the differences.

Payroll

Loom

Loom provides payroll functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses

Wave

Wave Payroll (available in select regions) integrates directly into the accounting platform for seamless wage expense tracking

Wave highlights payroll as a core strength. Loom offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.

Tax reporting and BAS

Loom

Loom includes tax reporting and bas capabilities. Feature depth varies by plan tier

Wave

Financial reporting with profit and loss, balance sheet, and sales tax reports covers the basics without needing a separate reporting tool

Wave highlights tax reporting and bas as a core strength. Loom offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.

Multi-currency support

Loom

Loom offers multi-currency support capabilities. Support depth and SLA commitments vary by plan

Wave

Wave offers multi-currency support capabilities. Support depth and SLA commitments vary by plan

multi-currency support support varies across Loom and Wave's plan tiers. Check whether the capabilities you need are on the plan you can actually afford.

Pricing Comparison

General pricing information for each platform.

Loom

Free plan: 25 videos, 5 min limit. Business from approximately $20/user/month, Enterprise custom pricing (AUD). Annual billing discounts available. Unlimited recording length and storage on paid plans.

Pricing may vary based on team size, features, and region. Contact the vendor for the latest Australian pricing.

Wave

Accounting and invoicing are completely free. Payment processing at 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction. Payroll available in US and Canada only. No Australian payroll support.

These figures are estimates based on publicly available pricing. Actual costs depend on your usage, team size, and any negotiated rates.

Pros & Cons

An honest look at the strengths and limitations of each platform.

Loom

Pros

  • One-click screen and camera recording eliminates the scheduling overhead of synchronous meetings for status updates, walkthroughs, and feedback
  • Automatic transcription with chapters makes video content searchable and skimmable, reducing the time viewers spend finding relevant sections
  • Viewer insights show who watched, for how long, and which sections they replayed, giving senders data on engagement
  • Comments and reactions on timestamped moments turn videos into async conversation threads, keeping context attached to the content
  • Browser extension and desktop app make recording frictionless, with instant shareable links that do not require recipients to install anything

Cons

  • Free plan limits recordings to 25 videos and 5 minutes each, which is too restrictive for most professional use cases
  • Video quality and file sizes can strain bandwidth for teams with limited internet connectivity, particularly in regional areas
  • No built-in editing beyond basic trimming means polished presentations still require a separate video editing tool
  • Viewer analytics are useful but basic compared to dedicated video hosting platforms like Wistia or Vidyard for marketing use cases

Wave

Pros

  • Completely free accounting and invoicing with no feature limitations, hidden fees, or artificial caps on transactions or customers
  • Clean, modern interface that is easy to learn for business owners without accounting backgrounds
  • Receipt scanning via mobile app uses OCR to extract expense details automatically, reducing manual data entry
  • Financial reporting with profit and loss, balance sheet, and sales tax reports covers the basics without needing a separate reporting tool
  • Wave Payroll (available in select regions) integrates directly into the accounting platform for seamless wage expense tracking

Cons

  • Revenue comes from payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.60 per transaction), which can add up for businesses with high transaction volumes
  • No inventory management, purchase orders, or project tracking, limiting Wave to pure invoicing and bookkeeping
  • Australian-specific features like BAS preparation, STP compliance, and local bank feeds are limited or absent compared to Xero and MYOB
  • Third-party integrations are minimal, with most connections requiring Zapier rather than native integrations

Best For

Which tool suits which use case.

Choose Loom if you need

  • Team collaboration
  • Education organisations
  • Teams needing extensive third-party integrations
  • Moderate data needs (videos, folders)
  • Professional Services businesses

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

Loom and Wave solve different problems: Loom handles communication, while Wave covers accounting & finance. Most mid-market Australian businesses benefit from running both with a proper integration layer. Loom is the right pick when remote and hybrid teams that want to replace unnecessary meetings with async video updates, walkthroughs, and feedback, particularly in product, engineering, and customer success roles. Wave fits when freelancers and micro-businesses that need basic invoicing and bookkeeping at zero cost, particularly those starting out and not yet ready to invest in paid accounting software. Clever Ops can design the integration architecture and implement both, typically within 4-8 weeks.

Migration Notes

What to know about switching between Loom and Wave.

Migrating Between Loom and Wave

A successful migration from Loom to Wave (or vice versa) is not just about data - it is about your team. Clever Ops handles the technical migration of your core data and custom fields, but we also provide hands-on training so your team is confident on the new platform from day one. The full process, including training, typically takes 4-8 weeks.

Loom vs Wave FAQ

Both Loom and Wave provide standard security measures including encryption, access controls, and compliance certifications. Loom uses a REST API and Wave uses REST, both supporting secure data transfer. For Australian businesses handling sensitive data under the Privacy Act, data residency and local support are worth verifying with each vendor. Clever Ops, based in Gippsland, Victoria, can review each platform's security posture against your compliance requirements during a free assessment.

Yes. Loom provides a REST API and Wave provides a REST API, so we can build reliable integrations between them. Common sync patterns include contacts and key records. Our integrations include error handling, retry logic, and monitoring. Clients typically save 8+ hours/week once the integration is live.

Wave typically requires a longer onboarding period due to its 8 data object types and configuration depth. Loom is generally quicker to get started with. With Clever Ops support, full onboarding for either platform, including configuration, data import, and team training, typically takes 4-8 weeks.

Yes, both platforms are used by Australian businesses. Loom is popular with Professional Services and Education in Australia. Wave is widely used by Professional Services and Education. Key Australian considerations include AUD pricing, local support hours, GST handling, and data residency. Loom offers Australian-specific pricing. Clever Ops, based in Gippsland, Victoria, factors these nuances into every recommendation.

Loom limitations: Free plan limits recordings to 25 videos and 5 minutes each, which is too restrictive for most professional use cases. Video quality and file sizes can strain bandwidth for teams with limited internet connectivity, particularly in regional areas. Wave limitations: Revenue comes from payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.60 per transaction), which can add up for businesses with high transaction volumes. No inventory management, purchase orders, or project tracking, limiting Wave to pure invoicing and bookkeeping. Understanding these trade-offs in the context of your specific workflows is critical. Clever Ops can help you weigh which limitations matter most for your business during a free assessment.

For Professional Services, the answer depends on your operational model. Loom is best for remote and hybrid teams that want to replace unnecessary meetings with async video updates, walkthroughs, and feedback, particularly in product, engineering, and customer success roles. Wave is best for freelancers and micro-businesses that need basic invoicing and bookkeeping at zero cost, particularly those starting out and not yet ready to invest in paid accounting software. Clever Ops has helped businesses across Professional Services choose the right stack. Book a free assessment for advice specific to your situation.

Loom strengths: One-click screen and camera recording eliminates the scheduling overhead of synchronous meetings for status updates, walkthroughs, and feedback. Automatic transcription with chapters makes video content searchable and skimmable, reducing the time viewers spend finding relevant sections. Wave strengths: Completely free accounting and invoicing with no feature limitations, hidden fees, or artificial caps on transactions or customers. Clean, modern interface that is easy to learn for business owners without accounting backgrounds. The features that matter most depend on your team's daily workflows and growth plans. Clever Ops can help you map your requirements to the right platform.

Yes. Loom provides a REST API and Wave provides a REST API, so automations can be built via Zapier, Make, or custom integrations. Common automated workflows include syncing shared data objects between both platforms. Clever Ops builds these automations for mid-market Australian businesses, saving teams 8+ hours/week on average.

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