MYOB vs Wave: Side-by-Side Feature & Pricing Comparison
Our Harvard-educated consultants have implemented both MYOB and Wave for Australian businesses. Here is what 12+ of experience has taught us about choosing between them.
Feature Comparison
Side-by-side feature analysis for MYOB and Wave.
Invoicing
MYOB
MYOB Business offers inventory, invoicing, payroll, and job tracking in a single plan, reducing the need for add-on costs
Wave
Completely free accounting and invoicing with no feature limitations, hidden fees, or artificial caps on transactions or customers
Both platforms are strong here. MYOB emphasises this as a core strength, and Wave also invests heavily in invoicing. Review each platform's approach to see which aligns with your team's workflow.
Expense tracking
MYOB
MYOB Business offers inventory, invoicing, payroll, and job tracking in a single plan, reducing the need for add-on costs
Wave
Receipt scanning via mobile app uses OCR to extract expense details automatically, reducing manual data entry
Both platforms are strong here. MYOB emphasises this as a core strength, and Wave also invests heavily in expense tracking. Review each platform's approach to see which aligns with your team's workflow.
Bank reconciliation
MYOB
MYOB provides bank reconciliation functionality, popular with Trades & Construction businesses
Wave
Limitation: Australian-specific features like BAS preparation, STP compliance, and local bank feeds are limited or absent compared to Xero and MYOB
On paper bank reconciliation looks similar across MYOB and Wave, but the admin experience, reporting, and permission model tend to be the real differentiators.
Payroll
MYOB
Built-in payroll with award interpretation and STP compliance handles Australian payroll complexity well out of the box
Wave
Wave Payroll (available in select regions) integrates directly into the accounting platform for seamless wage expense tracking
Both platforms are strong here. MYOB emphasises this as a core strength, and Wave also invests heavily in payroll. Review each platform's approach to see which aligns with your team's workflow.
Tax reporting and BAS
MYOB
Strong multi-entity and consolidated reporting capabilities suit businesses with multiple trading entities or franchise operations
Wave
Financial reporting with profit and loss, balance sheet, and sales tax reports covers the basics without needing a separate reporting tool
Both platforms are strong here. MYOB emphasises this as a core strength, and Wave also invests heavily in tax reporting and bas. Review each platform's approach to see which aligns with your team's workflow.
Multi-currency support
MYOB
MYOB 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
If multi-currency support is a daily-use area for your team, the onboarding curve and keyboard ergonomics matter more than feature counts - trial both with a real operator, not an evaluator.
Inventory management
MYOB
MYOB Business offers inventory, invoicing, payroll, and job tracking in a single plan, reducing the need for add-on costs
Wave
Limitation: No inventory management, purchase orders, or project tracking, limiting Wave to pure invoicing and bookkeeping
MYOB highlights inventory management as a core strength. Wave offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.
Project accounting
MYOB
Best for established Australian businesses, particularly in trades and construction, that need payroll, inventory, and accounting in one platform and value compatibility with traditional accounting practices.
Wave
Completely free accounting and invoicing with no feature limitations, hidden fees, or artificial caps on transactions or customers
Wave highlights project accounting as a core strength. MYOB offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.
Budgeting and forecasting
MYOB
MYOB provides budgeting and forecasting functionality, popular with Trades & Construction businesses
Wave
Wave provides budgeting and forecasting functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses
Edge cases in budgeting and forecasting (bulk edits, exports, undo, permissions) are where MYOB and Wave diverge; map your five toughest scenarios and reproduce them in each trial.
API and integrations
MYOB
Limitation: Third-party app integrations are more limited than Xero, with fewer modern SaaS tools offering native MYOB connections
Wave
Limitation: Third-party integrations are minimal, with most connections requiring Zapier rather than native integrations
MYOB has a broader native ecosystem (63+ integrations) compared to Wave (33+). Both connect via automation platforms like Zapier and Make.
Ease of setup
MYOB
MYOB provides onboarding resources. Setup complexity depends on your configuration requirements
Wave
Wave provides onboarding resources. Setup complexity depends on your configuration requirements
If ease of setup is a daily-use area for your team, the onboarding curve and keyboard ergonomics matter more than feature counts - trial both with a real operator, not an evaluator.
Value for money
MYOB
Best for established Australian businesses, particularly in trades and construction, that need payroll, inventory, and accounting in one platform and value compatibility with traditional accounting practices.
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.
Pricing models differ significantly. Compare the total cost of ownership including add-ons and per-user fees, not just the headline price.
Pricing Comparison
General pricing information for each platform.
MYOB
MYOB Business Lite from $25/month, MYOB Business Pro from $55/month, MYOB Business Growing from $65/month (AUD). AccountRight pricing varies. Payroll included in most plans. Employee numbers affect pricing.
Pricing is indicative only and subject to change. We recommend contacting the vendor for a tailored quote based on your Australian business needs.
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.
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.
Pros & Cons
An honest look at the strengths and limitations of each platform.
MYOB
Pros
- Deep roots in Australian business means accountants and bookkeepers are highly familiar with the platform, reducing training costs
- Built-in payroll with award interpretation and STP compliance handles Australian payroll complexity well out of the box
- MYOB Business offers inventory, invoicing, payroll, and job tracking in a single plan, reducing the need for add-on costs
- AccountRight desktop and online versions cater to businesses that prefer on-premise software or are transitioning to cloud
- Strong multi-entity and consolidated reporting capabilities suit businesses with multiple trading entities or franchise operations
Cons
- The interface feels dated compared to Xero, particularly the AccountRight product, which affects staff adoption and productivity
- Third-party app integrations are more limited than Xero, with fewer modern SaaS tools offering native MYOB connections
- Mobile app functionality lags behind Xero and QuickBooks, making on-the-go invoicing and expense tracking less convenient
- Migration to or from MYOB can be complex, especially from the desktop AccountRight version with years of historical data
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 MYOB if you need
- ✓ Trades & Construction businesses
- ✓ Retail & E-commerce organisations
- ✓ Teams needing extensive third-party integrations
- ✓ Tax compliance
- ✓ Financial reporting
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
Choose MYOB if established Australian businesses, particularly in trades and construction, that need payroll, inventory, and accounting in one platform and value compatibility with traditional accounting practices. Choose Wave if 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. Avoid MYOB if businesses prioritising a modern cloud-first experience with extensive third-party integrations, or tech-savvy teams who find the interface hinders productivity. Avoid Wave if Australian businesses needing GST, BAS, or STP compliance, or any business requiring inventory management, project tracking, or extensive third-party integrations. If you are still weighing the trade-offs, Clever Ops offers a free assessment where our Harvard-educated consultants map your requirements to the right platform.
Migration Notes
What to know about switching between MYOB and Wave.
Migrating Between MYOB and Wave
Clever Ops takes a low-risk approach to migrating between MYOB and Wave. We run both systems in parallel during the transition, transferring invoices, payments, accounts in stages and verifying data at each step. Your team continues working in the existing system until the new one is fully validated. The process typically takes 4-8 weeks, followed by 3 months of hands-on support.
MYOB vs Wave FAQ
Yes. Both platforms share 3 common data object types (including invoices, payments, accounts), which simplifies field mapping. Clever Ops runs a structured migration process: discovery, data mapping, test migration, verification, and cutover. Most migrations complete within 4-8 weeks, with 3 months of post-migration support included.
Yes. MYOB provides a REST API and Wave provides a REST API, so we can build reliable integrations between them. Common sync patterns include invoices, payments, accounts. Our integrations include error handling, retry logic, and monitoring. Clients typically save 8+ hours/week once the integration is live.
MYOB may hit limits when businesses prioritising a modern cloud-first experience with extensive third-party integrations, or tech-savvy teams who find the interface hinders productivity. Wave may hit limits when Australian businesses needing GST, BAS, or STP compliance, or any business requiring inventory management, project tracking, or extensive third-party integrations. Both platforms are designed to grow with your business, but scaling experience varies. MYOB connects with 63+ tools, and Wave with 33+, so integration flexibility at scale is comparable. Clever Ops helps mid-market Australian businesses plan their tech stack for growth, not just for today.
MYOB limitations: The interface feels dated compared to Xero, particularly the AccountRight product, which affects staff adoption and productivity. Third-party app integrations are more limited than Xero, with fewer modern SaaS tools offering native MYOB connections. 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.
MYOB: MYOB Business Lite from $25/month, MYOB Business Pro from $55/month, MYOB Business Growing from $65/month (AUD). AccountRight pricing varies. Payroll included in most plans. Employee numbers affect 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.. When comparing costs, factor in per-user charges, add-on modules, and implementation costs, not just the headline price. Clever Ops can model the total cost of ownership for your team size during a free assessment.
If both tools are in the same category, you typically choose one as your primary system. However, some businesses run both during migration periods or for different teams. MYOB and Wave share 3 common data types, making integration feasible. Clever Ops can sync them so your data stays consistent across both platforms.
Yes, both platforms are used by Australian businesses. MYOB is popular with Trades & Construction and Retail & E-commerce 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. MYOB offers Australian-specific pricing. Clever Ops, based in Gippsland, Victoria, factors these nuances into every recommendation.
Switching costs include data migration, team retraining, workflow rebuilding, and potential downtime. MYOB pricing: MYOB Business Lite from $25/month, MYOB Business Pro from $55/month, MYOB Business Growing from $65/month (AUD). Wave pricing: Accounting and invoicing are completely free. Beyond licensing costs, budget for implementation (Clever Ops typically completes migrations in 4-8 weeks) and training. We run parallel systems during transitions and provide 3 months of post-migration support to minimise disruption.
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