ActiveCampaign vs Wave
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of ActiveCampaign and Wave. We compare features, pricing, ease of use, and value for money to help you make the right choice in 2026.
Reviewed by the Ikaroa team · Last updated: March 2026
Quick Verdict
ActiveCampaign edges ahead overall with a rating of 4.4/5. However, Wave (3.8/5) may be the better fit if you prioritise Freelancers and micro-businesses wanting genuinely free accounting and invoicing. Read on for the full breakdown.
ActiveCampaign vs Wave at a Glance
ActiveCampaign
★ 4.4ActiveCampaign blends email marketing, marketing automation, and CRM into one platform. Known for its sophisticated automation builder and excellent email deliverability.
Starting from: £12/month
Best for: Businesses prioritising email marketing and sophisticated automation
Read full review →Wave
★ 3.8Wave is a genuinely free accounting platform for small businesses. It offers invoicing, accounting, receipt scanning, and financial reporting at no cost. Wave makes money through optional paid services like payroll, payments processing, and bookkeeping. Ideal for freelancers and micro-businesses on a tight budget.
Starting from: £0/month
Best for: Freelancers and micro-businesses wanting genuinely free accounting and invoicing
Read full review →ActiveCampaign vs Wave Feature Comparison
Here is how ActiveCampaign and Wave compare across the features that matter most. We have tested both platforms extensively across client implementations.
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan Available | No | Yes |
| Starting Price | £12/month | £0/month |
| Best For | Businesses prioritising email marketing and sophisticated automation | Freelancers and micro-businesses wanting genuinely free accounting and invoicing |
| Our Rating | 4.4/5 | 3.8/5 |
| Mobile App | Limited | Limited |
| Email Marketing | Yes | No |
| Automation | Yes | Limited |
| Reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Extensive | Limited |
| API Access | Limited | Limited |
| Ikaroa Exclusive Discount | N/A | N/A |
ActiveCampaign vs Wave Pricing
Pricing is often the deciding factor. Here is a full breakdown of what each platform charges at every tier:
ActiveCampaign Pricing
Starter
£12/month
- ✓Email marketing
- ✓Marketing automation
- ✓Inline forms
- ✓Site tracking
Plus
£42/month
- ✓Everything in Starter
- ✓CRM
- ✓Lead scoring
- ✓Landing pages
- ✓SMS marketing
Pro
£135/month
- ✓Everything in Plus
- ✓Predictive sending
- ✓Split automation
- ✓Attribution
Enterprise
£225/month
- ✓Everything in Pro
- ✓Custom objects
- ✓Single sign-on
- ✓Dedicated account rep
Wave Pricing
Free
£0/month
- ✓Unlimited invoicing
- ✓Accounting
- ✓Receipt scanning
- ✓Financial reports
Pro (Payments)
2.9% + 30p per transaction
- ✓Online payments
- ✓Bank payments
- ✓Recurring billing
Pro (Payroll)
£16/month + £5/employee
- ✓Self-service payroll
- ✓Direct deposits
- ✓Tax filings
Not sure which to pick?
Our team has implemented both ActiveCampaign and Wave for clients. We can help you decide based on your specific needs.
ActiveCampaign Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Best-in-class marketing automation
- •Excellent email deliverability
- •Sophisticated automation builder
- •Good CRM functionality
- •Strong segmentation capabilities
✗Cons
- •CRM is secondary to marketing features
- •Can be complex for beginners
- •Contact-based pricing escalates
- •Reporting could be more visual
- •Limited social media features
Wave Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Completely free for core accounting and invoicing
- •No user or feature limits on free plan
- •Easy to learn for beginners
- •Receipt scanning via mobile app
- •No trial period or hidden fees for core features
✗Cons
- •Revenue comes from payment processing fees
- •No inventory management
- •Limited integrations
- •No project tracking or time tracking
- •Payroll only available in US and Canada
Our Verdict: ActiveCampaign vs Wave
Both ActiveCampaign and Wave are solid options, but they serve different needs. Having implemented both for multiple clients, here is our recommendation:
Choose ActiveCampaign if you need Businesses prioritising email marketing and sophisticated automation. With a starting price of £12/month and a rating of 4.4/5, it offers best-in-class marketing automation.
Choose Wave if you need Freelancers and micro-businesses wanting genuinely free accounting and invoicing. Starting at £0/month with a 3.8/5 rating, it excels at completely free for core accounting and invoicing.
Still not sure? Talk to the Ikaroa team. We have helped hundreds of businesses make this exact decision, and we are happy to point you in the right direction.
🎁 Get either product at a discount through Ikaroa Partners
Consider Open Doors Instead
Why choose between ActiveCampaign and Wave? Open Doors gives you the best features of both in one platform, for less. It is an all-in-one CRM with email marketing, SMS, funnels, booking, invoicing, automation, and more, starting at just £97/month with unlimited contacts.
Need implementation help?
Ikaroa can set up ActiveCampaign or Wave for your business, migrate your data, and train your team. We have done it dozens of times.
Free consultation. No obligation.