Wave integrations: what connects to Wave Accounting, and what needs Pro
By the Swell team · Updated
Wave covers invoicing, accounting, payments and payroll in one place, but most businesses still use other software: a time tracker, a store, a CRM. This guide explains the ways other tools connect to Wave, which ones need a paid Wave plan, and which option suits each job.
What integrations does Wave have?
Wave connects to other software in three ways: features Wave runs itself (payments, payroll, receipts and bank connections), third-party apps that connect through Wave's API, and automations built in Zapier. Wave's developer documentation says businesses can authorize third-party API apps only with an active Wave Pro or Wave Advisors subscription, so the free Starter plan mostly relies on manual entry.
Three ways software connects to Wave
“Integration” covers three quite different things in Wave. Knowing which one you need saves a lot of searching.
| Type | Examples | How it works | Wave plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built into Wave | Payments, payroll, receipts, bank connections | Features Wave runs itself, some as paid add-ons | Starter or Pro; some features are Pro-only |
| API-connected apps | Time trackers such as Swell and MinuteDock | The app signs in to your Wave business and reads or creates records | Pro or Wave Advisors |
| Automations | Zapier workflows between Wave and other apps | A trigger in one app starts an action in the other | Check before relying on Starter |
If none of these fit, the fallback is manual: export a report from the other tool and enter the totals in Wave.
Built into Wave
Some things that other accounting tools handle through integrations are Wave features:
- Payments. Customers can pay invoices online by card. Online payments need approval from Wave, and card fees differ between Starter and Pro.
- Bank connections. Pro imports and categorizes bank transactions automatically, through Plaid for supported banks.
- Receipts. Pro includes unlimited receipt capture for expenses.
- Payroll. A paid add-on with its own pricing, separate from both plans.
If one of these is the job you’re trying to do, look at the Wave feature before adding another app.
API-connected apps, and why Wave Pro matters
Apps that connect directly ask you to sign in to Wave and choose a business. They can then create customers, products and invoices in that business. Wave’s developer documentation says users can grant this access only to businesses with an active Wave Pro or Wave Advisors subscription.
In practice that means:
- On Starter, you won’t be able to authorize a direct integration. Upgrade the business you invoice from, or use a manual method.
- On Pro ($19 a month or $190 a year on Wave’s pricing page), direct integrations work, along with Pro’s own features.
- If you have several Wave businesses, the subscription applies to the business you connect, so check the right one.
Wave integrations by job
Time tracking and billing
Wave has no built-in tracker for billable time, so this is one of the most common integrations. Two tools connect directly and create invoices from tracked time:
- Swell is built only for Wave. You review each outgoing line with the hours, rate and notes behind it, and Swell creates a draft in Wave for you to approve and send. Invoiced entries are locked so they can’t be billed twice. Plans start at $15 a month.
- MinuteDock creates Wave invoices with lines grouped by date, project or task, and also connects to Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB and FreshBooks.
General trackers reach Wave through automations or exported reports. Our guide to Wave time tracking options compares all four approaches, and how tracked hours become a Wave invoice walks through the direct route.
Sales, stores and customer lists
Zapier is the usual bridge here. Wave’s Zapier app can create customers, invoices and products or services, and record sales, and it can start a workflow when a new customer or invoice appears in Wave. Common uses are recording sales from another platform in Wave, or adding new Wave customers to an email list.
Before building one, decide what happens when something changes after the first run: an edited order, a refund, a renamed customer. Most automations copy data when the trigger fires; they don’t update the other system when a record changes later.
Anything else
If no tool connects, export a CSV or report from it and enter the totals in Wave. For a few transactions a month this is often simpler than maintaining an automation.
Before you connect anything
- Check the plan on the right business. Direct apps need Wave Pro or Wave Advisors on the business you connect.
- Decide which system is the record. If an invoice is created in Wave by another tool, know where you’d look to check what it was based on.
- Check currency. Some apps only support certain currencies. Swell, for example, creates invoices only for Wave businesses that use US dollars.
- Start with one client or one workflow. Run a month through it before moving everything over.
Frequently asked questions
Does Wave integrate with other apps on the free plan?
Mostly not. Wave's developer documentation says users can grant third-party apps access only to businesses with an active Pro or Wave Advisor subscription. On Starter you can still use Wave's own payments and invoicing, and move data in and out by hand.
Does Wave work with Zapier?
Yes. Wave's Zapier app triggers on a new customer or a new invoice, and can create customers, invoices and products or services, record sales, and find customers or sold items. Check that your Wave plan allows the connection before building a workflow on Starter.
Which time trackers integrate with Wave?
Swell and MinuteDock connect to Wave directly and create invoices from tracked time. General trackers such as Harvest, Toggl Track and Clockify reach Wave through Zapier or Make, or by exporting a report and entering hours yourself. See the full comparison in our guide to Wave time tracking options.
Does Wave connect to my bank?
Yes, as a built-in feature rather than a separate app. Wave's pricing page lists automatic import of bank transactions on the Pro plan, for banks supported through Plaid. On Starter you can still record transactions yourself.
How much is Wave Pro?
Wave's pricing page lists Pro at $19 a month billed monthly, or $190 a year billed annually. It adds automatic bank imports, unlimited receipt capture and lower card fees on some transactions, and it is the plan third-party API apps require.
Related: Does Wave have time tracking? · How tracked hours become a Wave invoice · Time tracking for Wave Accounting
Third-party details checked October 20, 2026 from: Wave pricing , Wave developer OAuth guide , Wave on Zapier , MinuteDock Wave integration . Product names are trademarks of their owners.