QuickBooks vs FreshBooks vs Wave: Best Accounting Software for Handyman, Contractors & Home Services
As a handyman, general contractor, or home services pro, you know every job has parts: labor, materials, and sometimes subcontractors. To turn a profit, you need to track what you make and what you spend. QuickBooks, FreshBooks, and Wave are top choices for accounting software, but each fits different stages of your business. Here’s how to pick the best one for tracking your home service jobs.
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The quick answer
Wave is your best free pick if you're a solo handyman or starting out. FreshBooks shines for service pros like painters or electricians who invoice per job and need to track hours. QuickBooks is the industry go-to for growing contractors with crews, subcontractors, and complex job costs.
Side-by-side breakdown
Wave: Wave is 100% free for invoicing clients, tracking expenses like lumber or wiring, and scanning receipts for tools. You only pay small fees if clients pay you through Wave. Reports are basic, but enough for a handyman doing under $150K in yearly jobs. Think solo operator, truck, and a toolbox.
FreshBooks: FreshBooks starts around $19/month. It's built for service pros. Its invoicing is super clean – great for sending detailed bids for a kitchen remodel or painting job. Track hours spent on a job, see profit per project, and manage client communication. It’s ideal for plumbers, HVAC techs, or small remodeling teams who invoice often and need good time management. Less useful if you sell a lot of parts from stock.
QuickBooks: QuickBooks starts around $35/month. It's the industry workhorse. Most construction accountants and bookkeepers know it inside out. It handles payroll for your crew, tracks inventory (like common electrical parts or plumbing fittings), prepares you for tax season, and offers deep reporting on job costs and profit margins. It's more complex, but it's the full package for growing general contractors or home service companies with multiple employees and trucks.
When to choose Wave
Pick Wave if you're just starting your handyman side gig, doing small jobs, or have a tight budget. It’s perfect for basic invoicing for a fence repair or painting a room, and tracking expenses for paint, screws, or new power tools. The free tools are solid. Move up when you hire your first helper, need to manage complex job materials, or bring on a dedicated bookkeeper.
When to choose QuickBooks
Choose QuickBooks when your home service business has grown. This means you have a crew, use subcontractors for special jobs (like a licensed electrician on a remodel), track specific job costs for each project (labor, materials, permits), or your accountant says it's time. It's essential for handling W-2 employees or 1099 contractors. Its detailed reporting helps you understand if that big deck build or HVAC install was truly profitable.
The verdict
Start with Wave if you're a solo handyman doing under $5,000 to $10,000 a month in jobs. Switch to FreshBooks if you're a service pro (like a painter or plumber) who bills per job, tracks hours, and needs good project management. Go to QuickBooks when your home service business gets complex – you have employees, multiple job sites, or your general contractor accountant tells you to.
How to get started
Open a free Wave account today and link your business bank account. Go back and tag every transaction from the last month. Know what you spent on lumber, paint, gas for the truck, and subcontractor fees. Seeing where your money goes is crucial for figuring out what jobs are truly profitable and how to price your next home service project.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS
Wave
Free accounting, invoicing, and receipt tracking — no monthly fee
FreshBooks
Best invoicing and time tracking for service businesses
QuickBooks
Industry standard — works with every bookkeeper and accountant
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I switch from Wave to QuickBooks later without losing data?
Yes. You can export your chart of accounts and transaction history from Wave and import into QuickBooks. The migration takes a few hours and is worth doing at a fiscal year boundary to keep your records clean.
Does Wave really have no monthly fee?
Wave's core accounting, invoicing, and receipt scanning features are free. Wave charges transaction fees when customers pay invoices through the platform (similar to Stripe or PayPal). Payroll is a paid add-on starting at $20/month.
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