Comparison

Ochre vs Wave

A fact table, not a pitch: pricing model, accounts, offline use, and where each app runs. Sourced and dated — see the citations at the bottom of the page.

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Last checked: 2026-10-15. Facts drawn from each vendor's own pricing page and App Store listing — see sources below. Re-verified quarterly; next check due 2026-12-15.

The fact table

	Ochre	Wave
Pricing model	One Ochre Pro plan (monthly, yearly, or a non-renewing lifetime tier) covers every business and every device, after a 7-day free trial — see pricing for the current offer.	Free Starter plan — unlimited invoices, estimates, and bills, permanently. Pro tier $19/mo or $190/yr.
Account or sign-up required?	No account or sign-up screen to invoice.	Yes.
Works offline?	Yes — local-first by design; iCloud sync is optional, not required.	Not stated.
One-time purchase available?	Yes — a lifetime, non-renewing tier is on sale alongside monthly and yearly.	No.
Multiple businesses under one price?	Yes — one price, unlimited businesses under one Ochre Pro plan.	Per business — its pricing page says the Pro fee is “per business, not per owner.”
Native on Mac, iPhone, and iPad?	Yes — iPhone, iPad, and Mac, one native SwiftUI codebase.	No iPad or Mac line shown on its App Store listing (iOS 16.4 only).
On-device AI?	Planned, not yet shipped — on-device via Apple's Foundation Models framework.	None named. Receipt OCR is mentioned but not branded as AI.
Where is data stored?	On-device by default; iCloud sync only where the user turns it on.	“Strict physical access and technical controls” stated on its security page — no specific region or provider named.

Sources for the Wave column: www.waveapps.com/pricing · apps.apple.com/us/app/wave-small-business-software/id881629660 · www.waveapps.com/legal/security-and-privacy

Where Wave is the better choice

Wave bundles free accounting, invoicing, and basic bookkeeping together permanently, not as a trial — a better fit for a very small business that wants one free tool instead of paying for invoicing at all.

Questions

Does Ochre have a one-time purchase option, unlike Wave?

Yes. Ochre sells a non-renewing lifetime tier alongside monthly and yearly. Wave does not currently offer a one-time purchase, per its own pricing page (checked 2026-10-15).

Do I need an account to invoice with Wave?

Per Wave's own pricing page (checked 2026-10-15), yes. Ochre has no account or sign-up screen.

Where is Wave better than Ochre?

More on how Ochre works: the user guide · pricing · every comparison on this site · one-time-purchase invoicing apps for Mac.

Compare Ochre with other apps: Ochre vs Zoho Invoice · Ochre vs Invoice Ninja · Ochre vs FreshBooks · Ochre vs Bonsai · Ochre vs QuickBooks Online.