The verdict for side hustlers (finance crossover): Wave is solid software, but at $16/month it costs $644 over 3 years. Nexa does most of what Wave does for $279 once. For solo side hustlers (finance crossover) and small teams, Nexa is the better deal.
Nexa: $279. Once. You keep $365. And you own it — no more "we're updating our pricing" emails.
| Feature | Wave | Nexa |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scheduling | ✗ | ✓ |
| CRM | ✗ | ✓ |
| Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Full Accounting | ✗ | ✓ (SIMPL) |
| Task Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Price | $16/mo | $279 once or 3 × $99 |
| 3-Year Total | $644 | $279 |
| You own it? | No — stop paying, lose access | Yes — forever |
Wave plus whatever else you're paying for:
Email yourself this comparison?
The math doesn't lie.
Side Hustlers (Finance Crossover) deal with unique challenges that generic software was not built for: Day job W-2 income + side hustle 1099 income in one financial life. Need to separate personal and business expenses for taxes but live from one bank account. Estimated quarterly taxes on side income — always a surprise. Side hustle grows but doesn't justify $50/month QuickBooks. YNAB handles personal budgeting but not business invoicing. Tax time is a nightmare — digging through transactions to find business expenses. Wave charges $16/month on top of these daily realities. The median side hustler earns $50,000/year — $192/year in software subscriptions is a significant percentage of that income, paid every year, forever.
Nexa is $279 once. Invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, accounting — all connected, built for side hustlers (finance crossover). You own it like you own your Day job payroll (ADP, Workday, etc.).
Your W-2 paycheck hits on Friday: $2,100 after deductions. Your Etsy shop made $340 this month. A freelance client owes you $500 from a logo you delivered two weeks ago. Rent, car payment, groceries — all personal. Shipping supplies, Adobe subscription, business cards — all business. It's all in the same checking account. Your accountant told you to separate everything. You need one tool for your whole financial life: personal budget AND side hustle books. Not two apps. Not a spreadsheet plus an app. One tool. $279 for Nexa covers both.
Real side hustlers (finance crossover) near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you a side hustler? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every side hustler on Nexa →
For solo side hustlers (finance crossover) and small teams, yes. invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, task management, and full accounting — all for $279 once. Wave may be better if you have a large team (10+) or need enterprise-specific features.
Wave has features like Free accounting software and Unlimited invoicing that some businesses rely on. For most solo side hustlers (finance crossover), these aren't dealbreakers.
At $16/month, Nexa pays for itself in 17.4 months. After that: $192 saved every year.
Yes. Nexa is $279 as a one-time payment, or 3 payments of $99 ($297 total). Either way it's a one-time purchase — no subscription, no recurring fees ever.
Own your tools. Stop renting your software.
Get Nexa — $279 Once