Kountr vs Wave.
Wave is free, and for a brand-new side hustle that can be exactly right. Kountr is paid, and built for when free stops keeping up. Here's the honest line between them.
The honest table.
| Feature | Kountr | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Price | paid | free / paid add-ons |
| Plaid bank sync for Canadian banks | ✓ | own connector |
| Rules + AI pattern categorization | ✓ | — |
| Receipt capture & matching | ✓ | add-on |
| CRA-ready HST/GST/PST reporting | ✓ | manual |
| CPA Mode (double-entry, journal entries) | ✓ | — |
| Per-unit gross for car dealers | ✓ | — |
| Free tier for very early-stage | 7-day trial | ✓ |
When to pick which.
You've outgrown manual categorization and HST math, or you run a dealership. Bank sync, rules-plus-AI, and CRA-ready reporting save you the hours Wave asks you to spend by hand.
You're just starting, your volume is low, and free is what matters most right now. Wave is a legitimately good free tool for that stage — Kountr is where you go when it stops keeping up.
Asked and answered.
Is Kountr actually built in Canada?+
Yes. Kountr calculates HST/GST/PST by province, produces a CRA-ready HST report in $CAD, and hosts data in AWS Canada (Central). Canadian rules are the default, not an afterthought.
Can I move my data over?+
You connect your banks via Plaid to pull in history, and import standard CSV exports from your current tool. Migration assistance is available on paid plans.
Where does the competitor still win?+
We'll say it plainly on each comparison: if your main job is sending invoices and chasing payments, an invoicing-first tool may fit you better today. Kountr leads with bookkeeping, tax, and — for dealers — per-unit gross.
Can my accountant use it?+
Yes. CPA Mode gives your bookkeeper or CPA full double-entry, journal entries, trial balance, and period locks in the same file you use day to day.