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Wave vs Hourly: Which Payroll Software Is Better?


Disclosure: We may earn commissions if you shop through the links below.

Last Updated: May 22, 2025

Both Wave and Hourly are leading payroll software solutions, but which one is better for you and your business?

Below we compare Wave and Hourly across nearly 50 different data points to help you make find the right one.

 

Wave vs Hourly Reviews

WaveHourly
Trustpilot Rating1.64.4
Number of Trustpilot Reviews12613
iPhone App Rating4.54.9
Number of iPhone App Reviews570081
Android App Rating3.73.7
Number of Android App Reviews2290037

Wave vs Hourly Pricing

WaveHourly
Free TrialYesn/a
Free Trial Length1 monthn/a
Cheapest Plan NameSelf service statesGold
Cheapest Plan Cost Per Month$n/a$n/a
Mid Priced Plan Namen/an/a
Mid Priced Plan Cost Per Month$n/a$n/a
Top Plan NameTax service statesPlatinum
Top Plan Cost Per Month$40$60

Wave vs Hourly Features

FeaturesWaveHourly
Target Business SizeSmall businessSmall business
Unlimited Payrolls✘✔
Automated Tax Filing & Payments✔✔
E-sign I-9 & W-4✘✘
Live Customer Support✔✘
Third-Party Integrations✔✔
Ability To Manage Employee Benefits✔✘
Employee Access To Platform✔✔
Direct Deposit✔✔
Expense Reimbursement✔✔
Time Off Accrual✔✔
Pre-Tax Deductions✔✔
Wage Garnishment✔✔
Background Checks✘✘
Check Printing✔✔
Check Delivery✘✔
API✘✘

Wave Self service states Features

  • Wave makes filing your own payroll taxes easy
  • 36 states are self-serve, which means you’ll have to pay and file the paperwork yourself. Wave makes it easy by showing you what information and how much money you’ll need per payroll.

Hourly Gold Features

  • Unlimited payroll runs
  • Next-day direct deposit
  • Digital pay check
  • Pay employees and independent contractors
  • W-2s issued for you
  • Self managed garnishments
  • Workers’ comp integration
  • Employee app
  • GPS-verified clock-ins
  • Unlimited phone support
  • Precision time tracking
  • Job costing reports

Wave Tax service states Features

  • Wave handles your payroll taxes
  • 14 states include tax services with the option to automatically transfer tax payments and file the paperwork with your state tax office and the IRS (this excludes 1099 Filings).

Hourly Platinum Features

  • Unlimited payroll runs
  • Same-day direct deposit
  • Next-day paper check delivery
  • Pay employees and independent contractors
  • W-2s issued for you
  • Fully managed garnishments
  • Workers’ comp integration
  • Employee app
  • GPS-verified clock-ins
  • Unlimited phone support
  • Precision time tracking
  • Job costing reports
  • Employee messaging
  • Employee document center
  • Employee paperless onboarding

Wave vs Hourly Pro & Cons

WaveHourly
Pros
  • User-Friendly Interface
  • Accurate Payroll Calculation
  • Free Service
  • Customer Service
  • User Interface
  • Comprehensive Solution
  • User Friendly
Cons
  • Slow Performance
  • Poor Customer Service
  • Limited Payroll Features
  • Integration Issues
  • Expensive
  • Need Improvements

Other Payroll Software Comparisons

  • isolved vs Greenshades
  • Arbonum vs Workday
  • Plane vs Darwinbox
  • SumoPayroll vs HRONE
  • greytHR vs EPAY Payroll
  • Wave vs Paypro
  • Online Paystub Generator vs Zelt
  • EPAY Payroll vs Arbonum
  • SurePayroll vs Trolley
  • Paycom vs Hourly

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