Receipt scanning in Wave isn't free. You need either the Receipts add-on, which Wave lists at $8 a month billed monthly or $72 a year billed annually, or the paid Pro plan, as of October 2026. Both let you snap, upload or forward receipts and have Wave's OCR pull the details into your books.
Here's the catch. Wave's own receipts page doesn't agree with itself on the Pro price. The footnote says mobile receipt scanning needs an active Pro plan at $16 a month, while the plan box on the same page shows Pro at $19 a month billed monthly, as of October 2026. Both figures are Wave's. I'd go by the price you see at checkout before you commit.
Just to be clear on which Wave this is: it's Wave, the accounting software at waveapps.com, used mostly by small businesses and freelancers in the US and Canada.
Your three options for receipts in Wave
Here's how the options line up on Wave's receipts and pricing pages, as of October 2026, in US dollars:
| Option | Price per Wave | What you get for receipts |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $0 | No receipt scanning unless you add the Receipts add-on |
| Receipts add-on | $8 a month or $72 a year | Unlimited scans, OCR, email forwarding |
| Pro | $19 a month or $190 a year | Receipts plus bank import and invoicing extras |
A few details sit around those numbers. Wave says tax is extra on the monthly Receipts plan: its wording is $8 a month plus applicable tax. In Canada, the Receipts add-on is $11 a month or $96 a year in Canadian dollars. Wave's page also shows a Pro promo: $9.50 a month for the first 3 months, which Wave says saves you $28.50, before it goes back to $19 a month, as of October 2026.
The add-on is the key option for anyone on the free plan. Wave's pricing page treats receipts as an optional paid extra on top of Starter, which stays at $0. So you don't have to move to Pro to stop typing receipts in by hand. You keep the free invoicing and bookkeeping, and pay only for the receipt side.
What the Receipts add-on includes
Wave lists these as part of the Receipts plan:
- Unlimited receipts with advanced OCR.
- Upload from your phone, your desktop or a forwarded email.
- Built-in automated bookkeeping, so receipts become bookkeeping records.
- Invoices and estimates on the go.
- Adding and categorising accounting transactions in the mobile app.
Wave's pricing page describes the same thing as the Manage transactions on-the-go mobile feature, and says Pro includes it alongside the receipts add-on.
What Pro adds on top
If you're tempted by Pro instead, Wave says it gives you everything for receipts plus:
- Automatic bank transaction import, with merging and categorising.
- Invoices and estimates sent automatically through Wave.
- Online payments at a discounted rate.
- Late payment reminders.
- Attachments on invoices and estimates.
- Message templates.
Bank connections run through Plaid, and Wave says not every bank is supported, so check yours connects before you pay for Pro for that reason. The full plan comparison is in this guide to Wave's plans.
How you get receipts into Wave
Wave gives you three capture routes, and you can mix them:
The mobile app
Snap a photo of the receipt in Wave's iOS or Android app. This is the route that needs a paid plan: Wave says mobile receipt scanning requires an active Pro plan or the Receipts plan. The app itself is free for invoicing, but scanning receipts on it isn't.
Desktop upload
Upload receipts from your computer. Wave accepts JPG, GIF, PNG or PDF files, and you can bulk import up to 10 at once, which helps when you've let a pile build up.
Email forwarding
Forward receipts to your Wave email address and Wave stores and sorts them for you. This is the easy one for online purchases, where the receipt lands in your inbox anyway.
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Wherever a receipt comes from, Wave says it's backed up to the cloud and stays in sync across your phone, desktop and email.
What the OCR does, and what Wave doesn't promise
OCR stands for optical character recognition. Wave says its smart OCR extracts and organises the data from each receipt, so there's less manual input for you. Wave's receipts page doesn't give an accuracy figure, though, so it's worth glancing over each result before you categorise it rather than assuming every total was read right.
When you're ready for more, my explainer on petty cash is a sensible follow-up.
Scanning your first receipt in five steps
- Add the Receipts plan, or Pro, to your Wave account.
- Download the Wave app for iOS or Android.
- Snap the receipt, or forward it to your Wave receipts email address.
- Check what the OCR picked up and categorise it.
- Your reports update automatically.
Keep going with my explainer on trial balance.
My verdict
If you hate shoeboxes full of paper and you already keep your books in Wave, the Receipts add-on is a tidy fix. Unlimited scans, three ways to upload and automatic bookkeeping is a lot for $8 a month, as of October 2026. But it isn't free, and Pro only makes sense if you also want the bank import and invoicing extras. If all you need is to stop losing receipts, it's worth comparing a dedicated receipt scanner app first.
Frequently asked questions
Does Wave scan receipts for free?
No. Wave says mobile receipt scanning needs an active Pro plan or the Receipts plan. The free Starter plan doesn't include receipt scanning unless you add the Receipts add-on.
How much is the Wave receipts plan?
As of October 2026, Wave lists the Receipts plan at $8 a month billed monthly or $72 a year billed annually in US dollars, and $11 a month or $96 a year in Canadian dollars. Wave says tax is extra on the monthly plan.
Can I email receipts to Wave?
Yes. You can forward receipts to your Wave email address and Wave stores and sorts them for you.
What file types can I upload?
Wave accepts JPG, GIF, PNG or PDF files from your desktop, and you can bulk import up to 10 receipts at once.
Do I need Pro to scan receipts on mobile?
Not necessarily. Wave says mobile receipt scanning needs either an active Pro plan or the Receipts plan, so the add-on on its own is enough.
Does Wave have a mobile app?
Yes. Wave has a free iOS and Android app for invoicing on the go. Scanning receipts in the app needs the Receipts plan or Pro.
