Is VRITTI really free?

Yes, the free tier is free forever. Unlimited transactions, real-time P&L, crisis challenges, first 2 Academy lessons per module, and 3 AI queries/month — no credit card required. If you're in financial crisis, everything you need to stabilize is free.

How is VRITTI different from other finance apps?

Every other finance app starts with your numbers. VRITTI starts with how you feel about your numbers. The onboarding asks about your emotional state before showing you a single transaction. That changes everything — what you see, what challenges appear, and how the app talks to you. VRITTI was built for the 80% of people that fintech forgot.

What if I'm in a really bad financial situation?

VRITTI was specifically built for that. The crisis challenge category, the debt recovery Academy modules, and the one-day "Just Look" challenge are all designed for people who are stabilizing. There's no judgment, no "you should have done this sooner." The crisis tier is free forever.

Does VRITTI work for couples?

Yes. VRITTI has a dedicated couples challenge category and a "Money Between Us" Academy module designed to help partners build financial trust and communication — not just share a transaction list.

What does VRITTI mean?

VRITTI is a Sanskrit word meaning income, livelihood — the flow of resources through a life. Not a budget. Not a ledger. A flow. Something living, something that moves, something that belongs to you.

App Reviews7 min read

Best Wave Accounting Alternative for Canadian Freelancers (2026)

Wave paywalled bank imports in January 2024. Here's why thousands of Canadian freelancers are switching to VRITTI — free bank imports, AI financial coaching, and GST/HST tracking built for Canada.

VRITTI Team

Written + fact-checked by the VRITTI editorial team

Published Apr 1, 2026

Why Wave users are looking for alternatives in 2026

For years, Wave Accounting was the default choice for Canadian freelancers and microbusinesses. It was free, it worked, and it didn't try to upsell you on features you didn't need.

Then H&R Block acquired Wave. And everything changed.

In January 2024, Wave moved automated bank transaction imports behind a $16/month Pro paywall. The feature that made Wave useful — the automatic pulling of transactions from your bank — was no longer free.

But it got worse:

CSV export removed from free tier — breaking the core workflow of providing expense records to a CPA
Community forums shut down — no direct support, only chatbots
Scanned receipts lost — users who had accumulated years of receipts found them inaccessible after the acquisition
Funds held or reversed — some users reported payment processing issues with no recourse

The result? Wave's Trustpilot rating is now 1.2 out of 5 stars from over 180 reviews. Real users are saying things like:

"Wave was great until it wasn't. The moment I needed actual help, I was stuck talking to a bot for three days."

What to look for in a Wave alternative

If you're leaving Wave, here's what matters most:

Free bank imports — This is the feature Wave took away. Don't settle for another app that might do the same.
Canadian tax support — GST/HST tracking, provincial rates, CRA-ready reports. Not an American app with "Canada" tacked on.
Flat, predictable pricing — No client caps, no per-feature charges, no surprise increases.
Easy data migration — You should be able to import your Wave CSV and be up and running in minutes.
Data you can always export — If an app paywalls your own data, that's a red flag.

VRITTI: Built for the post-Wave world

VRITTI was designed specifically for Canadian freelancers and small business owners. It was built with the Wave exodus in mind — every decision addresses a real pain point from the Wave community.

Bank imports included. Always.

VRITTI connects to all Big 5 Canadian banks (TD, RBC, BMO, Scotiabank, CIBC) plus Desjardins, Tangerine, Simplii, and 12,000+ more institutions via Plaid. Bank imports are included in every plan. We will never paywall this feature.

Canadian tax intelligence built in

VRITTI knows your provincial tax rates. It tracks your rolling 12-month revenue against the $30,000 GST/HST registration threshold. It estimates your federal + provincial income tax, CPP contributions, and HST owing — all on your dashboard.

The Tax Jar shows exactly how much to set aside. The "Pay Yourself" number tells you how much is safe to withdraw after taxes and upcoming bills. No other bookkeeping app does this.

AI financial coach that knows your numbers

VRITTI has an AI assistant that can access and reason about your actual financial data. Ask "Am I spending too much on advertising?" and get a real answer based on your numbers. Not a generic article. An actual analysis.

Wave CSV importer

VRITTI includes a dedicated importer that reads Wave's export format. It auto-detects Wave's column structure (Transaction Date, Description, Debit/Credit, Account Name) and maps everything to your new VRITTI categories. Migration takes about 2 minutes.

How VRITTI compares to Wave and FreshBooks

Feature	VRITTI	Wave	FreshBooks
Bank imports	Included. Always.	$16/mo paywall	Included
AI financial coach	Yes	No	No
GST/HST threshold alert	Auto-monitors $30K	No	No
Tax set-aside calculator	Live on dashboard	No	No
CSV export	Always free	Paywalled	Included
Client cap	Unlimited	Unlimited	5 on Lite plan
Pricing	$24/mo CAD flat	$16/mo for Pro	$23-70/mo

How to switch from Wave to VRITTI

Export from Wave: Go to Reports in Wave, export your transactions as CSV
Import to VRITTI: Open VRITTI, go to Transactions > Import, select your Wave CSV
Connect your bank: Link your Canadian bank account via Plaid (2 minutes)
You're done: VRITTI auto-categorizes your transactions and starts tracking your tax obligations

The whole process takes under 5 minutes. Start your switch today →

Frequently asked questions

Why are people leaving Wave Accounting?

In January 2024, Wave (now owned by H&R Block) moved automated bank transaction imports behind a $16/month paywall. They also removed CSV export from free accounts and shut down community forums. The Trustpilot rating dropped to 1.2/5 stars from 180+ reviews.

What is the best free alternative to Wave in Canada?

VRITTI is a Canadian-built bookkeeping app with free bank imports, GST/HST tracking, AI financial coaching, and flat $24/mo pricing. It includes a dedicated Wave CSV importer for easy migration.

Can I import my Wave data into another app?

Yes. Export your data as CSV from Wave, then use VRITTI's built-in Wave importer which auto-maps columns, categories, and amounts. The process takes about 2 minutes.

Does VRITTI have free bank imports?

Yes. Bank imports are included in every VRITTI plan and will never be moved behind a paywall. This is a core guarantee.

Your starting point is valid

Finally safe to look.

VRITTI starts with how you feel about money — not how much you have. Financial wellness with emotional onboarding, shame-free challenges, and a 16-module Academy.

Join the waitlist — free