Last updated: July 24, 2026 · Reviewed
Invoicemonk vs Wave Receipts: what to do after the Wave sunset
Wave discontinued its standalone Receipts app in February 2024, and Wave itself no longer serves users outside the US and Canada. Invoicemonk is the direct replacement: a free Android scanner, AI-powered OCR, and invoicing in one account, available globally from $15/month for the paid tier.
What Wave actually shut down
Wave sunset the free standalone "Wave Receipts" app in February 2024. Receipt scanning still exists inside the main Wave app for US and Canadian users on the paid Wave Pro plan ($16/month), but users outside the US/Canada were offboarded from Wave entirely in November 2020 and never got the current in-app scanner.
- •Freelancers and small businesses outside the US/CA have no Wave scanner at all in 2026.
- •US/CA users must pay Wave Pro ($16/mo) — the previously free standalone app is gone.
- •Legacy free-tier Wave Receipts data is available for export but no longer syncs in real time.
Verdict
🏆 Winner: Invoicemonk (globally) · Wave Pro (only if you're US/CA and already deep in Wave)
Invoicemonk is the direct upgrade path for anyone using Wave Receipts before the shutdown. It brings back the free mobile scanner, adds AI-powered OCR, and includes invoicing on the same $15/month Pro plan — with no US/CA restriction. If you're US/CA and already invoicing inside Wave, staying on Wave Pro is a reasonable inertia choice.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | Invoicemonk | Wave Receipts (in-app) |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | ||
| Standalone free scanner app | — | |
| Available globally | — | |
| US / Canada only | — | |
| Android app | ||
| iOS app | Waitlist | |
| Scanning | ||
| AI OCR | Basic | |
| Works offline | ||
| Auto-categorised expenses | ||
| Multi-currency VAT/GST | — | |
| Beyond scanning | ||
| Send invoices in the same account | ||
| Multi-currency invoicing | US/CA only | |
| Compliance features (40+ tax regimes) | — | |
| Pricing (paid entry tier) | ||
| Monthly price | $15/mo Pro | $16/mo Pro (US/CA only) |
| Free scanner app | Yes — Android | No — discontinued Feb 2024 |
Why did Wave shut down its Receipts app?
Wave folded the standalone Receipts app into the main Wave app in February 2024 to focus its product on the US and Canadian small-business market it had already narrowed to in November 2020. The team publicly cited the cost of maintaining a separate mobile product for a workflow they could deliver inside the main app.
I'm outside the US and Canada — do I still have any Wave option?
No. Wave offboarded users outside the US/CA in November 2020 and hasn't returned. For freelancers and small businesses in Nigeria, India, the UK, EU, Australia, and everywhere else, Invoicemonk is the closest like-for-like replacement — free mobile scanner plus paid invoicing in one account.
How do I migrate my Wave receipts to Invoicemonk?
Export your Wave receipt archive as a CSV plus image bundle (Wave still supports this from account settings), then bulk-import into Invoicemonk under Expenses → Import. Categories carry over. If you also invoiced inside Wave, export the invoice history to CSV and import that too — Invoicemonk maps Wave's status fields to its own.
Is Invoicemonk truly free like the old Wave Receipts was?
The Android scanner app is free with no scan cap, no time limit, and no credit card required — matching what old Wave Receipts offered. The difference: Invoicemonk's scans sync to a paid ($15/month Pro) invoicing account. If you only ever want to scan and never invoice, the Android app on its own is enough.
What features did Wave Receipts have that Invoicemonk doesn't?
Wave Receipts' one genuine advantage was an iOS app; Invoicemonk's iOS app is on a waitlist. Everything else — OCR quality, expense categorisation, cloud sync, invoicing integration — is at parity or better in Invoicemonk. iOS users can join the Invoicemonk iOS waitlist or use the web app in Safari in the meantime.
Pricing (verified July 2026)
Invoicemonk
Available globally. Free Android app.
Unlimited scans, offline, cloud sync
Invoicing, multi-currency, receipts, expenses
Team seats, approvals, advanced compliance
API, SSO, dedicated support
Wave (in-app receipts)
US and Canada only. Standalone Receipts app discontinued Feb 2024.
Basic invoicing, no receipt scanning
Invoicing + in-app scanning (US/CA only)
Pros and cons of each option
Each tool with its "best for" label, price, and the honest trade-offs.
Invoicemonk
Pro $15/moBest replacement for the discontinued Wave Receipts app
Pros
- Unlimited invoices, clients and currency accounts
- Up to 5 team members on the entry plan
- Receipt scanning and expense tracking included
- E-invoicing mandates live in 17 countries
Cons
- —No time tracking
- —No payroll
- —Free plan capped at 3 invoices/month
Wave (receipts in-app)
Free tierBest for existing US and Canadian Wave accounting users
Pros
- Receipt capture inside Wave accounting
- Free to use
- Ties straight to Wave bookkeeping
Cons
- —Standalone Receipts app was discontinued in 2024
- —US and Canada focus
- —No mandate e-invoicing coverage
Pick Invoicemonk if…
You're anywhere in the world and want the old Wave Receipts experience back.
- You're outside the US and Canada
- You want a free mobile scanner without a credit card
- You want invoicing and scanning in one account
- You need multi-currency invoicing and VAT/GST
- You're migrating away from Wave after 2020 or 2024
Stay on Wave Pro if…
You're US/CA and already deep in Wave's workflow.
- You're based in the US or Canada
- Your accountant already reconciles inside Wave
- You use Wave Payroll (US only)
- You only invoice in USD or CAD
- You're happy paying $16/mo bundled
Frequently asked questions
Is the Wave Receipts app still available in 2026?
No. Wave discontinued the standalone Receipts app in February 2024. Receipt scanning now lives inside the main Wave app on the paid Wave Pro plan, but only for users in the US and Canada.
What is the best Wave Receipts alternative?
Invoicemonk is the closest like-for-like Wave Receipts alternative: a free Android scanner with AI-powered OCR, plus optional paid invoicing on the same account. It works globally and covers the workflow Wave Receipts served before it was discontinued.
Can I still export my old Wave Receipts data?
Yes. Wave supports CSV plus image-bundle export from account settings. Once exported, you can bulk-import the archive into Invoicemonk under Expenses → Import; categories and dates carry over.
Why did Wave stop serving users outside the US and Canada?
Wave narrowed its market to the US and Canada in November 2020, citing the operational complexity of supporting payments, payroll, and tax compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Non-US/CA users were offboarded and have not been re-onboarded since.
Is Invoicemonk really available globally?
Yes. Invoicemonk supports multi-currency invoicing, VAT/GST field extraction for 40+ tax regimes, and localised compliance features. The Android scanner works anywhere with a Google Play account.
Sources
All competitor pricing and features verified July 2026. Invoicemonk pricing pulled from our live pricing page.
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Start scanning receipts, invoicing clients, and running compliant books from one account.
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