Wave vs Helix
The Real Comparison for Airbrush Artists

Wave
$16/mo ($192/yr)
VS
Helix
$279 once — own forever
or 3 payments of $99
Break even: 17.4 months. Save $365 over 3 years.
"I compared Wave and Helix side by side. The math wasn't even close. $644 over 3 years vs $279 once. Switched and never looked back."
— Airbrush artist, Helix customer

The verdict for airbrush artists: Wave is solid software, but at $16/month it costs $644 over 3 years. Helix does most of what Wave does for $279 once. For solo airbrush artists and small teams, Helix is the better deal.

Choose Helix if:

  • You're done paying monthly forever
  • You're a solo operator or small team (1-5)
  • You need Invoicing, Connect CRM, task-manager in one purchase in one tool
  • You're tired of price increases
  • You want to own your tools like you own your equipment

Choose Wave if:

  • You have a large team (10+) needing enterprise features
  • You're deeply invested in Wave's specific workflow
  • You need a feature Helix doesn't have yet

What Wave Actually Costs Airbrush Artists

The 3-Year Damage

Year 1$192
Year 2 (+11.4% inflation)$214
Year 3$238
Total lost to Wave$644

Helix: $279. Once. You keep $365. And you own it — no more "we're updating our pricing" emails.

Your Wave subscription has cost you $0.00 since you opened this page.

Feature-by-Feature

FeatureWaveHelix
Invoicing✓✓
Scheduling✗✓
CRM✗✓
Time Tracking✗✓
Full Accounting✗✓ (SIMPL)
Task Management✗✓
Price$16/mo$279 once
or 3 × $99
3-Year Total$644$279
You own it?No — stop paying, lose accessYes — forever
"The feature comparison convinced me. Helix does 90% of what Wave does — for 10% of the 3-year cost. And I actually own it."
— Airbrush artist

Calculate Your Full Stack

Wave plus whatever else you're paying for:

Email yourself this comparison?

Switching from Wave

1
Export your data — Go to Settings → Data Export. Download customers, invoices, transactions, and accounts.
2
Set up Helix — 15-minute setup. Import your client list and chart of accounts from CSV.
3
Parallel run — Run both for 1-2 weeks. Verify bank connections and recurring invoices work.
4
Cancel Wave — Cancel paid features. Your free account data stays accessible for records.
✓ 30-day money-back guarantee. Zero risk.
Airbrush Artists are switching from Wave every week.

The math doesn't lie.

What This Means for Airbrush Artists

Summer Saturday: you're set up on the boardwalk doing $20 t-shirt airbrush portraits. You'll do 25-30 today at $20 each — $500+ in cash. Monday you have a motorcycle tank custom job ($800, 2 days). Wednesday a birthday party gig ($200 for 2 hours of kid t-shirts). Three totally different revenue streams with different costs and none of it tracked.

Airbrush Artists deal with unique challenges that generic software was not built for: Event work (boardwalk, parties) has different economics than custom commissions. Equipment maintenance (nozzle replacements, compressor service) is ongoing. Seasonal income — summer events and holidays peak, winter is dead. Custom vehicle and helmet work requires deposits and milestone billing. Wave charges $16/month on top of these daily realities. The median airbrush artist earns $32,000/year — $192/year in software subscriptions is a significant percentage of that income, paid every year, forever.

Helix is $279 once. Invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, accounting — all connected, built for airbrush artists. You own it like you own your Airbrush guns (Iwata, Badger).

FAQ

Is Helix really a Wave replacement?

For solo airbrush artists and small teams, yes. invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, task management, and full accounting — all for $279 once. Wave may be better if you have a large team (10+) or need enterprise-specific features.

What does Wave do that Helix doesn't?

Wave has features like Free accounting software and Unlimited invoicing that some businesses rely on. For most solo airbrush artists, these aren't dealbreakers.

How fast does Helix pay for itself?

At $16/month, Helix pays for itself in 17.4 months. After that: $192 saved every year.

Can I pay in installments?

Yes. Helix is $279 as a one-time payment, or 3 payments of $99 ($297 total). Either way it's a one-time purchase — no subscription, no recurring fees ever.

"$644 over 3 years to Wave. Or $279 once for Helix. I own my tools now. No more renting software."
— Airbrush artist, Helix owner

$644 Over 3 Years. Or $279 Once (or 3 × $99).

Own your tools. Stop renting your software.

Get Helix — $279 Once
or 3 payments of $99
✓ 30-day money-back — save $500 or full refund

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