Wave vs Helix
The Real Comparison for Screen Printers

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."
— Screen printer, Helix customer

The verdict for screen printers: 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 screen printers 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, task-manager, financial-suite 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 Screen Printers

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."
— Screen printer

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.
Screen Printers are switching from Wave every week.

The math doesn't lie.

What This Means for Screen Printers

A band wants 200 shirts, 3 colors, front and back. Setup is 6 screens at $15 each in supplies. Blank tees cost $3.50 each. Ink, labor, and overhead will run $1.50 per shirt. You quote $2,200 and they counter with $1,800. Can you do it? Meanwhile, a rush order for 50 hoodies needs to ship by Friday. Your production schedule is a whiteboard and you're juggling 4 active jobs.

Screen Printers deal with unique challenges that generic software was not built for: Setup costs (screens, film, labor) make small runs unprofitable. Per-color pricing means complex art gets expensive fast. Rush orders disrupt production schedule and need premium pricing. Quoting accurately requires knowing ink usage, setup time, and print time per piece. Wave charges $16/month on top of these daily realities. The median screen printer earns $38,000/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 screen printers. You own it like you own your Screen printing press (manual or auto).

FAQ

Is Helix really a Wave replacement?

For solo screen printers 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 screen printers, 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."
— Screen printer, 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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