DATEV vs SD Worx (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, DATEV and SD Worx share a 1.8 GPA, neither has a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on which features you need.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick DATEV if
- Fits if your tax advisor already works in DATEV
- Works for German employers paying staff under German rules
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you do not read German, as the site is German
- Not for you if you pay staff outside Germany
- Watch out: sign-in now requires a SmartCard, mIDentity or SmartLogin
- Watch out: no prices were found, and it is aimed first at tax, audit and legal professions
Pick SD Worx if
- Fits if you pay staff in several European countries
- Makes sense if you want payroll run for you
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a price online, as none is published
- Not for you if you need US payroll, which the pages do not describe
- Watch out: much of the offering is advisor-led rather than self-serve
- Watch out: there is no free plan or trial on the pages read
How we grade them
| 1.8GPADATEVWeak | 1.8GPASD WorxWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price was found; it is sold through a shop and tax advisors, so it sits in the middle of payroll tools. | CNo price is published; buyers are sent to an expert, so it sits in the middle of payroll tools. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan or trial on the pages read. | FNo free plan or trial on the pages read. |
| Features | BPayroll, cloud or on-premises, shared work with the tax firm, HR modules and an employee portal. The listing names no gap in the job. | BLocal, managed and multi-country payroll, time and attendance, HR and expenses on the mysdworx platform. The listing names no gap in the job. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Sign-in needs a SmartCard, mIDentity or SmartLogin, which is extra setup. | CNo store rating on record. A service with local advisors means onboarding rather than sign-up. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb on the listing, with no mobile app or integrations list. | CWeb only on the listing, with no mobile app or integrations list. |
| Best for | German payroll through your tax advisor | payroll across several European countries |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: DATEV and SD Worx. How we grade
Where they differ
- DATEV also covers reports.
- SD Worx also covers shift scheduling and time off.
In commonWebExpense trackingPayrollTime clockEmployee records
At a glance
| DATEV | SD Worx | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | DATEV eG | SD Worx |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
DATEV
- No prices were found on the pages read, so pricing is unverified; it is sold through a shop and through tax advisors.
- Built for German payroll rules, and the site is in German.
- The company describes itself as serving tax, audit and legal professions first, with companies as a second audience.
- Sign-in now requires a DATEV SmartCard, mIDentity or SmartLogin, per a notice on the home page.
SD Worx
- No prices are published and buyers are sent to talk to an expert, so pricing is unverified.
- Services are organized around European countries; the pages do not describe US payroll.
- Much of the offering is service-led, with local advisors alongside the software.
- The pages read give no free plan or self-serve trial.
Key features
DATEV
- Payroll software
- Lohn- und Gehaltsabrechnung programs, with versions for social institutions and the public sector. The site says about 14.5 million employees are paid with them each month.
- Cloud or on-premises
- Companies can choose a cloud solution or an on-premises one, and combine modules as needed.
- Shared work with the tax firm
- The payroll pages describe exchanging data with the company's tax firm, for example when it prepares the payroll.
- HR modules
- Related solutions cover recruiting, personnel management, time recording, HR controlling, staff development and travel expenses.
- Employee portal
- DATEV Arbeitnehmer online is listed as a way for employees to get their payroll documents.
SD Worx
- Local and managed payroll
- Local payroll software, plus managed payroll services in which in-country specialists handle legislation and language.
- Multi-country payroll
- Payroll across several countries with local compliance, with payroll compliance guidance and reward and compensation advice.
- Time and attendance
- Time tracking, leave and absence management, workforce scheduling and planning, connected to payroll.
- HR and expenses
- Digital HR documents and workflows, performance and skills, learning and development, and expense and travel management.
- mysdworx platform
- One platform for HR, pay and time across Europe, with AI features highlighted on the site.
Plans
DATEV
Pricing could not be confirmed. See datev.de.
SD Worx
Pricing could not be confirmed. See sdworx.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, DATEV or SD Worx?
As of Nov 13, 2026, DATEV has no price we could confirm, and SD Worx has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, DATEV or SD Worx?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither DATEV nor SD Worx has a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.