Lexware Office vs Sevdesk (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Lexware Office if

• Fits if you are a freelancer or small firm in Germany who needs invoices and receipts handled
• Works for owners who want to cancel monthly and keep an accountant in the loop

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you operate outside Germany, as no other country is advertised
• Skip it if you do not read German, because the site and tax setup are German
• Tight if you want the books on S, since bookkeeping, EÜR and VAT filing start at L
• Watch out: payroll starts from €12.90 a month for up to 2 employees and the business account is extra
• Watch out: prices exclude VAT, and the public API needs the XL version

Pick Sevdesk if

• Fits if you're a German freelancer who must send e-invoices
• Works for small businesses that share books with a tax adviser through DATEV

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you're on Free: 3 invoices a month
• Not for you if you're outside Germany and Austria, since it's built around German tax rules
• Pricey if you want bookkeeping and bank connection: Accounting is €25.90 a month, Accounting Pro €34.90
• Watch out: marketplace integrations may carry partner fees outside the plan price

Lexware Office

• Built around German tax rules and the German-language site; no other country is advertised.
• Prices are shown excluding VAT, and the 3-month introductory price is not available if you start the 30-day trial.
• Payroll is a separate add-on shown from €12.90 per month for up to 2 employees (€6.45 for the first 3 months); the business account is also extra.
• Bookkeeping, EÜR and VAT filing start at the L version; the public API needs XL.

Sevdesk

• Built around German tax rules; the page says included features vary by country, with versions for Germany and Austria.
• The Free plan stops at 3 invoices or e-invoices a month.
• Prices shown are monthly-billed and exclude VAT; 12 and 24-month terms are offered at 25% and 50% off.
• Marketplace integrations may carry partner fees that are not part of the plan price.

Lexware Office

Quotes, invoices and e-invoices

Creates quotes, delivery notes, invoices and reminders, and handles German e-invoice formats (ZUGFeRD and XRechnung) required since 1 January 2025.

Receipt scanning

The free iOS and Android app scans receipts, reads amount and supplier, and suggests a booking to confirm with one tap.

Bookkeeping and VAT

Bank transactions are matched to receipts. VAT pre-filings can be sent to the tax office from the app, with a running VAT forecast.

Reports

Profit-and-loss and income-surplus reports plus a business evaluation (BWA) that can be exported as PDF.

Payroll add-on

An optional module for payslips and the statutory social-insurance and tax notifications, priced by number of employees.

Business account and partners

An optional business account (Solo or Plus) with a German IBAN, plus more than 140 partner extensions for shops, time tracking and travel expenses.

Sevdesk

E-invoices and quotes

Create invoices, quotes and delivery notes in your own layout, with ZUGFeRD and XRechnung e-invoice formats from the Free plan.

Receipt capture

Scan receipts with the mobile app or upload them; the system suggests a booking category and matches them to bank transactions.

Advance VAT returns

Prepare the advance VAT return and send it to the tax office through the ELSTER interface from the Accounting plan.

Bank connection

Connect online banking, which the page says supports more than 4,000 banks, and match payments to invoices.

Tax adviser access

A DATEV and ADDISON interface and direct account access let a tax adviser work on the data.

Reminders and dunning

Send payment reminders from the Invoicing plan and run multi-level dunning notices from the Accounting plan.

Lexware Office

• S€7.90

  per month excl. VAT, cancel monthly

  Receipt capture and archive. The page advertises €3.95 per month for the first 3 months.

• M€12.90

  per month excl. VAT, cancel monthly

  Adds quotes, e-invoices and payment reminders. Advertised at €6.45 per month for the first 3 months. Marked as the most popular version.

• L€21.90

  per month excl. VAT, cancel monthly

  Adds bookkeeping, income-surplus (EÜR) reports and VAT. Advertised at €10.95 per month for the first 3 months.

• XL€32.90

  per month excl. VAT, cancel monthly

  Adds EU and partial-payment invoices and the public API. Advertised at €16.45 per month for the first 3 months.

Sevdesk

• Free€0.00

  Up to 3 invoices or e-invoices a month in ZUGFeRD and XRechnung formats, unlimited contacts.

• Invoicing€12.90

  per month, billed monthly, excl. VAT

  Unlimited invoices and quotes, payment reminders, DATEV interface, tax adviser access and support.

• Accounting€25.90

  per month, billed monthly, excl. VAT

  Adds bookkeeping, AI receipt capture, bank connection, advance VAT returns, EÜR and trial balance.

• Accounting Pro€34.90

  per month, billed monthly, excl. VAT

  For automating bookkeeping and watching the business in real time; extends the Accounting plan.

Lexware Office

• Other savings

  50% off the first 3 months

  The pricing page shows each version at half price for a 3-month introductory term, then the regular monthly price. The sign-up page says the 30-day free trial forgoes this discount.

Sevdesk

• Annual discount

  25% off a 12-month term, 50% off 24 months

  The pricing section offers 12-month and 24-month terms marked as 25% and 50% cheaper than paying month to month.