The DATEV Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about DATEV in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
DATEV
The Insider’s Guide
German payroll and accounting software used with tax advisors
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among payroll services, read from DATEV’s own pages.
Made by DATEV eG · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from DATEV’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on DATEV’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 10 of the 61 other payroll services we grade
DATEV is a German cooperative that makes accounting and payroll software, used by tax advisors and by companies working with them. Its payroll offering lets companies run Lohn und Gehalt themselves or hand it to their tax firm, in the cloud or on-premises. HR modules for recruiting, time and travel costs sit beside it.
To get you started, here are 7 things to know about DATEV, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No price was found, it is built for German rules and the site is in German.
- 1
Best for German payroll through your tax advisor
DATEV is a German cooperative whose payroll runs in the cloud or on-premises and is shared with your tax firm.
- 2
It runs on Web
Web.
- 3
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.
- 4
Cloud or on-premises
Companies can choose a cloud solution or an on-premises one, and combine modules as needed.
- 5
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.
- 6
A 1.8 GPA, above 10 of 61
That is against the other payroll services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 7
Keep it
To replace DATEV you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
DATEV at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- DATEV eG
- Category
- Payroll
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for German payroll through your tax advisor
DATEV is a German cooperative whose payroll runs in the cloud or on-premises and is shared with your tax firm. No price was found, it is built for German rules and the site is in German.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No price was found; it is sold through a shop and tax advisors, so it sits in the middle of payroll tools. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free plan or trial on the pages read. |
| Features | B | Payroll, cloud or on-premises, shared work with the tax firm, HR modules and an employee portal. The listing names no gap in the job. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Sign-in needs a SmartCard, mIDentity or SmartLogin, which is extra setup. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web on the listing, with no mobile app or integrations list. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who DATEV is for
- Fits if your tax advisor already works in DATEV
- Works for German employers paying staff under German rules
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- German companies that work with a tax advisor who already uses DATEV
- Public-sector and social-sector employers that need sector-specific payroll
- Firms that want modular payroll with a choice of cloud or on-premises
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
DATEV's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
No price was found; it is sold through a shop and tax advisors, so it sits in the middle of payroll tools.
We could not confirm DATEV’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. datev.de has them.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
German payroll and accounting software used with tax advisors. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: reports, expense tracking, payroll, time clock, employee records.
Payroll, cloud or on-premises, shared work with the tax firm, HR modules and an employee portal.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
DATEV is made by DATEV eG.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
10/61
Other payroll services it is graded above
DATEV's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 10 of the 61 other payroll services we grade, and level with 15.
It stands best on features (B, above 30 of 61) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 62 payroll services we grade, cut by the letter each got. DATEV’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 3 of 61
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 61
- BFeaturesAbove 30 of 61
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 61
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 61
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace DATEV you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 36 of the 61 other payroll services grade higher.
What you could make
- Employee records, expense tracking and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
- Clocking in from a phone, checked against where and when.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. DATEV’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
SD Worx, Silae, Payfit, Zellis and Azets
The 5 tools DATEV is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
SD Worx
Paid
European HR, payroll and time provider, with managed payroll.
- DATEV also covers reports.
- SD Worx also covers shift scheduling and time off.
- 1.8GPA
Silae
Paid
French payroll and HR software, sold with accountants and partners.
- DATEV also covers time clock.
- Silae also covers time off.
- 2.0GPA
Payfit
Paid
Managed UK payroll and HR with an AI assistant.
- DATEV also covers reports and time clock.
- Payfit also covers time off.
- 1.8GPA
Zellis
Paid
HR, workforce management and payroll software for UK and Ireland.
- DATEV also covers reports, expense tracking and time clock.
- Zellis also covers shift scheduling and time off.
- 1.6GPA
Azets
Paid
Accounting firm with managed payroll services and cloud software.
- DATEV also covers expense tracking, time clock and employee records.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
9
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is DATEV free?
No. DATEV is a paid product.
What platforms does DATEV work on?
DATEV is available on Web.
Does DATEV have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. DATEV is listed for Web.
Does DATEV have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. DATEV is listed for Web.
Is DATEV open source?
DATEV is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Who makes DATEV?
DATEV is made by DATEV eG.
What are the alternatives to DATEV?
The closest alternatives to DATEV in our directory are SD Worx, Silae, Payfit, Zellis and Azets.
How does DATEV compare with other payroll services?
DATEV's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 10 of the 61 other payroll services we grade, and level with 15.
Could I make my own version of DATEV?
To replace DATEV you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from DATEV’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from DATEV's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by DATEV eG. Prices change, so check datev.de before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- DATEV, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/datev
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "DATEV: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/datev
Know someone choosing between payroll services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/datev/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded payroll services after DATEV, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Payroll Insider's GuideEvery one of the 62 payroll services we grade, compared
- Roll by ADP Insider's GuideChat-based payroll app for very small US businesses2.8 GPA
- SimplePay Insider's GuideSouth African online payroll with leave and self-service2.8 GPA
- BrightPay Insider's GuideUK cloud payroll with HMRC submissions and auto-enrolment2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what DATEV’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. DATEV is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by DATEV eG. Prices and plans change: check datev.de before you buy.