Quick Overview
| Company | DATEV eG |
|---|---|
| Category | Payroll Software |
| Headquarters | Nuremberg, Germany |
| Founded | 1966 |
| EU Presence | EU (Germany) |
| Data Location | Germany |
| Open Source | No |
| Pricing | Member cooperative; pricing per product |
| Free Option | Through your accountant |
| Replaces | ADP, Sage Payroll |
Detailed Review
DATEV eG is not a software company in the ordinary sense. It is a cooperative in Nuremberg, founded in 1966 and owned by German tax advisers, accountants and lawyers, and it is the infrastructure that a very large share of German payroll and bookkeeping actually runs on. If your Steuerberater files your payroll, there is a strong chance it happens in DATEV whether or not you have ever seen the interface.
That makes it the odd entry here and the one hardest to compare. There is no per-employee price to quote because the members are the owners and products are priced per module through the adviser. There is no signup, because you reach it through a professional. What it offers instead is a degree of continuity and regulatory alignment that no venture-funded vendor can match, from an organisation that is structurally German and answerable to its own members. If you want payroll in-house with a price on a website, look at the top of this list instead.
What DATEV does well
- The backbone of German payroll and bookkeeping, deeply aligned with the law
- Cooperative owned by its member advisers, not by investors
- German organisation, German data centres, founded 1966
- Continuity that no venture-funded vendor can match
Where DATEV falls short
- You reach it through your tax adviser, not directly
- No published per-employee pricing
- The interface shows its age next to newer products
Standout feature. Owned by the profession that uses it: a cooperative structure means the roadmap answers to advisers rather than to investors.
Alternatives to DATEV
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DATEV?
DATEV eG is not a software company in the ordinary sense. It is a cooperative in Nuremberg, founded in 1966 and owned by German tax advisers, accountants and lawyers, and it is the infrastructure that a very large share of German payroll and bookkeeping actually runs on. If your Steuerberater files your payroll, there is a strong chance it happens in DATEV whether or not you have ever seen the interface.
Where is DATEV based?
DATEV operates from Nuremberg, Germany, which places it under EU (Germany).
What does DATEV cost?
Member cooperative; pricing per product. Through your accountant.
Who is DATEV best for?
German companies whose tax adviser runs their payroll, which is most of them. Owned by the profession that uses it: a cooperative structure means the roadmap answers to advisers rather than to investors.
What are the drawbacks of DATEV?
You reach it through your tax adviser, not directly. No published per-employee pricing. The interface shows its age next to newer products.