Lexware Office
German bookkeeping and invoicing with DATEV export and ELSTER filing built in - the two things a German tax adviser will ask for
Quick Overview
| Company | Haufe-Lexware GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Accounting Software |
| Headquarters | Freiburg, Germany |
| Founded | 1989 |
| EU Presence | Yes - Germany (EU) |
| Data Location | Germany |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Invoicing and quotes, bank feeds, receipt capture with OCR, DATEV export, ELSTER VAT filing, payroll add-on, GoBD compliance, e-invoicing |
| Pricing | From about EUR 9/month; tiers by feature set |
| Best For | German freelancers, tradespeople and SMEs |
| Replaces | QuickBooks, Sage, DATEV Unternehmen online |
Detailed Review
German accounting has a gravitational centre called DATEV, the cooperative whose software the overwhelming majority of German tax advisers work in. Software that cannot export cleanly to DATEV creates manual work at every filing, and that single fact explains why QuickBooks never took hold in Germany.
Lexware Office handles DATEV export natively, files VAT returns through ELSTER, and is GoBD compliant. It comes from Haufe-Lexware in Freiburg, a publisher that has served the German professional market since 1989.
DATEV and ELSTER
Bookings export to DATEV in the format your tax adviser expects, and advance VAT returns are filed directly to the tax office through ELSTER without leaving the application. Those two integrations remove the recurring administrative friction that defines German small business accounting.
GoBD compliance — the German rules on the auditability and retention of digital records — is handled by the system rather than being your responsibility to demonstrate.
Everyday Bookkeeping
Invoicing with the mandatory German fields, quotes, bank feeds with automatic matching, and receipt capture by photo with OCR. For a tradesperson or freelancer, the practical outcome is that shoebox accounting becomes a five-minute weekly task.
E-invoicing support addresses Germany's B2B mandate, which is the compliance deadline most small businesses have not yet planned for.
Ecosystem
Payroll is available as an add-on, and the wider Lexware range covers businesses that outgrow the cloud product. Tax adviser access is standard, so your Steuerberater can work directly in the system.
Limitations to Consider
Lexware Office is entirely German-oriented: interface, support, compliance and terminology are German, and it is not useful for a business filing elsewhere. It is a cloud product with no self-hosting, and it is less flexible than a full ERP for businesses with inventory or complex operations — weclapp or a larger system fits better there.
Who Should Use Lexware Office
German freelancers, tradespeople and small businesses who work with a Steuerberater and want their bookkeeping to arrive in DATEV without manual rework.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Native DATEV export
- ELSTER VAT filing built in
- GoBD compliant
- Receipt capture with OCR
- Established German vendor since 1989
Cons
- Germany-only in scope
- No self-hosting
- Limited for inventory or complex operations
Alternatives to Lexware Office
Other European accounting software worth comparing before you decide:
Pennylane
France · Accounting platform shared between founders and their accountant
Moneybird
Netherlands · Dutch invoicing and administration for small business
sevDesk
Germany · Invoicing and bookkeeping with automatic bank matching
Fortnox
Sweden · The Swedish market leader for SME accounting
See all European accounting software or compare them directly against QuickBooks on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because most German tax advisers work in DATEV. Software that exports cleanly to it removes manual rework at every filing, which is the main practical reason German businesses do not use QuickBooks.
Yes, advance VAT returns go directly to the tax office through ELSTER without leaving the application.
Yes. The German rules on auditability and retention of digital records are handled by the system rather than being something you have to demonstrate yourself.
Very similar scope and both handle DATEV. Lexware Office comes from a long-established publisher with a broader product range; sevDesk has a more modern interface and strong receipt automation. Either is a sound choice for a German SME.