Accounting Software Comparison: Best Tools for Freelancers

The right accounting software saves you time every week and stress at year end. There’s plenty of choice, and the differences are often in the details: what does the software submit to the tax office itself, what do you still do by hand, and which plan includes which feature?

This comparison shows what to look for. We’re a provider ourselves, Solobooks. So we only describe the other tools in broad strokes and point you to their own pages for prices and plans.

What matters

For freelancers and solo self-employed people, these points matter most:

Invoices with all mandatory details, sequential numbering and payment tracking
Bank connection, so transactions flow into your books automatically
Receipts attached directly to the transaction
Income-surplus statement (EÜR), the standard method for freelancers
ELSTER submission of the VAT advance return and the Anlage EÜR, so you don’t retype figures
DATEV export, if you work with a tax adviser
E-invoicing: from 2027 or 2028, depending on your turnover, you must issue e-invoices to business clients. Kleinunternehmer and invoices up to 250 euros are exempt.
Price, and which plan includes the features you need

The tools at a glance

Solobooks

Solobooks is built for freelancers and solo self-employed people and focuses on the EÜR. There’s one plan at 59.99 euros a year, or 5.00 euros a month, with every feature:

invoices and quotes, payment reminders, payment tracking
bank connection with category suggestions
receipts attached to transactions
VAT advance return, EC Sales List and Anlage EÜR submitted directly to ELSTER
income tax return, one per subscription year included
DATEV export for your tax adviser
interface in German and English

What Solobooks doesn’t offer: double-entry bookkeeping, payroll, automatic receipt reading (OCR) and issuing e-invoices as XRechnung or ZUGFeRD. Solobooks doesn’t currently submit the annual VAT return.

You can try Solobooks free for 14 days.

Lexware Office (formerly Lexoffice)

Lexware Office is one of the best-known tools in Germany and covers a wide range with several plans, from invoicing to bookkeeping for larger businesses. Plans and current prices: lexware.de/preise. See our page Solobooks vs. Lexoffice for a detailed comparison.

sevDesk

sevDesk offers several plans, from a free entry version and an invoicing-only plan up to full bookkeeping. Plans and current prices: sevdesk.de/preise. More in Solobooks vs. sevDesk.

FastBill

FastBill targets self-employed people and small businesses with several plans, focusing on invoicing and receipt management. Plans and current prices: fastbill.com/preise.

Debitoor

Debitoor has been shut down and folded into SumUp. If you used Debitoor, you need a new tool.

Excel or Google Sheets

A spreadsheet is cheap and flexible. But you enter every transaction by hand, number your invoices yourself and fill in every tax form yourself. For very few transactions a year, that can be enough.

Understanding pricing models

Providers change their prices often, and many advertise time-limited discounts. When you compare, check:

Net or gross? Many providers quote prices without VAT.
Monthly or annual? Paying annually often lowers the monthly price.
Discount or regular price? Check what applies after the promotion ends.
Which plan has what you need? Some providers only include bank connection, ELSTER submission or DATEV export in higher plans.

Work out the price for a full year on the plan that covers all your needs. Only then are the offers comparable.

Which tool for whom?

Freelancers using the EÜR who want to do it all themselves: make sure the advance return and Anlage EÜR go straight to ELSTER. That’s the biggest time saver.

Self-employed people with a tax adviser: the DATEV export matters more than ELSTER submission. Ask your adviser which format they need.

Kleinunternehmer: you don’t need VAT features or e-invoices. Invoicing, bank connection and the EÜR are enough.

Businesses with employees or a duty to keep double-entry books: you need payroll or double-entry bookkeeping. A tool with the right plan, or a tax adviser, is the better choice.

Lots of paper receipts: if you type up many till receipts, a tool with automatic receipt recognition is worth it.

Use the trial

Most providers offer free trials. Test with real data: create a real invoice, connect your bank account, categorise a month of transactions. That shows how much work is really left day to day.

FAQ

What does Solobooks cost? 59.99 euros a year, or 5.00 euros a month. There’s only one plan, and one income tax return per subscription year is included.

Does Lexoffice still exist? Lexoffice is now called Lexware Office.

Does Debitoor still exist? No. Debitoor has been shut down and folded into SumUp.

Do I need software with double-entry bookkeeping? Not as a freelancer. The income-surplus statement (EÜR) is enough for you.

Can I submit directly to ELSTER with Solobooks? Yes: the VAT advance return, EC Sales List, Anlage EÜR and income tax return.

Need help?

If you have questions about choosing software, email us at support@solobooks.de or chat with us in the app. You can read more on our bookkeeping with Solobooks page.

Sources

Last checked: 30 October 2026. This article is general information, not tax advice for your individual case. Legislation and official guidance change — the current version of each source prevails.

Last updated: October 30, 2026

Expert Tip

Set aside the calculated VAT in a separate account monthly. This way you avoid liquidity bottlenecks when paying the tax office.

— Solobooks Team