What is Lexware Office?
Lexware Office is cloud accounting software for freelancers, self-employed and small companies. The software was launched in 2012 under the name "lexoffice" and renamed to "Lexware Office" in September 2024. Developer is the Haufe-Lexware GmbH & Co. KG, one of the largest German providers of business software.
At its core, Lexware Office covers three areas: document capture and archiving, invoicing and accounting. Which of these you can use depends on your chosen plan. Additionally, Lexware Office offers a DATEV interface for collaboration with the tax advisor and optional add-on modules like payroll.
Do not confuse: Lexware Financial Office is the older desktop software from the same manufacturer. Lexware Office runs completely in the browser and requires no local installation.
Plans and Prices in Detail
Lexware Office offers four plans. All plans are cancellable monthly and include updates, hosting and support. New customers often receive 50% discount for the first three months.
| Plan | Price/Month | Focus | EUeR | Invoices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | EUR 11.90 | Document capture and archive | - | - |
| M | EUR 12.90 | Invoices, quotes, dunning | - | Yes |
| L | EUR 21.90 | Accounting, EUeR, P&L, assets | Yes | Yes |
| XL | EUR 32.90 | Batch emails, EU invoices, Public API | Yes | Yes |
All prices net plus VAT. Monthly cancellation. Source: lexware.de/preise, accessed 21.03.2026.
What is Included in Which Plan?
The S plan (EUR 11.90) is a pure document and archive package. You can scan documents, archive them and connect your bank account. Creating invoices is not possible in this plan. For only EUR 1 more, you get the M plan(EUR 12.90) with invoicing, quotes and dunning. The price difference is so small that M is the better choice for most users.
Those who want to do their own accounting need at least the L plan (EUR 21.90). Only here are income statement, profit & loss, asset management and VAT pre-registration included. The XL plan (EUR 32.90) adds recurring invoices, installment invoices, EU invoices and a Public API for custom integrations.
Payroll as Add-on Module
Payroll is not part of the four standard plans. It is a separate add-on module that can be added to any plan:
| Employees | Price/Month |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 employees | EUR 12.90 |
| Up to 50 employees | up to EUR 199.90 |
Prices net plus VAT. Source: lexware.de/preise, March 2026.
Features Overview
Document Capture and Archive
Documents can be photographed via app, forwarded by email or uploaded as PDF. Lexware Office automatically recognizes invoice data (OCR) and assigns documents to matching bank transactions. All documents are GoBD-compliant archived, which means legally compliant and timestamped.
Invoices and Quotes (from M plan)
From the M plan, you can create quotes, order confirmations, delivery notes, invoices and dunning notices. E-invoices in XRechnung and ZUGFeRD format are supported, which has been mandatory for receiving since 2025. Recurring invoices and installment invoices are only available from the XL plan.
Accounting and Tax (from L plan)
The L plan makes Lexware Office a complete accounting solution. Included is the income statement (EUeR) for freelancers and sole proprietors, the profit & loss statement (GuV), an electronic cash book, asset management and direct VAT pre-registration via ELSTER.
Banking Integration
Lexware Office connects to your business account and automatically matches incoming payments with open invoices. The software learns from your assignments and suggests the correct category for recurring payments.
Mobile App
The app for iOS and Android offers document scanner, invoice creation and financial overview. In the App Store, the app is rated 4.7 out of 5 stars (10,781 reviews, March 2026).
Collaboration with Tax Advisor
Lexware Office offers Tax Advisor Access in all plans. Your tax advisor can log in directly and access your documents and bookings. Two methods are available for data exchange:
- Manual DATEV export: Download documents, booking batches and bank transactions as DATEV-compatible CSV files
- DATEV Datenservices (formerly DATEVconnect online): Automatic transmission of booking and document data to the accounting software
Whether your tax advisor can use the automatic version depends on their accounting software. In doubt, the manual export always works. More on this topic can be found under Accounting Software Costs, where we also break down the total cost of software plus tax advisor fees.
E-Invoicing Requirement and Lexware Office
Since January 1, 2025, all companies in Germany must be able to receive e-invoices. Sending becomes mandatory in phases:
| Merkmal | Period | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| From 2025 | Receiving for all companies | |
| 2025-2026 | Sending: Transition phase (paper/PDF still allowed) | |
| From 2027 | Sending with revenue over EUR 800,000 | |
| From 2028 | Sending for all companies |
Source: BMF FAQ on E-Invoicing Requirement
Lexware Office supports receiving and processing e-invoices (XRechnung, ZUGFeRD) since 2025. Sending e-invoices is possible from the M plan.
Advantages and Disadvantages
| Merkmal | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Operation | Very intuitive, even without prior knowledge | Invoice templates only limited adjustable |
| GoBD | GoBD-compliant, long-term archive from S plan | No offline usage possible |
| Tax Advisor | DATEV export and tax advisor access in all plans | EUeR only from L plan (EUR 21.90/month) |
| Mobile | Good app (4.7/5 in App Store) | S plan without invoices for EUR 11.90 expensive |
| Integrations | Banking with 3,000+ banks | No inventory management |
| Flexibility | Monthly cancellation, no annual contract needed | No invoices in foreign currencies |
Who is Lexware Office For?
Für wen ist Lexware Office geeignet?
Geeignet für
- Freelancers and self-employed looking for a simple cloud solution
- Small companies up to 50 employees with manageable document volume
- Beginners in digital accounting without prior knowledge
- Companies that work closely with a tax advisor
- Users who value a good mobile app
Weniger geeignet für
- Large enterprises with complex ERP requirements or group accounting
- Companies that need extensive inventory management
- Users who prefer desktop software with one-time license
- Online merchants with many marketplace connections (Billbee/AMAINVOICE better)
Lexware Office vs. Alternatives
How does Lexware Office compare to the main competitors?
| Merkmal | Feature | Lexware Office | sevDesk | BuchhaltungsButler | Papierkram |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price (EUeR) | EUR 21.90/month (L) | EUR 19.90/month | EUR 29.95/month | EUR 9.90/month (S) | |
| Invoices from | EUR 12.90/month (M) | EUR 8.90/month | EUR 24.95/month | EUR 9.90/month | |
| Monthly cancellation | |||||
| DATEV export | |||||
| Mobile app | |||||
| Payroll | Add-on | Add-on | |||
| Public API | From XL | ||||
| Inventory management |
A detailed direct comparison is available under Lexware Office vs. sevDesk. If you mainly want to create income statements cheaply, take a look at Papierkram (from EUR 9.90/month).sevDesk, on the other hand, offers more automation and a more extensive API in cheaper plans.
BuchhaltungsButler is more aimed at users with accounting knowledge and offers AI-powered automations for document assignment. For online merchants with Shopify or Amazon connection, specialized solutions like AMAINVOICE are often the better choice.
Data Security
Lexware Office stores all data in German data centers. Transmission is SSL-encrypted, and regular backups protect against data loss. For small and medium businesses, this is usually sufficient.
Those who additionally want to insure against the risk of cyber attacks on their IT should consider a cyber insurance for SMEs. Especially for freelancers with customer data, a professional liability insurance can also be useful, which covers financial losses from erroneous advice.
Conclusion
Our Assessment
Lexware Office is solid cloud accounting for freelancers and small companies. The operation is simple, the DATEV connection works reliably and monthly cancellation makes entry low-risk.
The L plan (EUR 21.90/month) offers the best ratio of price to features for self-bookers. It includes income statement, profit & loss and asset management. I would not recommend the S plan (EUR 11.90) because the M plan for only EUR 1 more includes invoicing.
Those who need more automation or an open API should check sevDesk. Those who want to create income statements as cheaply as possible find at Papierkram from EUR 9.90/month the more attractive price alternative. An overview of all providers and plans is available on our Accounting Software comparison page.
Lexware Office comes in four plans: S (EUR 11.90), M (EUR 12.90), L (EUR 21.90) and XL (EUR 32.90) per month, plus VAT. New customers often receive 50% discount for the first three months. All plans are cancellable monthly.
Yes. Lexware Office archives documents in a legally compliant manner and meets GoBD requirements (principles for proper bookkeeping and record keeping). The GoBD long-term archive is already included in the cheapest S plan.
The income statement (EUeR) is available from the L plan (EUR 21.90/month). The L plan also includes the profit & loss statement (GuV), asset management and VAT pre-registration.
Yes. Lexware Office offers tax advisor access in all plans. DATEV export is possible manually (CSV format) or automatically via DATEV Datenservices (formerly DATEVconnect online).
Yes. Since 2025, Lexware Office supports receiving and processing e-invoices (XRechnung, ZUGFeRD). Sending e-invoices is possible from the M plan. This is relevant because from 2025, all companies must receive e-invoices.
Payroll is an optional add-on from EUR 12.90/month (for up to 2 employees). It is not included in any of the four standard plans but can be added to any plan.
Yes, for iOS and Android. With the app, you can photograph documents, use the document scanner and check your finances on the go. The app is included free in all plans.
Lexware Office (formerly lexoffice) is the cloud solution, runs in the browser and is billed monthly. Lexware Financial Office is the classic desktop software with a one-time license. Cloud means automatic updates, location-independent access and no local installation.