AppBreakup

Lexware Office alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Lexware Office: only for German businesses, in German, and payroll and some features only on higher tiers. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Lexware Office, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. sevDesk currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1sevDesk logosevDeskFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 466.5
2ZeZervantFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 462.6
3Pennylane logoPennylanePaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 459.6
4Xero logoXeroPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android5 of 557.2
  1. sevDesk logo

    1. sevDeskTop pick

    Best for: Freelancers and small businesses in Germany that want invoicing and tax-ready books

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Lexware Office

    The other big German cloud option, with a free invoicing tier.

    Pros

    • German e-invoice formats ZUGFeRD and XRechnung supported
    • DATEV-compatible exports for tax advisers
    • Free plan for occasional invoices

    Cons

    • Interface and support mainly in German
    • Only built for German and Austrian rules
    • Free plan allows only a few invoices a month
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is sevDesk a good Lexware Office alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, €0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sevdesk.de(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan limit
    3 invoices per month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sevdesk.de(opens source in a new tab)
    E-invoice formats
    ZUGFeRD and XRechnung
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sevdesk.de(opens source in a new tab)
    Tax adviser export
    DATEV-compatible
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sevdesk.de(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Ze

    2. Zervant

    Best for: European freelancers and sole traders who mainly need invoicing

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Lexware Office

    Lighter invoicing for freelancers who leave the books to an adviser.

    Pros

    • Free plan for basic invoicing
    • Local invoice formats and e-invoicing for several European countries
    • Mobile app for invoices on the go

    Cons

    • Not full accounting software
    • Many automation features are paid
    • Mainly useful in its supported countries
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Zervant a good Lexware Office alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, €0/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zervant.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days on monthly plans
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zervant.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Yearly discount
    Up to 15%
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zervant.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Ageras
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zervant.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Pennylane logo

    3. Pennylane

    Best for: French small businesses that want to share one platform with their accountant

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Lexware Office

    Similar accountant-connected model for French businesses.

    Pros

    • Accountant and business work in the same platform
    • Built for French e-invoicing requirements
    • Invoicing, payments and bookkeeping in one tool

    Cons

    • Mainly useful in France
    • Lowest plan requires a Pennylane business account
    • Interface and support primarily in French
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Pennylane a good Lexware Office alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    €7/month excl. VAT (with Pennylane account)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026pennylane.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Basique plan
    €14/month excl. VAT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026pennylane.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    15 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026pennylane.com(opens source in a new tab)
    E-invoicing
    All plans compliant
    Checked Oct 25, 2026pennylane.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Xero logo

    4. Xero

    Best for: Small businesses, especially outside the US, that want accountant-friendly cloud books

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Lexware Office

    International cloud accounting for companies with operations outside Germany.

    Pros

    • Unlimited users included on every plan
    • Large marketplace of connected apps
    • Strong bank reconciliation workflow

    Cons

    • Entry plan limits the number of invoices and bills
    • US payroll relies on a Gusto add-on
    • Costs climb once you need projects or multi-currency
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Xero a good Lexware Office alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Starting price
    $27/month after intro offer (Early)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026xero.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Growing plan
    $59/month after intro offer
    Checked Oct 25, 2026xero.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Integrations
    1,000+ apps
    Checked Oct 25, 2026xero.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Customers
    5 million worldwide
    Checked Oct 25, 2026xero.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Mobile apps
    iOS and Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026xero.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Lexware Office alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

sevDesk logo

Best Lexware Office alternative for most people

sevDesk

The other big German cloud option, with a free invoicing tier.

Ze

Best Lexware Office alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Zervant

Lighter invoicing for freelancers who leave the books to an adviser.

Pennylane logo

Best Lexware Office alternative for iPhone and Android

Pennylane

Similar accountant-connected model for French businesses.

Xero logo

Best Lexware Office alternative for working in the browser

Xero

International cloud accounting for companies with operations outside Germany.

Lexware Office alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Lexware Office?

sevDesk ranks first right now. The other big German cloud option, with a free invoicing tier. Zervant and Pennylane follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Lexware Office?

Yes. sevDesk (free plan + paid) and Zervant (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Lexware Office?

None of the 4 alternatives in this list is open source.

Why do people switch from Lexware Office?

The complaints we hear most: only for German businesses, in German; payroll and some features only on higher tiers; product naming changed, which confuses searches.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Lexware Office, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.