Choosing the right business software as a freelancer in Germany means balancing features, compliance requirements, and price. You need GoBD-compliant invoicing, ideally with ZUGFeRD support. You probably need time tracking. You might need project management. And you almost certainly need a Datev export for your Steuerberater. In 2026, the market offers several strong options, each with different strengths. This comparison covers the six most relevant tools and helps you decide which one fits your workflow.
The Contenders
We are comparing six tools that German freelancers commonly use or consider:
- vlastERP— All-in-one ERP for IT freelancers and consultancies. Time tracking, invoicing, project management, and profitability analytics in a single platform.
- SevDesk— Cloud-based accounting and invoicing software popular with German small businesses and freelancers. Strong on bookkeeping, weaker on project management.
- Papierkram— German-built tool combining time tracking, invoicing, and basic project management. Good mid-range option with a free tier.
- Lexoffice— Lexware’s cloud offering for freelancers and small businesses. Excellent accounting features, backed by the Haufe Group.
- FastBill— Focused on invoicing and expense management. Clean UI but limited scope beyond accounting.
- Clockodo— German time tracking tool with project management features. No invoicing built in.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | vlastERP | SevDesk | Papierkram | Lexoffice | FastBill | Clockodo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time Tracking | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Invoicing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Project Management | Yes | No | Basic | No | No | Basic |
| Profitability Analytics | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| GoBD Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| ZUGFeRD Invoices | Yes | Yes | Basic | Yes | No | N/A |
| Datev Export | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| API | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EU Hosting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Pricing Comparison (Solo Freelancer, 2026)
- vlastERP:2-month free trial. Solo plan at €35/month covers all features including time tracking, invoicing, project management, and analytics. Team plan from €50/month for 5 users.
- SevDesk:Plans start at €8.90/month (invoicing only). The full accounting plan (Buchhaltung) is €17.90/month. No time tracking at any tier — you need a separate tool.
- Papierkram:Free tier with limited features. Pro plan at €12/month includes time tracking and invoicing. Team plan at €24/month adds multi-user support.
- Lexoffice:Starts at €7.90/month for basic invoicing. The full plan (Buchhaltung & Berichte) is €16.90/month. No time tracking or project management.
- FastBill:Solo plan at €9/month. Plus plan at €29/month for automated bookkeeping. No time tracking.
- Clockodo:Starts at €5.50/user/month for time tracking. No invoicing — you need a separate tool, which means paying for two subscriptions.
The hidden cost with specialized tools is the integration tax. If you use Clockodo for time tracking (€5.50/mo) plus SevDesk for invoicing (€17.90/mo), you are paying €23.40/month for two tools that do not share data natively. You spend additional time manually transferring hours into invoices, which is both error-prone and a drain on your utilization rate.
SevDesk: Best for Pure Accounting
SevDesk is the strongest option if your primary need is bookkeeping and tax preparation. Its bank reconciliation, receipt scanning, and Steuerberater integration are polished and reliable. The Datev export is seamless, and the GoBD certification is well-documented.
The limitation is scope. SevDesk does not offer time tracking, project management, or profitability analysis. If you are an IT consultant who needs to track billable hours and understand project margins, SevDesk covers only half the picture. You will need to pair it with a time tracker and manually bridge the data. See our detailed vlastERP vs SevDesk comparison.
Papierkram: Best Budget All-Rounder
Papierkram is the closest competitor to vlastERP in terms of scope. It combines time tracking, invoicing, and basic project management in a single tool at an attractive price point. The free tier is genuinely usable for solo freelancers with simple needs.
Where Papierkram falls short is in depth. The time tracking is functional but lacks features like immutable timestamps for labour law compliance. Project management is limited to basic task lists without Kanban boards or milestone tracking. There is no profitability analytics, no API for integrations, and ZUGFeRD support is limited to basic profiles. For freelancers who need more than invoicing and simple time logging, these gaps become apparent quickly. See our vlastERP vs Papierkram comparison for a deeper dive.
Clockodo: Best Standalone Time Tracker
Clockodo is purpose-built for time tracking in the German market. It handles project-based time logging well, supports team management, and integrates with several German invoicing tools via API. The UI is clean and the reporting is solid.
The catch is that Clockodo is only one piece of the puzzle. You still need a separate invoicing tool, a separate project management tool, and a way to connect them all. For teams that already have an established accounting setup and just need better time tracking, Clockodo is a strong choice. For freelancers building their stack from scratch, paying for and managing multiple disconnected tools adds complexity. See our vlastERP vs Clockodo comparison.
vlastERP: Best All-in-One for IT Consultants
Full disclosure: we built vlastERP, so take this section with the appropriate grain of salt. That said, the reason we built it is precisely because none of the tools above solved the full problem.
vlastERP combines time tracking (with the Clocker module for labour law compliance), GoBD-compliant invoicing with ZUGFeRD support, project management with Kanban boards, and real-time profitability analytics — all in a single platform. Data flows naturally: tracked hours become invoice line items, project costs feed into profitability reports, and everything is archived with a complete audit trail.
The trade-off is that vlastERP is not a full double-entry accounting system. For complex bookkeeping (EÜR, balance sheets, depreciation schedules), you will still need your Steuerberater and a Datev connection. vlastERP handles the day-to-day operational side — tracking time, sending invoices, managing projects, and understanding profitability — and exports everything your accountant needs.
Which One Should You Choose?
- You only need invoicing and bookkeeping: SevDesk or Lexoffice. Both are polished, GoBD-certified, and work seamlessly with German tax advisors.
- You need time tracking and invoicing on a budget: Papierkram. The free tier is a solid starting point.
- You need time tracking only: Clockodo. It does one thing and does it well.
- You need an all-in-one solution for IT consulting: vlastERP. Time tracking, invoicing, project management, and profitability analytics in a single tool, built for EU compliance.