Free plan —
GoBD-compliant
ⓘ
—
DATEV export
ⓘ
—
EU tax filing —
Small biz mode
ⓘ
—
Free trial 30 days
Available on Web
Best for Solo & Team
Accounting Software for Freelancers
Accounting tools for freelancers and small businesses: compare features, integrations and free trials side-by-side.
- GoBD-compliant with DATEV export & EU tax filing
- From simple receipt scanning to full accounting suites
- Lexware, sevDesk, Xero, Wave & more side-by-side
Accounting software handles what otherwise eats your evenings: capturing receipts, tracking expenses, and keeping tax-ready records. Our comparison puts the best 2026 tools side by side, with FreshBooks as our freelancer top pick and Xero for growing businesses. Free trials, pricing and integrations are listed per tool in the table.
| |  |  |  | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| GoBD-compliant GoBD compliance GoBD is the German accounting compliance standard — audit-proof storage, gap-free document chain, no retroactive edits. Required for every self-employed person in Germany. | — | — | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| DATEV export | — | — | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| EU tax filing | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Small biz mode | — | — | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | 30 days | 30 days | 14 days | 30 days | — | 14 days | 30 days |
| Available on | Web | Web Mobile | Web Mobile | Web | Web | Web Mobile | Web |
| Best for | Solo & Team | All | Solo | Solo & Team | Solo | Solo & Team | All |
| Visit site | View offer* | View offer* | Visit site | Visit site | View offer* | Visit site |
Free plan —
GoBD-compliant
ⓘ
—
DATEV export
ⓘ
—
EU tax filing —
Small biz mode
ⓘ
—
Free trial 30 days
Available on Web Mobile
Best for All
Free plan —
GoBD-compliant
ⓘ
✓
DATEV export
ⓘ
✓
EU tax filing ✓
Small biz mode
ⓘ
✓
Free trial 14 days
Available on Web Mobile
Best for Solo
Free plan —
GoBD-compliant
ⓘ
—
DATEV export
ⓘ
—
EU tax filing —
Small biz mode
ⓘ
—
Free trial 30 days
Available on Web
Best for Solo & Team
Free plan ✓
GoBD-compliant
ⓘ
—
DATEV export
ⓘ
—
EU tax filing —
Small biz mode
ⓘ
—
Free trial —
Available on Web
Best for Solo
Free plan ✓
GoBD-compliant
ⓘ
✓
DATEV export
ⓘ
✓
EU tax filing —
Small biz mode
ⓘ
✓
Free trial 14 days
Available on Web Mobile
Best for Solo & Team
Free plan —
GoBD-compliant
ⓘ
✓
DATEV export
ⓘ
✓
EU tax filing ✓
Small biz mode
ⓘ
✓
Free trial 30 days
Available on Web
Best for All
All 7 accounting tools at a glance
Still undecided? a few quick questions to your recommendation
Answer a few quick questions — we match Xero, FreshBooks, QuickBooks & co., data-driven.
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To the newsletterFrequently Asked Questions
What is the best accounting software for freelancers?
FreshBooks is our 2026 top pick for freelancers: invoicing, expense tracking and time tracking in one clean interface. Xero is the stronger choice for growing businesses with heavier bookkeeping needs. The comparison table above shows all criteria side by side.
Do I really need accounting software as a freelancer?
Not on day one, but sooner than most expect. Once you invoice regularly, software pays for itself: it keeps business finances separate, tracks outstanding invoices, and turns tax season from a shoebox of receipts into a report. A spreadsheet works at the very start; it stops scaling around client number five.
What does accounting software cost for freelancers?
Most freelancer-tier plans run $10–30 per month, with discounts for annual billing and frequent intro offers for the first months. Free trials (typically 30 days) are standard: test with your real invoices before committing, and check the free-tier column in our table.
FreshBooks or Xero: which one should I pick?
FreshBooks if you're a solo freelancer who mainly invoices clients and tracks expenses; it's simpler and faster to learn. Xero if you're growing toward a small business: stronger reporting, inventory and accountant collaboration. Both integrate with the usual payment providers.