You work closely with a fixed firm
If your tax firm already books in DATEV and you work closely together, DATEV Unternehmen online is the direct bridge. Your receipt flow lands in your firm's familiar DATEV environment without any detour.
DATEV Unternehmen online alternative
DATEV Unternehmen online alternative: hand off your bookkeeping completely instead of doing it yourself
DATEV Unternehmen online is the cloud platform you use to capture and upload receipts while your tax firm books in DATEV. Buchführungsheld complements this path: certified bookkeepers take over the ongoing bookkeeping and deliver DATEV-compatible data, so there's less expensive booking work left for the firm. Here's when that pays off for you.
Updated: July 2026. Prices of other providers are non-binding and subject to change.
Buchführungsheld
April done
- Receipts uploaded12 receipts, April
- Booked by prosgeprüft und kontiert
- USt-Voranmeldung300 €, vom Finanzamt eingezogen
Umsatz24.500 €
Gewinn6.200 €
DATEV Unternehmen online and Buchführungsheld in a direct comparison
Working with the firm via DATEV versus full-service bookkeeping. The Buchführungsheld column is highlighted, and the values are kept deliberately honest.
| Criterion | DATEV Unternehmen online | Buchführungsheld |
|---|---|---|
| Core principle | you enter, your firm posts in DATEV | Full service, bookkeepers post for you |
| Time spent per month | several hours for capturing and preparing receipts | about 15 to 30 minutes, uploading receipts |
| Receipt capture | you enter and upload receipts into DATEV Unternehmen online | you upload, the team posts |
| Invoice creation (invoicing) | possible via DATEV add-on modules or your firm | in preparation, available soon |
| Ongoing posting | by your tax firm in DATEV | by certified bookkeepers, DATEV-compatible |
| Preliminary VAT return | usually through your firm | prepared and filed for you |
| Working together with your tax advisor | direct integration, the firm works in DATEV | coded, DATEV-compatible data for your tax firm |
| Risk of errors during data entry | Capture is on you, posting is done by the firm | Capture and posting by specialists, audited process |
| DATEV compatibility | native DATEV environment | DATEV-compatible collaboration and export |
| Price per month | approx. 10 to 20 € (depending on module) plus the firm's booking costs | from €49 (full service including booking) |
| Support | via your tax firm and DATEV | personal bookkeepers, support based in Germany |
| Contract commitment | Billing usually through the firm, depending on the arrangement | cancelable monthly |
As of July 2026. DATEV Unternehmen online is billed depending on the module and usually through your tax advisor, roughly around 10 to 20 euros per month, plus your firm's posting fees. These are approximate figures, as of July 2026, please check with DATEV and your firm. Buchführungsheld prices are plus 19 percent VAT and are intended exclusively for businesses.
Sample calculation: capturing it yourself with DATEV Unternehmen online vs. handing off your bookkeeping
Example: a solo self-employed person with around 25 receipts per month and an assumed entrepreneur's hourly rate of €80. The firm's posting costs are not included here.
DATEV Unternehmen online capture it yourself
- DATEV Unternehmen online (approx.)approx. 15 €
- your own time approx. 3.5 hrs x €80280 €
Total per monthapprox. 295 €
Mit Buchführungsheld
- Buchführungsheld Starter, 25 receipts included49 €
- your own time approx. 0.5 hrs x €8040 €
Total per month89 €
Calculated savings: around €206 per month, mainly from the time you save.
Sample calculation with assumed time values. For DATEV Unternehmen online, a representative monthly fee of approx. €15 is assumed (mid-range of approx. €10 to €20); actual costs depend on the module and are usually billed through the firm, plus their posting costs. Prices approx., as of July 2026, please check with DATEV and your firm. The actual time required depends on the number of receipts and your routine.
When DATEV Unternehmen online is the better choice
Honestly, there are cases where working through DATEV Unternehmen online is a better fit for you.
Small budget, few receipts
With very few receipts and a tight budget, the pure platform fee can be cheaper than a service, as long as you can spare the time for recording and the posting runs through your firm anyway.
You want to stay entirely within the DATEV world
If having a native DATEV environment with a direct firm connection matters to you, DATEV Unternehmen online keeps you in the original environment, while Buchführungsheld works alongside it in a DATEV-compatible way.
From DATEV Unternehmen online to Buchführungsheld in three steps
The switch is straightforward, your data won't be lost.
1
Initial consultation and reviewing receipts
In a short, free call, we take a look at your current bookkeeping and clarify which plan fits you.
2
Export data (DATEV or CSV)
You or your previous accounting firm export the existing transactions and receipts, for example as a DATEV or CSV file. We take over your ongoing bookkeeping seamlessly and keep working in a DATEV-compatible way.
3
Upload receipts, we post them
From now on, you upload receipts via app or browser. Your accountants book everything, prepare the VAT return, and deliver DATEV-compatible reports for your tax advisor.
More comparisons
See how Buchführungsheld stacks up against other providers and approaches.
FAQ: DATEV Unternehmen online and Buchführungsheld
Answers on how we work together, data migration, costs, and cancellation.
Does Buchführungsheld replace DATEV Unternehmen online?
No. DATEV Unternehmen online is the platform you use to capture receipts while your firm books them in DATEV. Buchführungsheld doesn't replace DATEV, it works in a DATEV-compatible way: certified bookkeepers handle your ongoing entries and deliver the data so your firm can jump straight in.
Can I bring over my data?
Yes. You or your previous firm exports the existing entries and receipts, for example as a DATEV or CSV file. Buchführungsheld takes over the ongoing bookkeeping and continues to work in a DATEV-compatible way.
What does Buchführungsheld cost compared to DATEV Unternehmen online?
DATEV Unternehmen online costs roughly 10 to 20 euros per month depending on the module and is usually billed through your firm, plus their booking costs (approximate figures, as of July 2026, please verify with DATEV and your firm). Buchführungsheld starts at 49 euros per month, and in return certified bookkeepers handle the ongoing booking. What makes sense financially for you depends mainly on how much of your time it takes and your firm's booking costs.
Do I have to cancel DATEV Unternehmen online?
You settle that with your tax firm, since access usually runs through them. Buchführungsheld itself can be canceled monthly. Many continue to work with their firm in a DATEV-compatible way.
Can I also write invoices with Buchführungsheld?
Invoicing is in preparation at Buchführungsheld and coming soon. Today the focus is on complete bookkeeping: you upload receipts and outgoing invoices, and the team posts everything. Invoicing in DATEV Unternehmen online usually runs through add-on modules or your firm.
Do I need a tax advisor on top of this?
For the annual financial statements and tax return, you continue working with your tax advisor. Buchführungsheld delivers the continuously categorized data in DATEV-compatible form, so your firm can jump right in and less costly posting work is left to do there.
Is my bookkeeping GDPR- and GoBD-compliant?
Yes. Buchführungsheld processes all data in a GDPR- and GoBD-compliant way in data centers in Germany.
Hand off your bookkeeping
Hand off your bookkeeping instead of posting it yourself
Upload your receipts, and certified bookkeepers take care of the rest. At a flat rate from 49 euros per month, cancelable monthly. Try it free for 7 days.