How do I integrate with Germany accounting software?

Apideck's Unified Accounting API lets you integrate with 11+ Germany accounting platforms through a single API. Sign up, enable the connectors you need, and use one standardized data model to read and write invoices, payments, contacts, and more.

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Germany accounting integrations

Q: What accounting software is popular in Germany?

The most popular accounting platforms in Germany include DATEV Unternehmen Online, Lexware Office, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Sage Intacct, Sage Business Cloud Accounting. DATEV is essential for German tax advisors and accountants, while Lexware and sevDesk lead accounting for freelancers and small businesses, and SAP dominates the enterprise segment. Compliance centers on GoBD record-keeping, ELSTER tax filing and a phased B2B e-invoicing mandate using XRechnung or ZUGFeRD.

DATEV is essential for German tax advisors and accountants, while Lexware and sevDesk lead accounting for freelancers and small businesses, and SAP dominates the enterprise segment. Compliance centers on GoBD record-keeping, ELSTER tax filing and a phased B2B e-invoicing mandate using XRechnung or ZUGFeRD.

11 supported accounting platforms + 13 on the radar

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Germany accounting software market

Where the major platforms sit and which Apideck supports today. Figures are company-reported unless marked as an estimate.

3.87M

SMEs in Germany, 99%+ of all businesses

KfW SME Panel 2025

2M+

German companies use DATEV software for financial accounting

DATEV

Platform	Germany market position	Apideck	Source
DATEV	Dominant among tax advisors and SMEs, used by 2M+ German companies, 920,000+ cooperative customers overall	Supported	DATEV
Lexware/lexoffice (Haufe Group)	Largest ecosystem for freelancers and small businesses, part of Lexware's 650,000+ company base	Supported	Lexware / Haufe Group
sevDesk	Over 170,000 companies, mainly freelancers and small businesses	Supported	sevDesk

Subscriber and customer counts are the best available public indicators and may include accountant-managed multi-entity accounts; they are not a direct count of distinct businesses. Estimates are marked accordingly.

Germany accounting compliance requirements

Germany's accounting compliance centers on GoBD (unchangeable, exportable digital record-keeping), ELSTER (mandatory electronic tax filing with the Finanzamt), and a phased B2B e-invoicing mandate that requires all domestic businesses to be able to receive structured e-invoices from January 2025 and to issue them (using XRechnung or ZUGFeRD) by 2027-2028.

GoBD

Digital accounting records must be unchangeable, traceable, and exportable on demand for tax audits, with retention of 8 to 10 years.

German Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF)

ELSTER

Around 90% of German businesses are required to file VAT returns and payroll tax statements electronically through the ELSTER portal.

Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (BZSt)

B2B e-invoicing mandate

All domestic B2B businesses must be able to receive EN 16931-compliant structured e-invoices from January 2025, with issuance mandatory for turnover above 800,000 euro from 2027 and for all businesses from 2028.

German Federal Ministry of Finance / Wachstumschancengesetz