Clear Books vs Lexware Office Comparison
Compare Clear Books vs Lexware Office features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
Clear Books
5.9/10
UK cloud accounting software for sole traders, landlords, small companies and accountants, with HMRC Making Tax Digital filing, bank feeds, invoicing and payroll.
Lexware Office
6.7/10
A German cloud tool for bookkeeping, invoicing, receipt capture, VAT filing and optional payroll, made for freelancers and small businesses.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.9/10 | 6.7/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Cost | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Customization | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 4/10 |
| Security | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | £5/mo Property | €8/mo S |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Property Free | €8/mo S |
| Features | ||
| Multi-currency | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Financial Reporting | ||
| General Ledger | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Online Payments | ||
| Payroll | ||
| Tax Compliance | ||
| Accounts Payable | Not listed | |
| Audit Trail | Not listed | |
| Budgeting and Forecasting | Not listed | |
| Inventory Accounting | Not listed | |
| Multi-entity Consolidation | Not listed | |
Clear Books vs Lexware Office cost by team size
| Team size | Clear Books | Lexware Office |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeProperty Free | €8/moS |
| 5 users | FreeProperty Free | €8/moS |
| 10 users | FreeProperty Free | €8/moS |
| 25 users | FreeProperty Free | €8/moS |
| 50 users | FreeProperty Free | €8/moS |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Clear Books
- Has a free plan (Lexware Office does not)
- Higher Analytics score (5/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Support score (7/10 vs 6/10)
- Includes Multi-currency, which Lexware Office lacks
Why choose Lexware Office
- Higher Integration score (7/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Security score (7/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
Clear Books
Pros
- Free MTD Income Tax plans for sole traders and landlords have no transaction limits.
- It is on HMRC's list of MTD-compatible software for both VAT and Income Tax Self Assessment.
- CIS reporting is built in, which suits UK construction contractors and subcontractors.
- Company plans cost £16 to £44 a month, with up to 20% off for two-year billing and no setup or per-invoice fees.
- Trustpilot reviewers rate it 4.3 out of 5 from 477 reviews and often praise quick, friendly support.
Cons
- It follows UK tax rules only, so it does not suit businesses outside the UK.
- Multi-currency, expense claims and project accounting require the top £44 Large plan.
- Users report that editing or deleting entries is awkward and that voiding is the workaround.
- Its integration ecosystem is small compared with Xero or QuickBooks.
- Some reviewers say email support replies can be slow.
Lexware Office
Pros
- Users on OMR Reviews and testers on Experte.de describe receipt scanning and bank matching as fast and easy to set up.
- Creates ZUGFeRD and XRechnung e-invoices and files VAT returns directly to ELSTER.
- Every plan can be cancelled monthly, and users are unlimited according to Für-Gründer.
- Tax advisor access and DATEV export make it easy to hand the books to an accountant.
- An optional payroll add-on handles social security and tax filings for up to 50 employees.
Cons
- Invoices can only be issued in euros.
- Cannot manage several companies, and has no approval workflow and no cost-centre reporting.
- Bookkeeping and VAT returns need the L plan, and recurring features need higher tiers.
- Users report bank connections that drop and support that is hard to reach by phone.
- There is no postal invoice sending and no built-in time tracking.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Lexware Office scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.7/10 against 5.9/10 for Clear Books. The largest gap is in Integration: 4/10 for Clear Books and 7/10 for Lexware Office.
Clear Books has a free plan; Lexware Office does not list one.
Clear Books has Multi-currency, which Lexware Office lacks.
