Lexware Office vs Payhawk (2026): Pricing, Features & Verdict
Payhawk is our pick, scoring 7.1/10 against 6.7/10 for Lexware Office on our Finance Software criteria. Its biggest advantage: higher Scalability score (8/10 vs 4/10). Neither Lexware Office nor Payhawk lists a free plan.
Last updated: November 2026
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.
Payhawk
7.1/10
Payhawk is a modular spend management platform combining Visa corporate cards, expense claims, accounts payable, procurement and travel booking for mid-sized and multi-entity companies.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.7/10 | 7.1/10 |
| Scalability | 4/10 | 8/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Compliance | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Security | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Cost | 8/10 | 4/10 |
| Customization | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | €7.90/mo S | £149/mo Growth programme (UK/EEA) |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | €8/mo S | £149/mo Growth programme (UK/EEA) |
| Features | ||
| Multi-currency | ||
| Multi-entity Consolidation | ||
| Payroll | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Tax Compliance | ||
| Accounts Payable | Not listed | |
| Bank Reconciliation | Not listed | |
| Corporate Cards | Not listed | |
| Financial Reporting | Not listed | |
| General Ledger | Not listed | |
| Inventory Accounting | Not listed | |
| Invoicing | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
Lexware Office vs Payhawk cost by team size
| Team size | Lexware Office | Payhawk |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | €8/moS | £149/moGrowth programme (UK/EEA) |
| 5 users | €8/moS | £149/moGrowth programme (UK/EEA) |
| 10 users | €8/moS | £149/moGrowth programme (UK/EEA) |
| 25 users | €8/moS | $299/moTravel |
| 50 users | €8/moS | $299/moTravel |
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.
Who Lexware Office and Payhawk suit
Lexware Office fits small business better; Payhawk fits enterprise better.
| Audience | Lexware Office | Payhawk |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | 2/10It has no multi-entity support, no foreign currencies and only basic reporting. | 7/10It offers SAP, Oracle and Workday connectors, SSO, and PO matching, but very large enterprises may still need deeper procurement suites. |
| Small Business | 8/10It covers invoicing, bookkeeping and payroll for up to 50 employees. | 4/10There is a discounted Growth programme for UK and EEA firms under 10 staff, but it is capped and reviewers say the cost is high for small companies. |
| Accountants and Bookkeepers | 6/10Advisor access and DATEV export help accountants, but there is no multi-client management. | Not rated |
| Finance Teams | Not rated | 9/10It is built for controllers and CFO teams that need card controls, AP approvals and ERP sync in one place. |
| Freelancers | 9/10The cheap monthly plans and the EÜR and ELSTER filing are built for German self-employed users. | Not rated |
| Mid-Market | Not rated | 9/10Module pricing from several hundred dollars a month, plus multi-entity add-ons, targets companies that have outgrown simple expense apps. |
| Startups | Not rated | 5/10The Growth plan and unlimited employee seats help, but annual contracts and the price floor are less startup-friendly than freemium rivals. |
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Lexware Office
- Higher Cost score (8/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Support score (6/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for small business (8/10 vs 4/10)
- Includes Payroll, which Payhawk lacks
Why choose Payhawk
- Higher Scalability score (8/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Customization score (7/10 vs 4/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (7/10 vs 2/10)
- Includes Multi-currency, which Lexware Office lacks
- Includes Multi-entity Consolidation, which Lexware Office lacks
Pros & Cons
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.
Payhawk
Pros
- Unlimited employee seats, card transactions and document processing in every module, so costs do not scale per employee.
- Very broad native integration list, covering NetSuite, Sage Intacct, SAP, Dynamics, Xero, QuickBooks, DATEV and 30+ HR systems, plus a partner API and MCP connector.
- Strong for multi-entity European groups, with regulated card issuing entities in the EEA, UK and US and balances in six currencies.
- AP module includes 2- and 3-way PO matching, segregation-of-duties controls, and e-invoicing support for Peppol, KSeF, SDI and Finvoice.
- Reviewers often say employees find receipt capture and expense submission in the mobile app quick and easy.
Cons
- Trustpilot (2.8/5) and some G2 reviews describe mid-contract price increases, automatic renewals and difficult cancellations.
- Several reviewers report slow or AI-first support, with replies taking days or weeks.
- Annual pricing, unit fees for admin seats and cards, and add-on prices are not published, so you have to get a quote.
- Initial setup of workflows, custom fields and integrations is described as complex, and some reviewers note sync errors with Xero and with foreign currency refunds.
- It is not a general ledger or payroll system, so it needs a separate ERP or accounting package.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Payhawk scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 7.1/10 against 6.7/10 for Lexware Office. The largest gap is in Cost: 8/10 for Lexware Office and 4/10 for Payhawk.
No, neither Lexware Office nor Payhawk lists a free plan.
Payhawk is the better fit for enterprise: we rate it 7/10 for them, against 2/10 for Lexware Office.
Lexware Office has Payroll, which Payhawk lacks. Payhawk has Multi-currency and Multi-entity Consolidation, which Lexware Office lacks.
