Lexware Office vs Shine Comparison
Compare Lexware Office vs Shine features, pricing, and more.
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.
Shine
6.1/10
French online business account for freelancers and small companies, with Mastercard cards, built-in invoicing, receipt capture and accounting exports.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.7/10 | 6.1/10 |
| Scalability | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Integration | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Customization | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | €8/mo S | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | €8/mo S | Free Free |
| Features | ||
| Payroll | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Online Payments | ||
| Corporate Cards | Not listed | |
| Financial Reporting | Not listed | |
| General Ledger | Not listed | |
| Inventory Accounting | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Multi-entity Consolidation | Not listed | |
| Tax Compliance | Not listed | |
Lexware Office vs Shine cost by team size
Shine costs less at every team size we checked.
| Team size | Lexware Office | Shine |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | €8/moS | FreeFree |
| 5 users | €8/moS | FreeFree |
| 10 users | €8/moS | FreeFree |
| 25 users | €8/moS | FreeFree |
| 50 users | €8/moS | FreeFree |
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 Lexware Office
- Higher Compliance score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Integration score (7/10 vs 6/10)
- Includes Payroll, which Shine lacks
Why choose Shine
- Has a free plan (Lexware Office does not)
- Lower estimated cost for 10 users: Free vs €8/mo
- Higher Support score (7/10 vs 6/10)
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.
Shine
Pros
- A real free plan that includes unlimited quotes and invoices with automatic reminders
- Cash deposits through tobacconists, which few online business accounts offer
- Strong Trustpilot ratings of about 4.6 to 4.7 out of 5 across thousands of reviews, and an in-house support team based in France
- Paid plans have a 30-day trial and no commitment
Cons
- As a payment institution it offers no overdraft, loans or interest-bearing account
- Higher fees than some rivals on non-euro card payments and international transfers
- No phone support on the Free plan, and reviewers report accounts blocked without warning
- Garnishment processing fees of 10 percent, capped at 100 EUR, criticised as poorly signposted
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Lexware Office scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.7/10 against 6.1/10 for Shine. The largest gap is in Compliance: 8/10 for Lexware Office and 6/10 for Shine.
Shine costs less for 10 users: free on its Free plan, against about €8/mo on its S plan for Lexware Office, billed monthly.
Shine has a free plan; Lexware Office does not list one.
Lexware Office has Payroll, which Shine lacks.
