Comparison
Finovo vs sevDesk
sevDesk is a popular choice for German startups and freelancers — clean UX, solid ELSTER integration. Here’s the full comparison with Finovo.
sevDesk won German startups with friendly UX, solid ELSTER basics, and approachable pricing. Teams explore a sevDesk alternative when they hire in the UK, invoice French clients under TVA rules, or need payroll without bolting on yet another HR system.
This Finovo vs sevDesk guide gives sevDesk credit for e-invoicing and bank sync while being direct about payroll and international tax: sevDesk is not trying to be the tri-country compliance backbone Finovo ships out of the box.
Scroll for balanced pros/cons, the feature matrix, pricing notes, migration guidance, and FAQs aligned with sevDesk alternative and Finovo vs sevDesk intent.
sevDesk
Where sevDesk genuinely wins
- ✓Low entry price for invoicing and light accounting — great for pre-revenue startups testing the market.
- ✓Modern UI that feels closer to consumer software than legacy German ERP.
- ✓ELSTER VAT filing and ZUGFeRD/XRechnung support fit domestic German B2B expectations.
- ✓GoBD-oriented record keeping with practical export options for advisors.
- ✓14-day trial without card lowers friction for quick experiments.
Where sevDesk is weaker for cross-border operators
- ✗Payroll is not native — expect integrations or manual processes for payslips and social filings.
- ✗No UK MTD or French DGFiP filing — international expansion means new vendors immediately.
- ✗German-only interface — international teams struggle unless everyone reads German fluently.
- ✗Client portal capabilities are lighter than Finovo’s branded payment experience.
Finovo
Why Finovo fits post-PMF German companies going abroad
- ✓Native MTD, DGFiP, and ELSTER in one subscription — the natural upgrade when sevDesk runs out of road.
- ✓Payroll coverage for UK, France, and Germany on Professional reduces vendor sprawl.
- ✓Up to 60 days on Professional (30 days on other plans), without a card, gives finance teams more room than sevDesk’s 14-day window.
- ✓Trilingual UI supports mixed-language finance squads common in Berlin and Munich tech.
- ✓Branded client portal with online payment improves AR for SaaS selling across Europe.
Where Finovo is still catching up
- ~List pricing starts higher than sevDesk teaser tiers — compare after you add payroll connectors and hypothetical UK/FR tools to sevDesk.
- ~Some German-only marketplace niches may still point to sevDesk — validate connectors during trial.
- ~If you are a solo freelancer billing only German clients, sevDesk may stay the value pick.
Feature
| Feature | Finovo | sevDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | £15/mo (≈ €18/mo) | €8.90/mo (invoicing) · €16.90/mo (accounting) |
| German VAT (ELSTER / UStVA) | Included — direct ELSTER submission (DE launch pending approval) | Yes — ELSTER direct submission |
| Annual tax return (EÜR) | Yes — EÜR for Freiberufler and small businesses | Yes — EÜR via ELSTER |
| UK VAT (HMRC MTD) | Included — direct MTD submission | Not supported |
| French TVA (DGFiP) | Included — direct DGFiP CA3 submission (FR launch pending approval) | Not supported |
| German Payroll | DATEV export, Lohnsteuer Anmeldung | Not native — integration with payroll tools required |
| UK Payroll (PAYE) | From Professional plan | Not supported |
| French Payroll (DSN/URSSAF) | From Professional plan | Not supported |
| Open banking | 2,400+ UK & EU banks — daily sync | German banks via FinTS/HBCI — daily sync |
| SEPA payments | Yes — pain.001 XML batch export | Yes — SEPA export |
| Multi-currency invoicing | 50+ currencies with live ECB/BoE rates | Yes — limited currency support |
| Receipt capture (OCR) | AI OCR — mobile + web upload | Yes — Belegerfassung via app |
| GoBD compliance | Yes — audit trail, immutable records | Yes — GoBD compliant |
| DATEV export | Yes — accounting and payroll handoff | Yes — DATEV export available |
| E-invoicing (ZUGFeRD / XRechnung) | XRechnung support | Yes — ZUGFeRD and XRechnung |
| Client portal | Yes — branded portal, online payment | Limited — invoice sharing link |
| English / French UI | EN / FR / DE — full translations | German only |
| Free trial | 60 days (Professional) or 30 days — no card required | 14 days — no card required |
Pricing comparison (verify before you buy)
sevDesk advertises split invoicing vs accounting tiers. Finovo bundles compliance depth differently — compare loaded cost, not teaser headlines.
| What you are comparing | Finovo | sevDesk |
|---|---|---|
| German entry (public list) | From €15/mo (DE list) with tri-country compliance | From €8.90/mo invoicing · ~€16.90/mo accounting — confirm live site |
| Native payroll (UK/FR/DE) | Included from Professional tier | Not native — integrations / external payroll |
| UK MTD + French DGFiP | UK MTD live; DGFiP (FR launch pending approval) | Not available |
| E-invoicing (ZUGFeRD / XRechnung) | XRechnung supported | Strong ZUGFeRD/XRechnung story domestically |
| Trial length | 60 days (Professional) or 30 days, no card | 14 days, no card (verify latest) |
Bundled partner offers and VAT on software can change totals. Add the cost of payroll and non-German tax tools before deciding sevDesk is cheaper overall.
Switching from sevDesk to Finovo
sevDesk CSV exports plus German DATEV-style dumps feed Finovo templates well. Plan the migration before fiscal year-end if your advisor prefers clean boundaries.
Export contacts, invoices, and ledger CSVs
Download everything sevDesk allows — especially attachments for expenses that auditors may ask about later.
Capture ELSTER credentials and VAT history
Document which German tax numbers and previous submissions live in sevDesk so Finovo settings match official registers.
Reconnect banking and PSPs
Stripe and GoCardless tokens do not transfer — reauthorise inside Finovo and reconcile a full statement cycle.
Add UK or French entities if expansion triggered the move
Create legal entities in Finovo before inviting cross-border staff — payroll onboarding depends on correct registrations.
Communicate cutover to customers
If invoice numbers or IBANs change, email active clients to avoid misplaced SEPA payments.
Finovo onboarding can review your sevDesk export bundle before go-live — use that for peace of mind.
Common questions: Finovo vs sevDesk
Our honest take
sevDesk is a solid choice for German-only freelancers and small businesses. Its UI is modern, ELSTER integration works well, and at €8.90/mo for invoicing it’s among the most affordable options in the market.
Where sevDesk falls short: payroll is not native (you need a separate tool), there’s no UK or French tax filing, and the UI is German-only. For businesses with international ambitions or international teams, these gaps matter.
Finovo also gives you a longer free trial than sevDesk’s 14-day window — up to 60 days on Professional (30 days on other plans), all without a card — and includes a full branded client portal for invoice viewing and online payment, which sevDesk’s basic sharing link doesn’t replicate.
Start your free trial
No card required. Import from sevDesk via CSV export in minutes.
Switching from sevDesk? See our step-by-step migration guide →