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Rechnungskit
Rechnungskit vs. sevdesk

sevdesk alternative for online shops and SaaS companies

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Rechnungskit creates invoices automatically from your shop and payment transactions, with the date of supply, VAT ID evidence and finished DATEV bookings. sevdesk stays your accounting with VAT returns (UStVA) and ELSTER; Rechnungskit is the automation layer in front of it.

Sources checked: July 28, 2026 · Updated: October 3, 2026 · No guarantee of accuracy · Sources below the table

The short version

Rechnungskit fits if …

your invoices should come from Shopify, Stripe or API transactions: automatically, validated and with an evidence archive for reverse charge.

sevdesk fits if …

you are a freelancer or service provider who writes a few invoices by hand and wants to file your VAT return directly through ELSTER.

sevdesk is accounting software with an invoicing module; Rechnungskit is invoice automation with a DATEV handover. With a lot of transaction volume, you combine the two or hand the accounting to your tax advisor.

Rechnungskit and sevdesk in detail

Every row is backed by a source. Where something couldn't be confirmed from public sources, the table says so.

Feature comparison of Rechnungskit and sevdesk, as of July 28, 2026
Feature Rechnungskitsevdesk
E-invoicing
ZUGFeRD 2.x / Factur-X outgoing Yes ZUGFeRD 2.5 under EN 16931, every invoice Status: included Yes1 Status: included, see footnote 1
XRechnung for public-sector buyers Yes XRechnung 3.0 automatically as soon as the customer has a Leitweg-ID (public-sector routing ID) on file Status: included Yes1 Status: included, see footnote 1
Validation before sending Mandatory fields under §14 UStG, tax rates, format rules Yes every invoice before sending (Mustang/EN 16931) Status: included Partly1 mandatory-detail check when creating, formats under EN 16931; validation method not publicly documented Status: limited, see footnote 1
Receive and process e-invoices No deliberately out of scope. Rechnungskit creates outgoing invoices Status: not available From Buchhaltung1 receiving from the Buchhaltung plan (€25.90) Status: paid add-on, see footnote 1
Shop automation
Native shop and payment integrations no third-party tools Yes Shopify, WooCommerce and Shopware natively, Stripe/Mollie/PayPal/Unzer, own checkout link for one-time purchases and subscriptions without a shop, own push API Status: included Via partners2 Shopify via paid partner apps (Eshop Guide/Appify), WooCommerce via Faktur Pro, Amazon via Billbee Status: limited, see footnote 2
Invoicing on the correct date of supply shipping date instead of payment date, automatically Yes from the shop's shipping event; for subscriptions, the service period comes from the billing period Status: included Manual delivery date selectable per invoice, not derived from the shipping event Status: limited
Automatic cancellation invoices on refunds including partial refunds Yes to the cent, with its own correction document Status: included Manual no automatic cancellation invoices from shop refunds documented Status: limited
Payout reconciliation with fees Stripe, Mollie, PayPal and others as finished bookings Yes fees and payouts as bookings Status: included Via partners2 Stripe via a partner app, PayPal via bank connection; no native payout and fee reconciliation documented Status: limited, see footnote 2
Tax compliance
OSS / EU distance selling Yes destination-country rates, monitoring of the €10,000 threshold, export Status: included Yes1 in all paid plans Status: included, see footnote 1
EU tax rates updated automatically Yes monthly from the EU database TEDB, with change alerts Status: included Not documented no public information on automatic rate updates Status: no reliable source found
Qualified VAT ID (USt-IdNr.) check with evidence archive Yes qualified check with the BZSt (Federal Central Tax Office), response archived for 8 years Status: included Not documented1 no in-app check documented, only a guide pointing to BZSt/VIES Status: no reliable source found, see footnote 1
Single- and multi-purpose vouchers (§3 (13) to (15) UStG) Yes own voucher and store-credit register Status: included Instructions1 multi-purpose vouchers as a do-it-yourself setup via a clearing account (help article) Status: limited, see footnote 1
Deferred revenue (pRAP) / revenue recognition for subscriptions Yes pRAP for subscriptions and annual licenses Status: included Not documented no dedicated deferred revenue (pRAP) feature publicly documented Status: no reliable source found
DATEV & archive
Finished DATEV booking records not just document images Yes EXTF for SKR03/SKR04, revenue + payments + fees; document images via Beleglink in the "Belegtransfer" package for Unternehmen online Status: included Yes1 DATEV export, booking data and invoice data services Status: included, see footnote 1
GoBD archive with locking (Festschreibung) Yes WORM archive, SHA-256, locked from creation Status: included Yes1 GoBD-compliant with an audit note from PKF Fasselt Schlage; audit note linked publicly Status: included, see footnote 1
Free access for your tax advisor Yes own tax advisor portal, documents read-only Status: included Yes1 tax advisor portal Status: included, see footnote 1
Accounting & operations
VAT return (UStVA) / cash-basis accounts (EÜR) / direct ELSTER filing EC Sales List (ZM) import files are covered separately ZM data ZM import file yes; UStVA, EÜR and direct ELSTER filing stay with your tax advisor Status: limited From Buchhaltung1 UStVA via ELSTER from the Buchhaltung plan (€25.90) Status: paid add-on, see footnote 1
Entry price from €9 base fee + tiered price per document; free to test in sandbox mode Status: included from €01 free plan with 3 invoices/e-invoices per month; Rechnung plan €11.90 on monthly terms Status: note, see footnote 1
API for your own systems Yes push API in every plan Status: included Pro only1 REST API only in Buchhaltung Pro (€34.90) Status: paid add-on, see footnote 1

E-invoicing

ZUGFeRD 2.x / Factur-X outgoing
Rechnungskit Yes ZUGFeRD 2.5 under EN 16931, every invoice Status: included
sevdesk Yes1 Status: included, see footnote 1
XRechnung for public-sector buyers
Rechnungskit Yes XRechnung 3.0 automatically as soon as the customer has a Leitweg-ID (public-sector routing ID) on file Status: included
sevdesk Yes1 Status: included, see footnote 1
Validation before sending
Mandatory fields under §14 UStG, tax rates, format rules
Rechnungskit Yes every invoice before sending (Mustang/EN 16931) Status: included
sevdesk Partly1 mandatory-detail check when creating, formats under EN 16931; validation method not publicly documented Status: limited, see footnote 1
Receive and process e-invoices
Rechnungskit No deliberately out of scope. Rechnungskit creates outgoing invoices Status: not available
sevdesk From Buchhaltung1 receiving from the Buchhaltung plan (€25.90) Status: paid add-on, see footnote 1

Shop automation

Native shop and payment integrations
no third-party tools
Rechnungskit Yes Shopify, WooCommerce and Shopware natively, Stripe/Mollie/PayPal/Unzer, own checkout link for one-time purchases and subscriptions without a shop, own push API Status: included
sevdesk Via partners2 Shopify via paid partner apps (Eshop Guide/Appify), WooCommerce via Faktur Pro, Amazon via Billbee Status: limited, see footnote 2
Invoicing on the correct date of supply
shipping date instead of payment date, automatically
Rechnungskit Yes from the shop's shipping event; for subscriptions, the service period comes from the billing period Status: included
sevdesk Manual delivery date selectable per invoice, not derived from the shipping event Status: limited
Automatic cancellation invoices on refunds
including partial refunds
Rechnungskit Yes to the cent, with its own correction document Status: included
sevdesk Manual no automatic cancellation invoices from shop refunds documented Status: limited
Payout reconciliation with fees
Stripe, Mollie, PayPal and others as finished bookings
Rechnungskit Yes fees and payouts as bookings Status: included
sevdesk Via partners2 Stripe via a partner app, PayPal via bank connection; no native payout and fee reconciliation documented Status: limited, see footnote 2

Tax compliance

OSS / EU distance selling
Rechnungskit Yes destination-country rates, monitoring of the €10,000 threshold, export Status: included
sevdesk Yes1 in all paid plans Status: included, see footnote 1
EU tax rates updated automatically
Rechnungskit Yes monthly from the EU database TEDB, with change alerts Status: included
sevdesk Not documented no public information on automatic rate updates Status: no reliable source found
Qualified VAT ID (USt-IdNr.) check with evidence archive
Rechnungskit Yes qualified check with the BZSt (Federal Central Tax Office), response archived for 8 years Status: included
sevdesk Not documented1 no in-app check documented, only a guide pointing to BZSt/VIES Status: no reliable source found, see footnote 1
Single- and multi-purpose vouchers (§3 (13) to (15) UStG)
Rechnungskit Yes own voucher and store-credit register Status: included
sevdesk Instructions1 multi-purpose vouchers as a do-it-yourself setup via a clearing account (help article) Status: limited, see footnote 1
Deferred revenue (pRAP) / revenue recognition for subscriptions
Rechnungskit Yes pRAP for subscriptions and annual licenses Status: included
sevdesk Not documented no dedicated deferred revenue (pRAP) feature publicly documented Status: no reliable source found

DATEV & archive

Finished DATEV booking records
not just document images
Rechnungskit Yes EXTF for SKR03/SKR04, revenue + payments + fees; document images via Beleglink in the "Belegtransfer" package for Unternehmen online Status: included
sevdesk Yes1 DATEV export, booking data and invoice data services Status: included, see footnote 1
GoBD archive with locking (Festschreibung)
Rechnungskit Yes WORM archive, SHA-256, locked from creation Status: included
sevdesk Yes1 GoBD-compliant with an audit note from PKF Fasselt Schlage; audit note linked publicly Status: included, see footnote 1
Free access for your tax advisor
Rechnungskit Yes own tax advisor portal, documents read-only Status: included
sevdesk Yes1 tax advisor portal Status: included, see footnote 1

Accounting & operations

VAT return (UStVA) / cash-basis accounts (EÜR) / direct ELSTER filing
EC Sales List (ZM) import files are covered separately
Rechnungskit ZM data ZM import file yes; UStVA, EÜR and direct ELSTER filing stay with your tax advisor Status: limited
sevdesk From Buchhaltung1 UStVA via ELSTER from the Buchhaltung plan (€25.90) Status: paid add-on, see footnote 1
Entry price
Rechnungskit from €9 base fee + tiered price per document; free to test in sandbox mode Status: included
sevdesk from €01 free plan with 3 invoices/e-invoices per month; Rechnung plan €11.90 on monthly terms Status: note, see footnote 1
API for your own systems
Rechnungskit Yes push API in every plan Status: included
sevdesk Pro only1 REST API only in Buchhaltung Pro (€34.90) Status: paid add-on, see footnote 1
Sources & footnotes
  1. 1. sevdesk.de (pricing, e-invoicing, GoBD, archiving software, DATEV export) and hilfe.sevdesk.de (e-invoicing, multi-purpose vouchers, API and GoBD audit note), checked on July 28, 2026.
  2. 2. sevdesk.de/integrationen and hilfe.sevdesk.de on Shopify, Stripe, PayPal and Billbee; scope and cost depend on the third party.
  3. Information from the provider's website (pricing, feature and help pages), last checked on July 28, 2026; prices net of VAT.
  4. Rows marked "Not documented" mean we found no reliable public source, not that the feature is missing.
  5. Rechnungskit information reflects the current product; items marked "Planned" are not available yet.
  6. Legal basis for the rows and sections (German law): mandatory invoice details § 14 (4) UStG, e-invoicing § 14 (1) and (2) UStG with the transition rules in § 27 (38) UStG, small-amount invoices § 33 UStDV, vouchers § 3 (13) to (15) UStG, OSS threshold § 3c (4) UStG and filing § 18j UStG, VAT ID confirmation § 18e UStG, intra-EU supply § 6a UStG, tax arising in the filing period of the supply § 13 (1) no. 1 (a) UStG, retention § 14b (1) UStG and § 147 (3) AO, deferred revenue § 250 (2) HGB, archive GoBD, BMF letter of 28.11.2019.

All information from publicly available sources, checked July 28, 2026. Providers' features and prices can change. Please report mistakes to support@rechnungskit.de. How we rate is explained in How we compare.

When is sevdesk the better choice?

Rechnungskit doesn't do everything. In these cases, sevdesk is the more honest recommendation.

You want to start for free

The sevdesk free plan with 3 e-invoices a month is enough to get going as a freelancer. Rechnungskit deliberately has no free plan.

You do your own VAT return

UStVA via ELSTER, EÜR and profit and loss are built into sevdesk. Rechnungskit deliberately leaves that to your accounting tool or tax advisor.

You receive and book incoming documents

AI document capture and e-invoice receiving are part of sevdesk; at Rechnungskit they are out of scope.

Your volume is small and manual

Without shop or payment automation, a separate compliance layer rarely pays off.

What Rechnungskit does differently

Invoicing

Invoicing on the correct date of supply

Shipped goods are invoiced on the shipping date, not the payment date. It sounds like a detail, but it decides which period the revenue lands in.

Date of supply (Leistungsdatum) from the shop's shipping event
Small-amount invoices automatically under §33 UStDV
Handover to DATEV in the right period
Tax compliance

VAT ID check with evidence archive

Qualified check with the BZSt (Federal Central Tax Office) including company name, city, postcode and street. The response is archived unchanged for eight years and linked to the individual invoice.

Qualified BZSt check instead of a simple format check
Response linked to the invoice and delivery date
No tax-exempt invoice without a usable check
Accounting

DATEV bookings with linked documents

Your tax advisor gets finished EXTF booking records, not just a folder of PDFs. Revenue, payments, fees and payouts are already matched, and every invoice booking carries a Beleglink to its document image in the "Belegtransfer" package for Unternehmen online.

EXTF bookings for SKR03 and SKR04
Document image attached to the booking via Beleglink
Fees and payouts already matched
Your tax advisor downloads them directly

Price comparison

List prices net per month, as of July 28, 2026. Discounts and promotions are not included.

Rechnungskit List price
from €9 / month net + tiered price per document
Free to test in sandbox mode; billing starts at go-live
After that, a €9 base fee plus €0.15 to €0.03 per document
OSS, ZM, DATEV, GoBD archive and every feature always included
Self-service signup with no waiting list, up and running in minutes
Cancel monthly, no setup fee
sevdesk List price
from €11.90 / month net (Rechnung plan, monthly terms)
Free plan: 3 e-invoices/month
Rechnung: €9.90 on 12 months, €8.90 on 24 months
Buchhaltung €25.90, Pro €34.90 on monthly terms; longer terms cost less
Source: sevdesk.de/preise, as of July 2026
Worked example
Shop with 500 orders a month: invoicing can only be automated through partner integrations; connecting Amazon requires Billbee (extra cost).
Rechnungskit
€68.00
sevdesk
from €11.90 + partner tools

Switching in three steps

1
Bring your data over

Orders and payments from your connected sources are pulled in, and your invoice number sequence continues. Old documents stay available in your previous system; Rechnungskit doesn't import invoices created elsewhere.

2
Test in parallel

Both systems run side by side for one billing period. You compare documents and bookings before anything goes live.

3
Switch over

Sending is switched over and your tax advisor gets the new export access. The old system stays in place as an archive.

FAQ

No. Rechnungskit creates legally compliant invoices from your transactions and hands finished bookings to DATEV. Full accounting with cash-basis accounts (EÜR) and VAT returns (UStVA) stays with your accounting tool or your tax advisor.

Yes, and that's the usual way to switch. You run both systems in parallel for one billing period and compare documents and bookings before you switch over.

They stay where they are. Rechnungskit doesn't import or archive invoices created elsewhere; you keep meeting your retention duty for old documents (eight years under § 14b (1) UStG and § 147 (3) AO) in your previous system. What Rechnungskit can pull in are past orders and payments from your connected shops and payment providers, which then become new, validated invoices. For the number sequence, you set the number Rechnungskit continues from, so nothing overlaps with your old documents.

Documents are stored tamper-proof and unchangeable for eight years for as long as your account exists (WORM archive with checksums). Eight years is the retention period for invoices and accounting records (§ 14b (1) UStG, § 147 (3) AO); the requirements for the archive are set out in the GoBD. You can export them at any time, and for 90 days free of charge after you cancel. The final assessment of your process documentation (Verfahrensdokumentation) is up to your tax advisor.

From the providers' publicly available sources, checked on July 28, 2026, with footnotes for each row. Where we found no reliable source, the table says "Not documented". If you spot a mistake, write to support@rechnungskit.de and we'll correct it and re-date the page.

More comparisons

Rechnungskit is not a tax advisory or law firm. This article explains general principles and does not replace advice from a tax advisor (Steuerberater, § 5 StBerG) or a lawyer (§ 3 RDG). Rechnungskit is built for businesses based in Germany and prepares documents, tax rates and bookings automatically. How your specific case is treated remains your decision, ideally together with your tax advisor or a lawyer.

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