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Accounting · head to head

Lexware vs Workiva

Lexware logo

Lexware

Accounting

Accounting and invoicing software for German small businesses and freelancers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Workiva logo

Workiva

Accounting

Connected reporting platform for SEC filings, iXBRL tagging, SOX and sustainability disclosure

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lexware has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Lexware 50% discount only applies for first 3 months; Workiva pricing is quoted per solution and per user and is not published, and because moving a filing cycle off the platform carries deadline risk, renewal negotiations favour the vendor heavily.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lexware and Workiva actually diverge.

Attributes where Lexware and Workiva differ
AttributeLexwareWorkiva
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Accounting).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Lexware

Nothing recorded that Workiva does not also cover.

Only in Workiva

  • Linked data
  • Inline XBRL tagging
  • SEC filing
  • SOX and controls
  • Sustainability reporting
  • Audit trail
  • Collaboration
  • Data connectors

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Lexware

  • German business accountingnot Workiva
  • Invoicing and bookkeepingnot Workiva

Workiva

  • A newly public company facing its first 10-K where the tie-out process in Word and Excel is not survivable at the deadlinenot Lexware
  • A European group preparing CSRD sustainability disclosure that must be assurance-ready rather than a marketing documentnot Lexware
  • A finance team whose auditors keep raising review points about version control and unsupported changes in the reporting packnot Lexware
  • A group with several statutory filers that wants one set of numbers feeding many jurisdictional reportsnot Lexware

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Lexware

  • 50% discount only applies for first 3 months
  • Regular prices are double the discounted prices after promotion
  • Pricing is in EUR only

Workiva

  • Pricing is quoted per solution and per user and is not published, and because moving a filing cycle off the platform carries deadline risk, renewal negotiations favour the vendor heavily.
  • Cost is difficult to justify for smaller filers whose reporting burden is a single 10-K a year, where an outsourced financial printer is cheaper.
  • Getting the initial linked-data structure right is a substantial project, and companies that rush the first cycle end up with links that break and a manual tie-out anyway.
  • The spreadsheet interface is deliberately not Excel and finance teams accustomed to Excel keyboard behaviour and modelling features find it slower for anything analytical.
  • ESG and sustainability modules were added later than the financial reporting core and buyers report them as less mature, so a company buying primarily for CSRD is buying the newer and weaker half of the product.

Pricing, plan by plan

Lexware

Free
  • S$3.95/month
    • Belegerfassung und -archiv (Document capture and archive)
  • M$6.45/month
    • Angebote, (E-) Rechnungen und Mahnungen (Offers, invoices, reminders)
  • L$10.95/month
    • Buchhaltung, EÜR und Umsatzsteuer (Accounting, EÜR, sales tax)
  • XL$16.45/month
    • EU- und Abschlagsrechnungen, API (EU invoices, installment invoices, API)

Workiva

On request
  • Workiva Platform$undefined/year
    • Linked data across documents and spreadsheets
    • SEC and ESEF filing with iXBRL tagging
    • SOX, internal audit and statutory reporting modules

Which should you pick?

Choose Lexware if

  • You want to start without paying.
Lexware review

Choose Workiva if

  • You need linked data.
  • You also want inline xbrl tagging.
Workiva review

Questions people ask

Is Lexware or Workiva better?
Neither clearly leads. Lexware starts at Free and Workiva at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lexware or Workiva?
Lexware has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lexware and On request for Workiva.
Does Lexware or Workiva run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Lexware for free?
Yes. Lexware has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Workiva starts at On request.
What is Lexware best used for?
Lexware is most often used for german business accounting, invoicing and bookkeeping. Of those, german business accounting and invoicing and bookkeeping are not what Workiva is typically brought in for.
What can Lexware do that Workiva cannot?
Workiva covers Linked data, Inline XBRL tagging, SEC filing, SOX and controls.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lexware: How much does Lexware cost?

Lexware pricing ranges from €3.95/month (plan S) to €16.45/month (plan XL) at discounted rates. Regular pricing is €7.90 to €32.90/month. All prices include hosting, backups, updates, and support.

Source
Workiva: Does Workiva do the XBRL tagging for me?

The platform provides tagging tools and validation, and Workiva offers services, but the tagging judgement remains the filer's responsibility.

Lexware: Is there a current promotional offer?

Yes, Lexware offers 50% discount for the first 3 months on all plans, then regular pricing applies. The billing period is monthly and cancellable anytime.

Source
Workiva: Is it only for US SEC filers?

No. It supports European ESEF filings, statutory reporting in several jurisdictions and sustainability frameworks such as CSRD and ISSB.

Lexware: Does Lexware offer a free trial?

Yes, Lexware offers a 30-day free trial with full XL features plus Lohn & Gehalt (payroll) access included.

Source
Workiva: What does it cost?

Not published. Expect tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars a year depending on solutions and user count.

Workiva: Can it replace our consolidation system?

No. It reports on consolidated numbers and connects to ERP and consolidation tools, but it does not perform the consolidation.

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