FastBill Alternative 2026: 6 Tools Compared

FastBill from Frankfurt is one of the best-known invoicing tools for the self-employed in Germany. Quickly creating a clean quote, a recurring invoice or a payment reminder – FastBill does that well. But as soon as you need real bookkeeping, AI-driven receipt capture and direct tax filing to the tax office, the tool hits its limits.

FastBill sees itself as a solution for preparatory bookkeeping: collect receipts, connect the bank account, export to DATEV for the tax advisor. The actual tax return – VAT advance return (UStVA), EÜR, income tax – you don't do with it. If you want to bundle bookkeeping and taxes in one tool and let AI handle the routine work, it's worth looking at alternatives in 2026.

Here are the 6 best FastBill alternatives for 2026 – sorted by strengths, price and target audience, with honest pros and cons.

What FastBill is — and where it hits its limits

FastBill is a cloud-based tool for invoices, quotes and preparatory bookkeeping. Three plans are typical: Solo from around €9/month, Plus from around €19/month and Premium from around €37/month (net, billed annually). Its strengths are the clean invoicing interface, automatic receipt capture via an email inbox, and the DATEV export.

Common reasons to switch:

• No direct tax filing – you can't submit UStVA, EÜR or income tax to the tax office with FastBill. For that you also need ELSTER or a tax advisor.
• Weak AI – receipt matching runs on rules, not genuine AI. A lot stays manual rework.
• Surcharges for banking & bookkeeping – full features only come in the pricier plans.
• Limited GmbH depth – corporate tax and double-entry bookkeeping are beyond FastBill.
• Invoice first, tax second – the tool is built around the invoice, not the tax return.

1. Norman — AI bookkeeping with free invoicing

Who it's for: Freelancers, sole traders and small UG/GmbHs who want invoicing, bookkeeping and tax filing in one tool – and to genuinely hand receipts to AI.

Strengths:

• AI categorises bank transactions automatically by SKR03/SKR04
• Direct filing of VAT return (UStVA), EÜR and income tax to the tax office – exactly what FastBill lacks
• E-invoicing via XRechnung and ZUGFeRD at no extra cost — see e-invoicing with Norman
• Invoices, quotes and reminders in one cloud tool
• MCP server and CLI for developers

Weaknesses: No classic DATEV export, no FastBill import (manual switch).

Price: Invoicing and bookkeeping are free forever, with no limits. You only pay for tax filing — the Klein plan starts at €12/month. Details on the pricing page. If you use FastBill only for invoices, Norman saves you the entire monthly fee – more in the guide create an invoice for free.

2. Lexware Office — The market leader for small businesses

Who it's for: Self-employed and GmbHs whose tax advisor works on DATEV.

Strengths: Very widespread, many firms know the exports, full double-entry bookkeeping for the GmbH possible, solid invoicing.

Weaknesses: Little AI automation, a lot of manual posting, price climbs fast — plans run roughly €11/month (S) to €28/month (L) net in 2026. See the Lexoffice alternatives comparison.

3. sevDesk — Established, with DATEV export

Who it's for: Small businesses that, like FastBill users, rely on a clean DATEV export but want a more modern tool.

Strengths: Modern interface, fast bank reconciliation, good DATEV export, decent reporting templates.

Weaknesses: The mid tier starts at around €22/month net, AI stays rudimentary. More in the sevDesk alternatives comparison.

4. Accountable — Tax-first for solo freelancers

Who it's for: Solo freelancers who, unlike with FastBill, want to file the tax return straight from the tool.

Strengths: Clear onboarding, direct VAT and income tax filing, good mobile app.

Weaknesses: The "Taxes" plan is around €30/month — relatively pricey for a solo setup. No GmbH support. Detailed comparison in the Accountable alternatives comparison.

5. WISO MeinBüro — Well-known, but desktop-heavy

Who it's for: Anyone after an established brand name who can live with two separate products.

Strengths: Solid invoicing, wide adoption, link to WISO Steuer for the income tax return.

Weaknesses: Bookkeeping (MeinBüro) and the tax return (WISO Steuer) are two separate purchases, barely any AI, a desktop-heavy interface. Plans from around €12/month. More in the WISO alternatives comparison.

6. ELSTER — Free, but no automation

Who it's for: Anyone who uses FastBill only for invoices and does the tax return via the tax office portal anyway.

Strengths: The official, completely free portal of the tax administration. UStVA and tax returns can be submitted directly.

Weaknesses: No bookkeeping, no receipt management, no bank connection, no e-invoicing. You work out every figure yourself. A sensible combination only if a second tool supplies the receipts.

Which FastBill alternative fits you?

Three rules of thumb for 2026:

• You want invoicing, bookkeeping and tax in one tool: Norman. You only pay for tax filing, invoices stay free.
• Your tax advisor demands a DATEV export: sevDesk or Lexware Office. See also the best accounting software for the self-employed.
• You only need invoices, as before: Norman's free invoicing module fully replaces the FastBill Solo plan.

One thing to keep in mind with any switch: GoBD-compliant bookkeeping is mandatory — receipts must be archived unalterably for 10 years. A pure invoicing tool doesn't cover that on its own.

Conclusion

FastBill makes invoices quick and clean – but that's where its usefulness ends. With no direct tax filing, no real AI and surcharges for banking, more manual work is left at the end of the month than 2026 calls for. If you want to bundle invoicing, bookkeeping and the tax return in one AI tool, an integrated approach serves you better. Norman sets up in 30 seconds, writes invoices for free and only costs anything once you file a tax return — a lower-risk trial than an annual FastBill contract.