Magic Heidi The bexio Alternative for Swiss Freelancers
QR invoices, receipts, VAT and bank import in one app, without the payroll, stock and team modules you never use on your own. Start free, no credit card.
bexio is built for teams.
You work alone.
A web designer in Winterthur, an IT consultant in Bern, a physiotherapist in Lucerne: a few invoices a month, a pile of receipts, maybe a VAT return. None of that needs an SME system with payroll runs and stock management.
Pay less, click less
bexio is a solid product for an SME with employees, a fiduciary and several users. As a one-person business, you pay for payroll, stock and multi-user rights you never open. Magic Heidi covers exactly what a Swiss freelancer uses every day.
- 💸CHF 205 less per year
CHF 299 a year instead of CHF 504 for bexio Advanced at list price (excl. VAT). Monthly: CHF 39 instead of CHF 52.
- 🧾Unlimited receipt scanning
bexio Advanced includes 50 AI scans a month. Magic Heidi has no monthly cap (fair-use policy).
- ⚡33 clicks instead of 69
Onboarding, first invoice and first receipt, in our own test of both programs.
Snap the receipt, no monthly cap
bexio Advanced includes 50 AI scans a month, Optima 100. In Magic Heidi you photograph every receipt, as often as you like (fair use), or forward the PDF by email. The AI reads the amount, date, VAT, vendor and category, so you never ration receipts in December.
Bookkeeping, no chart of accounts
No journal entries, no setup project, no accounting knowledge needed. Your figures for VAT and your tax return build up as you go.
Send the invoice
Swiss QR invoice with your logo and VAT filled in, in DE, FR, IT or EN. Quotes become invoices in one click.
Snap the receipt
Train ticket, software subscription, client lunch: the AI reads date, amount, VAT and vendor. You can also forward receipts by email.
Connect your bank
Link your bank directly or upload a statement, and paid invoices are matched automatically.
Hand over your figures
VAT totals per period and a tax-ready year-end export as ZIP, CSV or PDF for your tax return or fiduciary.
What you actually get for your money
bexio Basic looks cheap, but has no expenses, no e-banking and no AI scanning, so Advanced is the fair comparison for freelancers. bexio list prices excl. VAT, checked on bexio.com in September 2026. Magic Heidi prices incl. VAT.
| Feature | Magic Heidi | bexio Basic | bexio Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price, annual plan | CHF 24.99/mo (CHF 299/year, incl. VAT) | CHF 35/mo (CHF 420/year) | CHF 42/mo (CHF 504/year) |
| Price, monthly plan | CHF 39/mo (incl. VAT) | CHF 45/mo | CHF 52/mo |
| Free to use | ✓ 3 invoices & 3 expenses in total, no time limit | ⚠ 30-day trial | ⚠ 30-day trial |
| Swiss QR invoices & quotes | ✓ Included | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Expenses | ✓ Unlimited | ✗ Not included | ✓ Included |
| AI receipt scanning | ✓ No monthly cap (fair use) | ✗ Not included | ⚠ 50 scans/month |
| Bank payments | ✓ Direct bank connection or import, auto-matching | ✗ No e-banking | ✓ Direct e-banking |
| Saved products & services | ✓ Included | ✗ Not included | ✓ Included |
| Bookkeeping | Income & expense statement (enough for most sole proprietors) | Double-entry accounting | Double-entry accounting |
| Payroll | ✗ Not offered | ✗ Not available | ⚠ From +CHF 7/mo |
| Users | You + a second user (e.g. your Treuhänder) | 1 | 2 |
| Apps | ✓ iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Web | Web + bexio Go (contacts, documents, invoices) | Web + bexio Go (adds AI receipt posting) |
The questions freelancers ask us first
Straight answers, including the cases where you should stay with bexio.
Do I need double-entry bookkeeping?
Not as a sole proprietor under CHF 500,000 turnover (Art. 957 CO). An income and expense statement is enough. A GmbH or AG needs double-entry, and then bexio fits better.
I work with a Treuhänder
Keep them. Give them their own access as a second user, or export invoices, expenses, VAT totals and every original receipt as PDF, CSV or ZIP. Your fiduciary works from structured data instead of a shoebox.
When should I stay with bexio?
If you pay salaries, need a whole team of users with roles, manage stock or track project time as a team. Magic Heidi deliberately does not cover those.
Where is my data?
Stored on servers in Zurich, under the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection. You can export everything as a ZIP at any time.
What about my VAT return?
If you are VAT-registered, switch at the start of a VAT period so each return comes from one system. Magic Heidi totals your VAT per period.
What if it doesn't work out?
Free plan with no time limit, monthly plans you can cancel any time, a 30-day money-back guarantee and a full data export as ZIP. Your data stays yours.
Switched from bigger software to Magic Heidi
Real reviews from people who tried other tools first. Quotes originally in German are translated.
“I've worked with other accountability software in the past. In general, more expensive and infinite features I didn't need. Magic Heidi is truly adapted for self-employed workers / freelancers, with a simple interface.”
“I tested several comparable apps before taking out a subscription. Then I clearly chose Magic Heidi. Very intuitive to use and reduced to the essentials.”
“Whenever I had a question, I was able to get an answer by email or phone within minutes, and I wasn't harassed like I was with other big accounting platforms... Swiss efficiency!”
The 6 best bexio alternatives in Switzerland
It depends on how you work. If you have employees, need payroll and want several users, bexio often remains the right tool. For everyone else, six Swiss tools each have a clear speciality.
Magic Heidi: freelancers & sole proprietors
QR invoices, quotes, expenses, VAT, bank connection and automatic reminders, plus an AI receipt scanner with no monthly cap. No payroll, no double-entry balance sheet. CHF 299 a year incl. VAT, free for 3 invoices.
KLARA: local businesses with a till
Invoicing, accounting, point of sale, online shop, website and bookings under one roof. Strong for salons, restaurants and retail. From CHF 55/month on the annual plan (excl. VAT), no free plan.
CashCtrl: accounting pros on a budget
Double-entry bookkeeping in the cloud with a generous free tier and a strong API, popular with fiduciaries. Assumes you know debit and credit. PRO CHF 350/year incl. VAT.
AbaNinja: occasional invoicers
Part of Swiss21. The free Starter plan covers 1,000 documents a year and 10 AI document scans a month; paid plans from CHF 21/month. No VAT return on Starter.
Banana: spreadsheet-style bookkeeping
Double-entry accounting with spreadsheet logic from CHF 89 a year (VAT return from Advanced, CHF 179), free up to 70 entries. Runs on desktop, mobile and web; invoicing is a side feature.
Smallinvoice: hourly billing & projects
Swiss web tool for invoicing, with projects and time tracking on the Business plan (CHF 45/month). Starter from CHF 15/month has no expenses; those come with Professional at CHF 30/month.
bexio alternatives compared
Six alternatives plus bexio as a reference. Prices checked September 2026; Magic Heidi and CashCtrl incl. VAT, bexio and KLARA excl. VAT.
| Tool | Best for | Price | Free tier | AI receipt scan | Native apps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Heidi | Freelancers & sole proprietors | CHF 24.99/mo (CHF 299/year) | 3 invoices & 3 expenses in total, all features | ✓ Unlimited (fair use) | iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Web |
| KLARA | Local businesses with a till/shop | From CHF 55/mo (annual) | ✗ 30-day trial only | ✓ Included (myKLARA app) | myKLARA mobile app |
| CashCtrl | Accounting pros on a budget | PRO CHF 350/year | ✓ Yes, generous | None advertised | Browser-based |
| AbaNinja | Occasional invoicers | Basic CHF 21/mo, Pro CHF 49/mo | Starter: 1,000 documents/year | ⚠ 10/mo free, unlimited on paid plans | Web + AbaClik app |
| Banana | Bookkeeping-literate desktop users | CHF 89/year | Up to 70 entries | None advertised | Desktop, iOS, Android, Web |
| Smallinvoice | Hourly billing & projects | From CHF 15/mo | Up to CHF 70,000 invoiced, no QR-bill | – | Web |
| bexio (reference) | SMEs with employees | From CHF 35/mo (annual, excl. VAT) | 30-day trial only | ⚠ From Advanced, capped | Web + bexio Go app |
bexio costs, reviews & API
What bexio really costs, what users report and when integrations make the difference.
bexio costs: what you pay, and what switching saves
bexio list prices on the annual plan, excl. VAT, checked on bexio.com in September 2026:
| bexio plan | Per year | Users |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | CHF 420 | 1 |
| Advanced | CHF 504 | 2 |
| Optima | CHF 828 | 5 |
| Ultimate | CHF 1,428 | 25 |
That is CHF 35, 42, 69 and 119 a month on the annual plan. On the monthly plan, every package costs CHF 10 a month more. Add-ons come on top: payroll from CHF 7/month (Advanced), bexio Pay at CHF 14/month (Advanced and Optima).
A worked example. A web designer in Winterthur with no employees, around 60 invoices and 200 receipts a year, needs expenses and bank matching, so bexio Basic is out. On bexio Advanced she pays CHF 504 a year plus VAT. On Magic Heidi she pays CHF 299, VAT included. That is CHF 205 a year, or CHF 615 over three years.
About new-customer discounts. bexio's first-year discounts for new customers end after year one, so compare the year-two price: see our bexio pricing 2026 analysis.
bexio reviews: what users report
| Platform | Rating | Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| App Store CH (bexio Go) | 4.5/5 | 3,609 |
| Trustpilot (bexio AG) | 2.8/5 | 321 |
| Capterra Switzerland | 2.2/5 | 21 |
Retrieved: App Store on 23 September 2026, Trustpilot and Capterra on 12 August 2026. The app itself scores well; the critical reviews are less about the software than about everything around it (Capterra's customer-support sub-score: 1.9 out of 5).
Users praise the direct e-banking connections, fiduciary access and the large integration marketplace. They criticise pricing (in March 2026 the former Starter plan became Advanced and rose from CHF 35 to CHF 42 a month), pushy sales calls, slow support and a scope that makes solo users pay for payroll, stock and team features. For comparison, Magic Heidi holds 4.8 out of 5 on the Swiss App Store, from 98 ratings, a much smaller sample.
bexio API & integrations
bexio's public REST API (developer.bexio.com) powers a marketplace of 90+ certified apps, so if an industry tool you rely on ships with a bexio connector, that is a real argument for bexio (or CashCtrl for a deep custom ledger integration). Magic Heidi offers a REST API, webhooks and Zapier, plus ready-made integrations with Stripe, SumUp, Shopify and Revolut Business.
Full transparency: Magic Heidi is our product. Prices come from the providers' official pricing pages, and we say plainly who each tool suits better.
From bexio to Magic Heidi in four steps
Most freelancers only need their client list to get going. The import guide shows each step, and you can book a free 30-minute onboarding call. Support answers at hello@magicheidi.ch or +41 78 300 24 77, by phone in German, French, Italian and English.
1. Pick a cut-off date
The start of a month, for example. If you are VAT-registered, ideally the start of a VAT period.
2. Export from bexio
Export your contacts as CSV or Excel. Save your issued invoices and receipts as PDFs for your 10-year archive.
3. Import and check
Drag the file into Clients. Test a few contacts first, check the fields, then import the rest.
4. Let bexio run out
New invoices from Magic Heidi from day one. Cancel bexio once the last open invoice is paid.
Simple pricing.
No add-ons.
No packages, no monthly scan limits. CHF 205 a year less than bexio Advanced.
Free
- 3 invoices & 3 expenses (in total)
- All features unlocked
- AI expense scanning
- No credit card required
Annual
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited expenses
- Unlimited AI expense scanning
- All platforms (iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Web)
- Bank connection & import
- Swiss VAT management
- Priority support
Monthly
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited expenses
- Unlimited AI expense scanning
- All platforms included
- Bank connection & import
- Swiss VAT management
All prices incl. VAT. 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free.
Questions about bexio alternatives
What is the best bexio alternative in Switzerland?
It depends on your business. For freelancers and sole proprietors without employees, Magic Heidi is the most focused choice. For local businesses with a till, KLARA. For bookkeeping-literate users on a budget, CashCtrl or Banana. For occasional invoicing, AbaNinja. For hourly billing with projects, Smallinvoice.
Is there a free bexio alternative?
Yes, several, each with a different logic. CashCtrl has a generous free accounting tier, AbaNinja's free Starter plan covers 1,000 documents a year, Banana is free up to 70 entries, and Magic Heidi is free for 3 invoices and 3 expenses in total with every feature included, AI receipt scanning too, with no time limit and no credit card. bexio has no permanent free plan, only a 30-day trial.
How much cheaper is Magic Heidi than bexio?
Magic Heidi costs CHF 299 a year on the annual plan (CHF 24.99 a month) or CHF 39 on the monthly plan, VAT included. bexio Advanced, the cheapest bexio plan with expenses and e-banking, costs CHF 504 a year excl. VAT at list price. That is a difference of CHF 205 a year. bexio sometimes offers first-year discounts to new customers; from year two, list prices apply.
Is it worth switching from bexio mid-year?
Yes, if you choose the cut-off date carefully. If you are VAT-registered, switch at the start of a VAT period (quarter or half-year) so each return comes from one system. Without VAT registration you can switch any time: import your contacts, write new invoices in Magic Heidi and let open bexio invoices get paid. Cancel bexio only once the last open invoice is settled.
Is bexio suitable for sole proprietors and freelancers?
It works, but you pay for an SME system. Basic costs CHF 35 a month (annual, excl. VAT) and does not include expenses, e-banking or AI scanning, so most freelancers end up on Advanced at CHF 42. Freelancer-specific tools cost less and are quicker to set up.
Why do you compare against bexio Advanced and not Basic?
Because bexio Basic has no expense management, no e-banking and no AI receipt scanning. Most freelancers need to record receipts and match bank payments, so Advanced at CHF 42 a month (annual) or CHF 52 (monthly) is the realistic comparison. If you only send invoices, Basic at CHF 35 a month may be enough, and Magic Heidi still includes the extra features for less.
Doesn't bexio also have AI scanning?
Yes. bexio Go can post QR invoices and receipts with AI, with a monthly limit by plan: none on Basic, 50 scans on Advanced, 100 on Optima and unlimited on Ultimate (fair use around 1,000 a month). Magic Heidi includes AI expense scanning with no monthly cap (fair use) on every paid plan.
Can I import my customer data from bexio?
Yes. Export your contacts from bexio as CSV or Excel and drag the file into the Clients section of Magic Heidi. Test a few contacts first, then import the rest. Keep your old bexio invoices and receipts as PDFs in your archive. The import guide on our tutorials page shows each step.
I work with a Treuhänder. Does Magic Heidi still work for me?
Yes. Many freelancers do their own books during the year and hand the year-end to a fiduciary. You can give your fiduciary their own access as a second user, and Magic Heidi exports invoices, expenses and VAT totals as PDF and CSV, plus a ZIP with every original receipt, so your fiduciary works from clean data.
Is Magic Heidi compliant with Swiss requirements?
Yes. Every invoice carries a Swiss QR-bill. All Swiss VAT rates (8.1%, 2.6%, 3.8%, 0%) and both the effective and net tax rate methods are supported, and you get a tax-ready year-end export. As a sole proprietor under CHF 500,000 turnover, an income and expense statement is enough under Art. 957 CO.
Does Magic Heidi work with my Swiss bank?
Yes. QR invoices work with every Swiss bank, including UBS, PostFinance, Raiffeisen, ZKB and the cantonal banks. You connect your bank directly or import a statement, and Magic Heidi matches payments to your invoices.
What features does bexio have that Magic Heidi doesn't?
Payroll (add-on on Advanced and Optima, included in Ultimate), stock management and projects with time tracking (from Optima), several users with roles, full double-entry accounting with a balance sheet, legal advice by phone (from Optima) and a marketplace of 90+ certified apps. If you work alone and do not need these, Magic Heidi covers your daily admin for less.
Does bexio have a mobile app?
Yes. bexio Go covers contacts, documents and invoice creation on Basic. From Advanced it adds AI posting of QR invoices and receipts, and from Optima mobile time tracking. Magic Heidi has native apps for iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows plus a web app, with the same features on each.
Does Magic Heidi have an API?
Yes. Magic Heidi offers a REST API, webhooks and a Zapier integration, plus ready-made integrations with Stripe, SumUp, Shopify and Revolut Business. bexio has a larger integration marketplace. For deep custom work against a full accounting ledger, bexio or CashCtrl is the better choice.
Is my data safe?
Yes. Your data is stored on servers in Zurich and protected under Swiss data protection law. Some processing happens abroad, for example AI receipt recognition, which is handled by a specialised US provider. You can export everything as a ZIP at any time.
What if I need help switching from bexio?
Book a free 30-minute onboarding call and we'll set things up together. You can also email hello@magicheidi.ch or call +41 78 300 24 77: Nathan, the founder, answers the phone in German, French, Italian and English, and email support also covers Portuguese, Spanish and Romansh.
What happens if I want to cancel Magic Heidi?
Cancel any time. Paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can export all your data, and if you cancel we keep it stored for 10 years so you can come back or export it later.
Try Magic Heidi before you renew bexio
3 invoices and 3 expenses free in total, every feature unlocked. No credit card, no time limit.
