Magic Heidi The bexio alternative for Swiss freelancers
On your own you need neither payroll nor stock. Magic Heidi does QR invoices, receipts, VAT and bank matching for CHF 299 a year incl. VAT, in English. Start free, no credit card.
Switch, or stay with bexio?
bexio is good software for SMEs with employees. Whether an alternative is worth it depends on which parts of bexio you actually use.
| Switch to Magic Heidi if you … | Stay with bexio if you … |
|---|---|
| work alone, as a sole proprietor or freelancer | have employees and run payroll |
| want invoices, quotes, receipts and VAT done | must keep double-entry books with a balance sheet (required for a GmbH or AG, and for sole proprietors from CHF 500'000 turnover) |
| scan more than 50 receipts a month, or don't want to count | need stock, projects or time tracking as a team |
| want apps for iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows | use an industry tool that already connects to bexio |
| want a free plan with no time limit to try it out | have a Treuhänder (fiduciary) who keeps your books directly in bexio |
Our verdict: for a sole proprietor without employees, Magic Heidi is the cheaper and faster option. As soon as you pay salaries or need a balance sheet and income statement, bexio (or one of the other alternatives) is the better choice. Magic Heidi is our own product, which is why every bexio figure on this page comes with a source and a date.
bexio and Magic Heidi compared
bexio Basic has no expenses, no e-banking and no AI scanning, so Advanced is the fair comparison. Source: bexio.com, checked 12.11.2026. bexio excl. VAT, Magic Heidi incl. VAT.
| Feature | Magic Heidi | bexio Basic | bexio Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price, annual billing | CHF 299/year (CHF 24.90/month), incl. VAT | CHF 420/year (CHF 35/month) excl. VAT, CHF 454.02 incl. VAT | CHF 504/year (CHF 42/month) excl. VAT, CHF 544.82 incl. VAT |
| Price, monthly billing | CHF 39, cancel any time | CHF 45 excl. VAT | CHF 52 excl. VAT |
| Free version | ✓ 3 invoices & 3 receipts (in total), no time limit | ✗ 30-day trial | ✗ 30-day trial |
| Swiss QR invoices & quotes | ✓ Included | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Expenses | ✓ Included | ✗ Not included | ✓ Included |
| AI receipt scanning | ✓ No monthly cap (fair use) | ✗ Not included | ⚠ 50 scans/month |
| Bank | ✓ Direct bank connection, plus CSV/Excel import | ✗ No e-banking | ✓ E-banking |
| Products & services | ✓ Included | ✗ Not included | ✓ Included |
| Users | ✓ Team and Treuhänder at no extra cost | 1 user | 2 users |
| GeBüV-compliant archive | ✓ 10 years, in every paid plan | ✗ Only from Optima | ✗ Only from Optima |
| Apps | ✓ iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, web | ⚠ bexio Go (mobile) and web | ⚠ bexio Go (mobile) and web |
| Bookkeeping | ⚠ Income and expense record | ✓ Double-entry | ✓ Double-entry |
| Payroll | ✗ Not included | ✗ Not available | ⚠ + CHF 7/month (1 employee) |
What bexio costs, in short
bexio lists all its prices excl. VAT. Checked on bexio.com on 12 November 2026.
bexio costs CHF 35 (Basic) to CHF 119 (Ultimate) a month on annual billing, excl. VAT, and CHF 10 a month more on monthly billing. For a freelancer, the plan to compare with is Advanced: CHF 504 a year excl. VAT, or CHF 544.82 if you are not VAT-registered.
Magic Heidi costs CHF 299 a year, VAT included. Compared with bexio Advanced, you save CHF 205 a year on bexio's price excl. VAT, or CHF 245.82 if you pay bexio with VAT. All four plans, monthly prices, add-ons and what each plan lacks are on our bexio pricing page.
Pay less, click less
With bexio you pay for payroll, stock and user roles even if you never open them. Magic Heidi covers what a sole proprietor needs day to day.
- 💸CHF 205 less per year
CHF 299 incl. VAT instead of CHF 504 excl. VAT for bexio Advanced on annual billing. Monthly: CHF 39 instead of CHF 52 excl. VAT.
- 📸Receipts without a monthly cap
bexio Advanced includes 50 AI scans a month, Optima 100. In Magic Heidi you scan every receipt you have (fair use).
- ⚡33 clicks instead of 69
Onboarding, first invoice and first receipt, in our own test of both programs.
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
QR invoice with your logo and VAT shown correctly, in English, German, French or Italian, emailed straight to your client. A quote becomes an invoice 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 account or upload a CSV from e-banking, and paid invoices are matched automatically.
Hand over your figures
VAT totals per period and a year-end export as ZIP, CSV or PDF for your tax return and your Treuhänder.
Leaving bexio: what you take with you
There is no direct sync with bexio. You export files from bexio and import them into Magic Heidi. This works for some data, and not for the rest.
| Data in bexio | What happens when you switch |
|---|---|
| Contacts | Export as CSV or Excel and import into Clients in Magic Heidi. The AI maps the columns. |
| Invoices | The Excel export can be imported. First check number, amount, VAT and payment status on one paid and one open invoice. |
| Expenses and receipts | Import as a spreadsheet, or upload the receipt files. Compare a few totals. |
| Open invoices | Collect them in bexio, or carry them over with the open amount on your cut-off date. Never in both. |
| Journal, balance sheet, year-end accounts | Not importable: Magic Heidi does not do double-entry bookkeeping. Save them as PDF or Excel and keep them for 10 years. |
| Payroll, stock, projects | Not available in Magic Heidi. If you still need them, stay with bexio. |
We don't promise a complete automatic takeover of a bexio ledger. What is realistic: a clean start from a cut-off date, with your clients and, if you like, this year's invoices and expenses. Your old exports can go into the GeBüV-compliant archive that comes with every paid plan.
1. Pick a cut-off date
The start of a month, for example. If you are VAT-registered, the start of a VAT period.
2. Export from bexio
Save contacts, invoices, receipts, journal and year-end accounts, and open each file once.
3. Test, then import
Import a few clients and receipts first, check the fields, then the full list.
4. Let bexio run out
New invoices in Magic Heidi. Cancel bexio once the last open invoice is paid.
Rather plan the switch together?
The import guide shows each step. In the free 30-minute onboarding call we go through your switch together, in English.
Other bexio alternatives in Switzerland
Magic Heidi isn't for everyone. These tools cover what we deliberately leave out. Prices from the vendors' pricing pages, checked on 11 November 2026.
| Tool | Fits if you … | Price according to the vendor | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| KLARA | run a shop, restaurant or salon with a till | Business Basic CHF 55/month on annual billing, excl. VAT | KLARA alternative |
| CashCtrl | want double-entry bookkeeping in the browser and know debit and credit | see cashctrl.com | CashCtrl alternative |
| AbaNinja (Swiss21) | send few invoices and want to start free | Starter CHF 0 (1'000 documents a year), Basic CHF 21/month | AbaNinja alternative |
| Banana | like bookkeeping in spreadsheets | free up to 70 entries, Professional CHF 89/year | Banana alternative |
| Smallinvoice | want invoicing with modules as you need them | Free CHF 0, Starter CHF 15/month | Smallinvoice alternative |
| ERPLight | mainly write quotes, orders and invoices | Pro CHF 14.90/month | ERPLight alternative |
Where there is no VAT note, the vendor gives none on its pricing page. Torn between the two big SME tools? Our direct comparison KLARA vs bexio helps you decide. All our comparisons are in the overview of alternatives.
Tried other tools, chose Heidi
What freelancers say who used or tested other software before. Quotes originally in German or French are translated.
“Tried lots of tools and ended up sticking with Magic Heidi. Convincing throughout, and easy and intuitive to use. Very happy.”
“As a self-employed midwife and mother, I have little time and little knowledge to keep structured accounts and my business expenses up to date. Unlike other software, Magic Heidi is easy to use and quickly adapts to your own situation.”
“For a freelance videographer in Switzerland, it’s a perfect fit for my small bookkeeping, my invoices and my expenses, which I did by hand until now. Whenever I had a question, I got an answer by email and phone within minutes … Swiss efficiency!”
One price. Every feature.
No plans to pick from, no scan quotas, no add-ons. All prices incl. VAT, CHF 205 a year less than bexio Advanced (excl. VAT).
Free
- 3 invoices (in total)
- 3 receipts (in total)
- All features unlocked
- No credit card required
Annual
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited receipts
- AI receipt scanning, no monthly cap (fair use)
- iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, web
- Direct bank connection & statement import
- Swiss VAT management
- Phone & email support in English
Monthly
- Unlimited invoices
- Unlimited receipts
- AI receipt scanning, no monthly cap (fair use)
- All platforms included
- Direct bank connection & statement import
- Swiss VAT management
- Phone & email support in English
30-day money-back guarantee. Try it risk-free.
bexio alternative: common questions
What is the best bexio alternative?
It depends on your business. Magic Heidi is built for freelancers and sole proprietors without employees: QR invoices, receipts, VAT and bank matching for CHF 299 a year incl. VAT. For a local business with a till, KLARA fits; for double-entry bookkeeping in the browser, CashCtrl; for bookkeeping in spreadsheets, Banana; and for a handful of invoices a year, the free AbaNinja plan.
Is there a free alternative to bexio?
Yes, with different limits. Magic Heidi is free for 3 invoices and 3 receipts in total, with every feature, no time limit and no credit card. AbaNinja Starter is free up to 1'000 documents a year, Banana up to 70 entries, and Smallinvoice has a Free plan (as of 11 November 2026). bexio itself has no permanent free plan, only a 30-day trial.
Do bexio and Magic Heidi work in English?
Magic Heidi does: the app, your invoices and quotes, and support by phone and email are all available in English, and each client can get invoices in English, German, French or Italian. bexio has an English website and price page (bexio.com/en-CH), and its bexio Go app lists English on the Swiss App Store. bexio's en-CH site does not say which languages the web software itself offers, so check the interface during the 30-day trial.
How much does bexio cost compared with Magic Heidi?
On annual billing, bexio costs CHF 420 (Basic), 504 (Advanced), 828 (Optima) or 1'428 (Ultimate) a year, excl. VAT (as of 12 November 2026). The cheapest plan with expenses, e-banking and AI receipt scanning is Advanced, CHF 544.82 a year with VAT. Magic Heidi costs CHF 299 a year or CHF 39 a month, incl. VAT. Full details: bexio pricing.
What do bexio reviews say?
The bexio Go app has 4.5 out of 5 from about 3'700 ratings on the Swiss App Store, while bexio scores 2.6 out of 5 from 347 reviews on Trustpilot (both checked on 12 November 2026). Praise tends to go to e-banking, fiduciary access and the many integrations; criticism comes mostly from small businesses paying for modules they don't use. Read the reviews from businesses your size first.
Is bexio suitable for sole proprietors and freelancers?
It works, but you pay for an SME system: payroll, stock and team features a sole proprietor without employees rarely needs. Below CHF 500'000 turnover, Art. 957 CO only requires an income and expense record. A tool built for freelancers costs less and is quicker to set up.
Why compare with bexio Advanced and not Basic?
According to bexio's price page, Basic includes contacts, quotes, invoices and accounting, but no expenses, no e-banking, no product management and no AI receipt scanning. Those start with Advanced at CHF 42 a month on annual billing or CHF 52 monthly, excl. VAT. If you only send invoices, Basic can be enough.
Can I move my data from bexio to Magic Heidi?
Contacts, invoices and expenses, yes: export them from bexio as CSV or Excel and import them into Magic Heidi. Test with a few entries first and check amounts and payment status. The journal, balance sheet and payroll data can't be carried over; keep those as an archive. Step by step: import your data.
Is it worth switching from bexio mid-year?
Yes, if you pick the cut-off date well. If you are VAT-registered, switch at the start of a VAT period so each return stays in one system. If not, you can switch any time: import your clients, write new invoices in Magic Heidi and let open bexio invoices run out.
How do I cancel bexio?
According to bexio, you can cancel your account at the end of the next billing period (bexio.com, as of 12 November 2026). On annual billing the year is paid in advance, so check your renewal date. Export invoices, receipts, journal and year-end accounts first: you must keep business records for 10 years (Art. 958f CO).
Can my Treuhänder work with Magic Heidi?
Yes. Give your Treuhänder (fiduciary) their own access to your account at no extra cost, or export invoices, receipts and VAT figures as ZIP, CSV or PDF. If your Treuhänder keeps your books directly in bexio today, talk the switch through with them first.
What does bexio have that Magic Heidi doesn't?
Double-entry bookkeeping, payroll (add-on from Advanced, included in Ultimate), stock management, projects with time tracking and legal advice by phone (from Optima), bexio Pay and a marketplace of more than 120 apps. If you don't need any of that as a sole proprietor, Magic Heidi covers the essentials for less.
Where is my data, and what happens if I cancel?
Your data is stored encrypted on servers in Zurich. AI receipt recognition is processed by a specialised provider in the US; details on our data security page. You can cancel any time in the app and export everything as a ZIP with the original documents, and your data stays stored for 10 years after cancelling in case you come back or want to export later.
Your next invoice, without bexio
Start free with 3 invoices and 3 receipts (no credit card, no time limit), or try Pro for 7 days with every feature.
