Magic Heidi Which accounting software suits you?
By Nathan Ganser, founder of Magic Heidi. Yes, I'm biased. That's why you get dated prices, a click test with video and, in plain words, when another program fits better.
Short answer: sole proprietor or freelancer without bookkeeping knowledge: Magic Heidi or Milkee. SME with employees and payroll: bexio or KLARA. You know debits and credits and want to pay little: Banana or CashCtrl. You want to stay free for as long as possible: Swiss21.
Four Swiss terms, explained once: the QR-bill (QR-Rechnung) is the Swiss invoice format, a payment part with a QR code your client scans in their banking app. VAT is called MWST in German (TVA in French); you have to register once your annual revenue reaches CHF 100'000. A sole proprietorship (Einzelfirma) is the default legal form when you start working for yourself, with no share capital. A fiduciary (Treuhänder) is the Swiss accountant who closes your books and often does your tax return.
Magic Heidi: accounting without debits and credits
A fit if you're self-employed, run a sole proprietorship or work in a small team and want to spend as little time on bookkeeping as possible. AI receipt scanning, a bank connection, VAT figures for the ESTV ePortal and an export with every receipt for your tax return; you write quotes and invoices in the same app. The app, your invoices and the phone support all work in English. In the click test, Magic Heidi needed the fewest clicks.
Not a fit if you need double-entry bookkeeping with a balance sheet, payroll, stock, a CRM or project management in the same program. Magic Heidi deliberately doesn't do any of that.
On the market: since 2023 · Price: free for 3 invoices and 3 receipts (in total), then CHF 24.90 a month on the yearly plan or CHF 39 monthly, VAT included
bexio: accounting software for SMEs with employees
The most complete program in the comparison: financial accounting with balance sheet and income statement, e-banking, fiduciary access and payroll as an add-on. Its website and price page are in English; check the app's language during the trial. If you need all that, bexio is the right choice. If you don't, you pay for modules you never open. Watch the entry plan: Basic (CHF 35) has neither receipt scanning nor a bank connection; both come with Advanced (CHF 42, 2 users, 50 scans a month).
Price: CHF 35 to 119 a month on the yearly plan, excl. VAT, 30-day trial (all plans)
Banana: for people who know bookkeeping
Spreadsheet-style double-entry accounting, on the market for more than 30 years. Unbeatable on price if you know debits and credits; without bookkeeping knowledge you won't get far with Banana. The Swiss VAT return is only included in the Advanced plan.
Price: free up to 70 entries, Professional CHF 89 a year, Advanced CHF 179 a year
Swiss21 (AbaNinja): the most generous free plan
Many know it as AbaNinja. The Starter plan is free up to 1'000 documents a year, with 10 automatically recognised receipts a month and one user. As a purely free solution, Swiss21 beats Magic Heidi. In return it's an ERP suite with double-entry bookkeeping, so it takes longer to learn.
Price: Starter CHF 0, Basic CHF 21 a month (3 users), Pro CHF 49 a month
CashCtrl: double-entry bookkeeping for free
CashCtrl FREE stays free for one user and one organisation, with double-entry bookkeeping, QR-bills and the year-end close. Bank import, receipt attachments and payroll only come with PRO. A good choice if you can do bookkeeping; 4th of 6 in the click test.
Price: FREE at no cost, PRO per the price calculator on cashctrl.com, incl. VAT
Milkee: for the self-employed and micro-SMEs
As simple as possible, yet with double-entry bookkeeping and payroll (CHF 9 per employee) in the Business plan. Milkee is built by a good friend of mine. Only in Switzerland can you be friends and competitors at the same time. If you want a balance sheet and Magic Heidi isn't enough for that, look at Milkee. One catch for English speakers: on 12 November 2026, Milkee's website was in German only.
Price: Basic CHF 24.90, Business CHF 34.90, Team CHF 69.90 a month on the yearly plan, excl. VAT
KLARA: for SMEs with a till, shop and payroll
Business software with accounting, CRM, order management, a point-of-sale system and an online shop. It makes sense if your SME needs several of these building blocks; for a solo business, KLARA is a lot.
Price: Business Basic CHF 55 a month on the yearly plan, payroll from CHF 3.90 per payslip, excl. VAT
Infinity: for start-ups and growing companies
Positions itself as a modern bexio alternative. Infinity says it's available in German, English, French and Italian, with an app for iPhone and iPad (Android announced). In the January 2026 click test, the invoice alone took 55 clicks, more than in the other tools with a working QR-bill.
Price: Start CHF 24, Pro CHF 42 a month on the yearly plan, 14-day trial
Other programs, and the ones that don't fit Switzerland
Also Swiss: Pebe (classic accounting for SMEs and fiduciaries), Smallinvoice, Accounto (bookkeeping together with your fiduciary) and Abacus for larger SMEs. In Romandie, Crésus and WinBiz are the classics.
German test winners such as sevdesk, Lexware Office, WISO MeinBüro, BuchhaltungsButler or Papierkram are built for the German tax office. You'll recognise them by EÜR, ELSTER, GoBD, DATEV export and 19 % VAT. Swiss VAT uses 8.1 %, 2.6 % and 3.8 %, and a Swiss invoice needs the QR payment part. Used to Xero, QuickBooks or FreshBooks from the UK or the US? Check that the tool creates the Swiss QR-bill itself and prepares the Swiss VAT return; Xero, for example, lists third-party add-ons for QR-bills in its app store.
Swiss bookkeeping in English
An English website is a start. During any trial, check that the app and the support are in English too. This is what you get with Magic Heidi.
App in English
The whole app in English. Invoices in English, German, French, Italian or Romansh.
Support in English
By email and phone, often from Nathan, the founder. Free 30-minute onboarding.
QR-bill & VAT built in
QR payment part and Swiss VAT rates are set up for you and explained in English.
For your fiduciary
Unlimited team access at no extra cost, or a one-click export for year-end.
Accounting without debits and credits
No chart of accounts, no journal entries. You photograph receipts and connect your bank account. The app keeps your income, expenses and profit up to date as you go.
Record income
Every invoice from the built-in invoicing software is booked as income straight away.
Snap the receipt
The AI reads merchant, date, amount and VAT rate, and converts foreign currencies to CHF at the daily rate. Forward PDF invoices by email. More on AI receipt scanning →
Connect your bank
Direct bank connection or CSV/Excel import from UBS, PostFinance, ZKB, Raiffeisen and others. Payments are matched to open invoices automatically. More on bank import →
VAT and year-end close, already prepared
Every VAT rate (8.1 %, 2.6 %, 3.8 %), effective or net tax rate method, with figures ready for the ESTV ePortal. At year-end, export receipts and statements in three clicks. VAT → · Year-end close →
Accounting software tested: every click counted
In January 2026 we counted the clicks for three tasks in six Swiss tools, every test backed by a screen recording. Banana, Milkee, KLARA and Swiss21 weren't part of this test.
| Software | Total | Invoice | Expense | Onboarding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Magic Heidi | 33 | 15 | 6 | 12 |
| 2. Simplino | 55 | 10 | 15 | 30 |
| 3. bexio | 69 | 15 | 19 | 35 |
| 4. CashCtrl | 77 | 15 | 27 | 35 |
| 5. Infinity | 95 | 55 | 20 | 20 |
| 6. Smallinvoice* | 108 | 40 | 33 | 35 |
The three tasks: creating a compliant QR-bill, recording an expense with its receipt, and onboarding, from sign-up to ready for the first invoice. At 10 to 20 invoices a month, ease of use decides whether bookkeeping costs you 20 minutes or half a day. Rank 1 here only means: the fewest clicks for the same tasks.
*Smallinvoice: we couldn't activate the QR-bill in our test scenario. That's a test result, not a verdict on the whole product.
The videos, so you can count along: Magic Heidi · Simplino · bexio · CashCtrl · Infinity · Smallinvoice
Free accounting software: what you really get
Four Swiss programs can be used free with no time limit. As a purely free solution, Swiss21 and CashCtrl are more generous than Magic Heidi; with us, free is there for testing. As of November 2026.
Swiss21 (AbaNinja)
Free up to 1'000 documents a year, 10 receipts recognised a month, 1 user.
CashCtrl FREE
Double-entry for 1 user. Bank import, receipt attachments and payroll only in PRO.
Banana Free
Free up to 70 entries. For anyone who knows debits and credits.
Magic Heidi
3 invoices and 3 receipts in total, every feature, no credit card.
What to check when it's free
Look at what's missing: often bank import, receipt scanning, the VAT return or a second user. Work out the three-year price with add-ons and VAT. Only need invoices? An invoicing tool is enough.
Accounting software for SMEs: what fits whom
What decides is your legal form and whether you have employees, not the length of the feature list. The rules are in Art. 957 of the Code of Obligations (CO).
Sole proprietor, freelancer
Below CHF 500'000 revenue, an income and expense statement is enough, as in Magic Heidi.
GmbH or AG
Double-entry with balance sheet is mandatory: bexio, Milkee Business, CashCtrl or Banana.
SME with employees
Payroll and roles: bexio (payroll from Advanced), KLARA or Swiss21 with 21.AbaSalary.
A GmbH and still Magic Heidi?
It works: you write invoices and record receipts, your fiduciary does the year-end close with a balance sheet through their own login. Team access is unlimited and costs nothing extra.
Tested, compared, stayed
4.8 out of 5 from over 200 public reviews.
“Tried lots of tools and ended up sticking with Magic Heidi. Convincing throughout, and easy and intuitive to use. Very happy.”
“Great tool that made my life much easier. Especially the recognition of receipts in different currencies and languages and automatic FX conversion is extremely useful and works seamlessly.”
“As someone who just became self-employed, Magic Heidi made getting started so much easier. Bookkeeping is far less complicated now and I no longer lose time to unnecessary stress. You find your way around right away and have everything under control.”
“Until now I did everything with Excel and binders and spent a huge amount of time on it. Then I came across Magic Heidi, and I have to say it’s a must-have for anyone who is self-employed.”
“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.”
“No more stress with scraps of paper and receipts … In a very short time (something I’d usually put off for ages) I loaded 1.5 years of receipts and salary payments into Magic Heidi, and I’m thrilled.”
Fair prices. No add-ons.
Start free, no credit card. Receipt scanning, bank connection and VAT are included in Pro at no extra cost. All prices incl. VAT.
Free
- 3 invoices & 3 receipts (in total)
- All features unlocked
- Data stored in Zurich
- No credit card needed
Yearly
- Unlimited AI receipt scanning (fair use)
- Income and expense statement, always up to date
- Bank connection & statement import
- VAT incl. net tax rate method
- Year-end export
- Unlimited team access, your fiduciary included
- GeBüV-compliant archive for 10 years
- Zapier, API and webhooks
- Personal support by email & phone, in English
Monthly
- Same features as yearly
- Cancel anytime in the app
30-day money-back guarantee. No lock-in contract.
Questions about accounting software
What is the best accounting software in Switzerland?
The one that fits your profile; there's no test winner for everyone. For SMEs with employees, payroll and a balance sheet, bexio is the most widespread. For freelancers and sole proprietors without bookkeeping knowledge, it's Magic Heidi, with the fewest clicks in our test. If you know bookkeeping and have a small budget, look at Banana or CashCtrl. German programs like sevdesk or Lexware Office are out in Switzerland.
Is there Swiss accounting software in English?
Yes. Magic Heidi works fully in English: the app, your invoices and quotes, and support by email and phone, often from the founder himself. bexio's website and price page are in English, and Infinity says it's available in English; check the app itself during a trial. Many other Swiss tools have an English website, but check the app and the support language during the trial; on 12 November 2026, Milkee's website was in German only.
Is there free accounting software in Switzerland?
Yes, several. Swiss21 has the most generous free plan with 1'000 documents a year, CashCtrl FREE gives you double-entry bookkeeping free for one user, and Banana is free up to 70 entries. With Magic Heidi you test every feature with 3 invoices and 3 receipts in total, no credit card and no time limit. With free accounting software, check what's missing: often it's bank import, receipt scanning or the VAT return.
How much does accounting software cost in Switzerland?
Between CHF 0 and over CHF 100 a month. After the free start, Magic Heidi costs CHF 24.90 a month on the yearly plan (CHF 299 a year) or CHF 39 monthly, both incl. VAT. bexio starts at CHF 35 a month excl. VAT, with receipt scanning and bank connection from CHF 42 (all bexio prices). Milkee starts at CHF 24.90 and KLARA at CHF 55 a month on the yearly plan, both excl. VAT. Banana costs CHF 89 a year, CHF 179 with the VAT return. As of 11 November 2026; our details are on the pricing page.
Which accounting software suits freelancers and sole proprietors?
One that keeps your income and expenses without asking you to post journal entries. In our January 2026 click test, Magic Heidi needed the fewest clicks for onboarding, a QR-bill and an expense with receipt; the videos are linked above. You record invoices and receipts, the Swiss VAT rates are built in, and at year-end you export the figures for your tax return and AHV. Milkee goes in the same direction. More on bookkeeping for a sole proprietorship.
Which accounting software suits an SME?
It depends on your legal form and employees. A GmbH or AG needs double-entry bookkeeping with a balance sheet, and if you pay salaries you need payroll: bexio, KLARA, Swiss21 or Milkee Business are built for that. For sole proprietorships and small service businesses without payroll, a lean program like Magic Heidi is enough, with unlimited team access at no extra cost. A GmbH can invoice and record receipts in Magic Heidi if its fiduciary does the year-end close.
Do I need double-entry bookkeeping, or software at all, as a sole proprietor?
Not double-entry: below CHF 500'000 in annual revenue, Art. 957 CO allows simplified bookkeeping with income, expenses and your financial position, the so-called Milchbüechli accounting. That works in Excel too. Once receipts, QR-bills, bank payments and VAT come in regularly, the manual work costs you more time than a subscription. A GmbH or AG needs double-entry bookkeeping regardless of revenue.
When do I have to charge VAT?
Once your annual revenue reaches CHF 100'000, you have to register with the ESTV (Swiss Federal Tax Administration); below that you don't. Once you're registered, Magic Heidi applies the rates (8.1 %, 2.6 %, 3.8 %) on every invoice and prepares the figures for the ePortal, with the effective or the net tax rate method. More on VAT for freelancers.
What if my sole proprietorship becomes a GmbH?
Then you need double-entry bookkeeping, and employees need payslips with social insurance. Either you switch to bexio or Milkee, or you keep invoicing with Magic Heidi and give your fiduciary access for the year-end accounts. You run payroll in a payroll program and record the gross salary as an expense. More in the GmbH year-end guide.
Can I use sevdesk, Lexware Office, Xero or QuickBooks in Switzerland?
I'd advise against the German ones. sevdesk itself says its software is designed for companies based in Germany or Austria, and Lexware Office works in euros under German tax law (EÜR, ELSTER); neither creates a Swiss QR-bill or a VAT return for the ESTV. With Xero, QuickBooks or FreshBooks, check before you start whether the Swiss QR-bill and the Swiss VAT return work without add-ons; Xero, for example, lists third-party add-ons for QR-bills in its app store.
Do I need a fiduciary, and can they work with Magic Heidi?
As a sole proprietor under CHF 500'000 in revenue you can keep the books yourself; many bring in a fiduciary (Treuhänder) only for the tax return, a GmbH or employees. If you do, give them their own login in Magic Heidi or send the export: they get sorted receipts and finished figures instead of a shoebox, and need fewer hours. Looking for one? Here are English-speaking fiduciaries by region.
How much work is it to switch to Magic Heidi?
Very little. You add clients when you write your first invoice or import them as a list, and record receipts from today. Previous years stay where they are. In a free onboarding call (30 minutes, in English if you like) we look at your switch together. And if it's not for you: the monthly plan can be cancelled anytime, there's a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can export all your data.
Where is my data stored?
On servers in Zurich, encrypted in transit and at rest. AI receipt recognition runs through a specialised provider, partly in the US. You can export all your data at any time and take it with you if you switch. More on the security page.
How neutral is a comparison written by Magic Heidi?
Fair question, we're biased. That's why the comparison rests on things you can check: clicks with video proof and dated prices from the vendors' pricing pages. Where another program fits better, it says so: if you run payroll or need a balance sheet, stock or user roles, bexio, KLARA or Abacus serve you better. The most honest test is your own: start Magic Heidi for free, no credit card.
Your bookkeeping, done as you go
Start free with 3 invoices and 3 receipts, or try Pro for 7 days with every feature. Rather talk first? Nathan walks you through everything in a free onboarding call (30 minutes), in English.
