Accounting Software for Self-Employed in Switzerland
Built for self-employed professionals in Switzerland — not for SMEs with accounting departments. Magic Heidi handles freelancer accounting: QR invoices, Swiss VAT, expenses. No bloat.
Short answer: The best accounting software for self-employed professionals in Switzerland is Magic Heidi — native QR invoices, Swiss VAT (8.1% / 2.6% / 3.8%) built-in, unlimited AI expense scanning, apps on iOS, Android, Mac and Windows. From CHF 25/month. Try free →
Best Accounting Software Switzerland 2026: Quick Comparison
As a self-employed professional in Switzerland, you need software that handles Swiss-specific requirements — QR-bills (mandatory since 2022), Swiss VAT rates, and simplified bookkeeping under CHF 500,000 turnover.
Here are the top options for sole traders and freelancers in 2026:
| Software | Best for | Price/month | QR-bill | VAT | Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Heidi | Swiss freelancers & sole traders | CHF 25 (annual) | ✅ Native | ✅ Auto | ✅ iOS/Android/Mac/Win |
| MILKEE | Jargon-free accounting | CHF 29 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| KLARA | Backed by Swiss Post | CHF 19–55 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| CashCtrl FREE | Budget-first freelancers | CHF 0 | ✅ | ✅ | Web |
| bexio | Growing SMEs (5–50 employees) | CHF 29–99 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Banana Accounting | Traditional desktop users | CHF 69/year | ✅ | ✅ | No |
Our pick for self-employed: Magic Heidi is the only Swiss accounting software built exclusively for freelancers and sole traders. No payroll, no inventory, no bloat — just invoicing, expenses, and VAT done right.
As a self-employed professional in Switzerland, your accounting needs are specific: issue SIX-compliant QR invoices, correctly handle Swiss VAT, keep receipts for 10 years, and produce a clean report for your tax return. Nothing more.
Most accounting software is built for SMEs with employees. You end up paying for payroll, inventory management and ERP modules you'll never use as a solo freelancer.
What self-employed professionals don't need
Most Swiss accounting software is oversized for freelancers — and the price reflects it.
Too complex
Chart of accounts, double-entry bookkeeping, hours of setup — before your first invoiceToo expensive
CHF 45–100/month for features designed for teams of 10+ employeesToo much bloat
Payroll, inventory, CRM — everything a solo freelancer will never useMagic Heidi — built for self-employed
Every feature was built with sole traders in mind. No unnecessary extras.
QR invoice in 30 seconds
- Automatic Swiss QR Code v2.3
- VAT rates built-in (8.1%, 2.6%, 3.8%)
- Send by email or PDF
- Professional templates included
AI expense scanning — unlimited
- Auto-extract amount, date, VAT
- Smart categorisation
- Multi-currency conversion
- 10-year document storage included
VAT & tax reports
- All Swiss VAT rates included
- Net tax rate method support
- Year-end reports on demand
- Bank statement import
Questions about self-employed accounting in Switzerland
What is the best accounting software for self-employed in Switzerland?
For Swiss sole traders (turnover < CHF 500,000), Magic Heidi is the best fit: native QR invoices, automatic VAT, unlimited AI expense scanning, apps on 5 platforms. From CHF 25/month. For SMEs with employees, bexio (from CHF 35/month) additionally offers payroll and ERP.
Do self-employed people in Switzerland need full double-entry accounting?
No. Sole proprietorships with turnover below CHF 500,000 may use simplified bookkeeping (income-expense method). Double-entry accounting is only mandatory above CHF 500,000 or for GmbH/AG (LLC/Corp). Most freelancers don't need it.
From what turnover is VAT registration mandatory in Switzerland?
In Switzerland, VAT registration is mandatory from CHF 100,000 annual worldwide turnover. The standard rate is 8.1%, reduced rate 2.6% (certain food, medication) and the special rate 3.8% (accommodation). Magic Heidi integrates all these rates and generates VAT returns automatically.
Does Magic Heidi support Swiss QR invoices?
Yes — Magic Heidi is specifically built for Swiss QR invoicing: SIX-compliant invoices in under 30 seconds, with auto-generated QR code, structured addresses and Swiss QR-IBAN.
How do I switch from another accounting software?
Export your client list as CSV from your current software and import it with one click in Magic Heidi. Most freelancers complete the migration in under 15 minutes. More on switching from bexio →
Magic Heidi vs bexio vs KLARA — which is best for self-employed in Switzerland?
For self-employed professionals: Magic Heidi (CHF 25/month) is purpose-built for Swiss freelancers with the fastest setup (15 minutes), native QR-bills and AI expense scanning. KLARA (CHF 19–55/month, owned by Swiss Post) is excellent if you want a well-known brand and basic free features. bexio (CHF 29–99/month) is designed for SMEs with employees — it includes payroll and inventory that freelancers typically don't need. Bottom line: if you're a solo professional, Magic Heidi or KLARA save you money and complexity.
Is there free accounting software for self-employed in Switzerland?
Yes. CashCtrl FREE offers genuine double-entry bookkeeping at no cost — useful if you're just starting out. AbaNinja by Abacus has a free starter tier. Swiss21 is free for basic invoicing and bookkeeping. Magic Heidi offers a free trial (3 invoices, 3 expenses) to test the full feature set before subscribing. For most active freelancers, a paid plan at CHF 20–30/month is well worth the time saved over a free option.
What is the best accounting software in Switzerland for expats and English speakers?
Magic Heidi, bexio, and CashCtrl all have full English interfaces. Magic Heidi is the most streamlined choice for English-speaking freelancers — the interface is in English and the software is fully built around Swiss compliance (QR-bills, Swiss VAT). KLARA's English interface is also solid. Avoid older Swiss desktop software (Banana, Winbiz) if you need English — their interfaces are primarily German.
Related pages
- Accounting Software Switzerland → — Full comparison for freelancers and SMEs
- bexio Alternative Switzerland → — Why Magic Heidi is simpler and cheaper
- Swiss QR Invoice Software → — Everything about Swiss QR invoicing
- Swiss VAT Management → — All Swiss VAT rates explained
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