Comparison · Light vs DATEV
Light vs DATEV
DATEV is built around the tax advisor relationship: one Mandant per company, and a group picture assembled from closing data once the period is done. Light runs the whole group in one agentic ledger, with AP, AR, cards and spend in the same system, consolidation that stays current, and agents that do the work.
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Light and DATEV, compared
| Feature | Light | DATEV |
|---|---|---|
| Can run billions of transactions | Yes | No |
| Immutable ledger | Yes | No |
| Global bill pay | Yes | No |
| Spend management | Yes | No |
| Subscription management | Yes | No |
| Treasury intelligence | Yes | No |
| 700 native built apps | Yes | No |
| Big4 implementation team | Yes | No |
| Workflows and agents | Yes | No |
4 week implementation
KPMG global partnership
Remove 4+ tools
700+ apps
The world's most demanding finance teams run on Light.
One ledger across companies
DATEV uses a separate Mandant for each company. Light keeps entities together, with consolidation and currency translation updating as transactions post.
- 01
Connect spend to the accounts
Light includes cards, expenses and vendor payments. Receipts, approvals and entries stay connected in the same system.
- 02
Keep your adviser involved
Your Steuerberater gets live access to the ledger and reports. Light’s implementation team handles the move with your finance team.
When to choose Light
- 01
One ledger for every entity
Add a company, a country or a currency without adding another system.
- 02
Close every entity at once
Consolidation and eliminations update as transactions post.
- 03
Cards and expenses built in
Spend posts to the same ledger as everything else.
Trusted by the world's
fastest growing companies
See how finance teams run lean and global on Light.
Read customer stories-
“We evaluated several vendors. Light won because it covers our full finance stack, revenue, AR, AP, expenses, and consolidation, without stitching together a patchwork of point solutions.”
Tanja, Director of FinanceOmnea -
“Even though we’re three entities, it’s like I’m running a finance department for one entity.”
Thobias, Finance ManagerAlva Labs -
“I really like that Light’s AI already gives me suggestions, GL accounts, cost centers, tax codes. I don’t have to start from scratch.”
Cédric, Finance ManagerOper Credits -
“Nine times out of ten the AI matches everything and posts it to the right account. One click and you’re done.”
Jeppe, CFOKeyShot
Built for the daily work
Bills through to payment
Capture invoices, route approvals and pay vendors from the same system.
Room to grow
One ledger built to handle billions of transactions across your business.
Trace every number
Open a report and drill straight into the transactions behind it.
Spending, under control
Expenses, vendors and cards connected to your ledger.
Expenses
Collect receipts, approve expenses and track spend as it happens.
Vendors
Keep supplier details, bills and approvals together. Apply your purchasing rules as work moves through.
Cards
Issue cards for employees and vendors. Pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay. Send receipts through Slack, Teams or email.
Frequently asked questions
Does DATEV offer consolidation?
Yes. DATEV Konsolidierung works with imported closing data; Light consolidates continuously.
Can we keep our Steuerberater?
Yes, with live access to your ledger and reporting.
How do we check German requirements?
Review your filing formats and adviser handover in the demo. Light supports German entities, local payments and VAT handling.
See Light at work
