Shopware E-Invoicing Plugin Comparison: XRechnung, ZUGFeRD, Factur-X for Shopware 6
Four plugin categories solve the same problem differently. We show which plugin fits which Shopware workflow — without marketing fluff.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Pickware ERP | sevDesk | Lexware Office | Shopware Built-in PDF | invoice-api.xhub |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generate XRechnung XML (DE) | Partial — XRechnung module as add-on (premium tier) | Indirect — exports to sevDesk, generated there | Indirect — exports to Lexware Office, generated there | No — classic PDF only | Yes — BIS 3.0 / EN 16931, B2G-ready with Leitweg-ID |
| Generate ZUGFeRD PDF/A-3 (DE/AT) | Partial — via add-on | Indirect | Indirect | No | Yes — version 2.3 / 2.4, hybrid |
| EU country-specific formats (Factur-X, FatturaPA, etc.) | No — DACH-focused | No | No | No | Q3 2026 — automatically available in plugin |
| Plugin price | From ~€50/month (full ERP suite, heavyweight) | Free in store (sevDesk subscription required, from ~€20/month) | Free in store (Lexware Office subscription required, from ~€10/month) | Free — part of Shopware Core | Free (MIT) |
| External service required | No — fully in Shopware/Pickware | Yes — sevDesk ($/month) | Yes — Lexware Office ($/month) | No | Yes — invoice-api.xhub.io ($/month volume-based) |
| §14 UStG-compliant numbering (gap-free, race-safe) | Yes | Yes (via sevDesk) | Yes (via Lexware Office) | Standard sequence, not strictly race-safe under load | Yes — atomic custom DB table |
| Shopware version compatibility | Shopware 6.5+ | Shopware 6.5+ | Shopware 6.5+ | All versions | Shopware 6.6 and 6.7 |
| Async generation (Symfony Messenger) | Sync + internal queue | Webhook-based | Webhook-based | Synchronous | Yes — never blocks checkout |
| Refund → automatic credit-note | Yes | Yes | Yes | Manual | Yes |
| Custom invoice templates | Yes — in Pickware | In sevDesk | In Lexware Office | Yes — Twig templates | Yes — template designer in console |
| GDPR hooks (DAL EntityDeletedEvent) | Yes | Indirect | Indirect | Standard Shopware GDPR | Yes — via DAL EntityDeletedEvent |
| Full bookkeeping (DATEV export, bank reconciliation, inventory) | Yes — full ERP suite | Yes | Yes | No | No — focused on e-invoice generation |
When to choose which category
- You only need classic PDF invoices, no XRechnung obligation → Shopware Built-in PDF Documents is enough (free, in core)
- You want a full ERP with inventory, purchasing, and bookkeeping inside Shopware → Pickware ERP
- You need full bookkeeping with DATEV/bank reconciliation → sevDesk or Lexware Office bridge (e-invoicing as a side-effect)
- You need specialised e-invoicing with all EU formats and no bookkeeping overhead → Invoice-api.xhub for Shopware
When to choose invoice-api.xhub
- You need to comply with the 2027/28 XRechnung/ZUGFeRD send mandate and want a specialised API solution rather than a full ERP suite
- You sell cross-border in the EU and need Factur-X (FR), FatturaPA (IT), Facturae (ES) as they roll out — Q3 2026
- You already have a bookkeeping system (sevDesk, Lexware Office, DATEV connection) and don't need a second one — just the correct e-invoice files
- Symfony-Messenger-async is a must-have because your checkout has to stay fast
- You want free OSS plugin code (MIT), no license-key drama and no vendor lock-in
Which Shopware e-invoicing plugin fits your shop?
The plugin landscape for Shopware invoice generation shifted after the 2025 EU e-invoicing mandate. Four categories dominate:
- Shopware Built-in PDF Documents — the document subsystem in Core generates classic invoice PDFs from Twig templates. Doesn't satisfy the XRechnung mandate, but cleanly covers the classic "attach a PDF to the order confirmation" use case.
- Full ERP suites (e.g. Pickware ERP) — bring inventory, purchasing, accounting integration, and optional e-invoicing in a single package. Heavyweight, from ~€50/month.
- Bookkeeping bridge plugins (e.g. sevDesk, Lexware Office) — export orders to an external bookkeeping system; the system then generates the e-invoice and either sends it back or delivers it directly to the customer.
- Specialised e-invoicing API plugins (us) — focused on standards-compliant XRechnung/ZUGFeRD generation; deliberately without ERP or bookkeeping overhead.
Which category fits — the table above shows the hard data. The short heuristic:
- You only need PDF and no XRechnung? → Category 1 (Shopware Core) is enough.
- You're starting greenfield and want inventory + bookkeeping + e-invoicing from one source? → Category 2 (Pickware).
- You already use sevDesk or Lexware Office and are happy with their output? → Category 3.
- You sell EU-wide, need structured formats, and don't want a second ERP? → Category 4 (us).
Multiple categories in parallel is legitimate — e.g. Shopware Core PDF for internal use + us for the XRechnung XML to B2B customers, or Lexware Office for bookkeeping + us for the invoice files going to your customers. Pickware users can run us in parallel if they need the full EU-format roll-out from Q3 2026 onwards, which Pickware (as of 2026) doesn't cover.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Shopware built-in PDF document system enough for the 2025 XRechnung mandate?
No. Shopware Core generates standard PDF documents — the XRechnung mandate for B2B invoices from 2025 onwards requires structured XML (BIS 3.0 / EN 16931). Pure PDFs do not satisfy the mandate. You need either a specialised plugin (like ours) or a ZUGFeRD hybrid solution — Shopware Core ships neither.
What is the difference between this plugin and Pickware ERP?
Pickware is a full ERP suite — inventory, purchasing, accounting integration, shipping logistics, plus an optional e-invoicing add-on. We do ONLY e-invoicing — but specialised (all 3 live formats, all 14 countries planned, in-house template designer, atomic numbering) and orders of magnitude lighter. If you need an ERP, take Pickware. If you only need the correct e-invoice files and already have a bookkeeping solution, take us.
Can I run sevDesk or Lexware Office plugin in parallel with yours?
Yes. The bookkeeping plugins export Shopware orders to the bookkeeping tool. Our plugin separately generates the structured e-invoice attached to the order. Running both in parallel is clean because responsibilities are split: bookkeeping in sevDesk/Lexware Office, e-invoice file generation via us. Some Shopware shops do exactly this — the bookkeeping tool sees the order, the customer receives the XRechnung-compliant file from our plugin.
Which Shopware versions are supported?
Shopware 6.6 and 6.7. We exclusively use current DAL patterns (no legacy repository code), Symfony Messenger for async, and a Vue.js admin module on the current Shopware Administration API. Shopware 6.5 and older are not supported — composer constraint is `^6.6 || ^6.7`.
Am I locked in to your service if I switch later?
No. The plugin is MIT-licensed and open source. We store the generated XML/PDF files in the custom-fields set on the order — you keep them even without an active subscription. If you switch, your existing invoice files stay in Shopware; only new invoices stop being generated. Lock-in free.