What cleverlohn does

cleverlohn is a Berlin-based provider of payroll and HR software-and-service for small and micro-businesses in Germany, structured as a hybrid model that bundles a cloud-based HR platform with dedicated, certified payroll specialists (Lohnbuchhalter). Its core offering combines monthly salary calculation, all mandatory German statutory filings (tax, social security, ELSTAM, health insurance), employee master data management, time tracking, absence management, document management, and an employee-facing app for payslip access — sold as a single per-payslip subscription with one-time setup fees. Pricing is tiered from €25 per payslip per month for very small customers (1-5 employees) down to €12.50-13 for customers with 100+ employees, with bundled onboarding and a dedicated account manager.

The platform differentiates via an automated validation layer that performs plausibility checks on every payroll input before processing, paired with a Probeabrechnung (trial payroll) workflow that is reported to reduce payroll errors by ~92%. Native integrations with DATEV (automatic FiBu handover), Personio, Gastromatic (hospitality time tracking), Lexware, Addison, Agenda, sevdesk, and Wolters Kluwer embed cleverlohn inside the dominant German accounting and HR software ecosystems. Specialized product variants target startups scaling from first hire, the hospitality/gastronomy segment with SFN surcharges and tip handling, and tax advisory firms (Steuerberatungen) seeking to outsource client payroll.

Commercially, cleverlohn operates a sales-led GTM with no published list price on its website — conversion runs through "Request a demo" and "Book consultation" CTAs into consultation calls. Customer base exceeds 500 SMBs across hospitality, food service, legal tech, professional services, and automotive. In November 2025, cleverlohn was acquired by Integral, a Berlin-based AI-powered accounting, tax, and payroll group backed by General Catalyst, Cherry Ventures, and Puzzle Ventures (€12M raised), which is using cleverlohn as the payroll/HR arm of a broader DACH platform and actively acquiring incumbent Lohnbüros as part of a roll-up strategy.

Name

cleverlohn

Legal name

cleverlohn GmbH

Website

https://cleverlohn.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

cleverlohn is a Berlin-based provider of hybrid payroll and HR software-and-service for German SMBs (1-100+ employees), bundling a cloud HR platform with certified payroll specialists, automated validation, and DATEV integrations. Acquired by Integral in November 2025 as the payroll arm of its DACH platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Payroll and HR Services

NAICS

Payroll Services (541214), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Payroll Software & Payroll-as-a-Service (SaaS) (BPACAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Contractor Payroll, Invoicing & Payment Services (BPACAGAD)

Keywords

• Payroll processing services
• HR management software
• Employee payroll outsourcing
• Digital payroll platform
• German payroll compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Payroll Processing Service: Monthly subscription-based payroll processing service charged per employee payslip. Pricing scales with company size - smaller companies pay higher per-payslip rates while larger companies benefit from lower rates. Includes HR platform, dedicated payroll specialist, and all mandatory filings. One-time setup fees apply.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

cleverlohn provides full-service German payroll processing and HR management for small and medium businesses by combining a cloud-based HR software platform with certified payroll specialists who deliver monthly salary calculations, social security and tax filings, employee registrations, and document management. The hybrid model includes a dedicated personal contact per client, automated input validation, trial payroll checking, and integrations with DATEV and other accounting systems. Customers are billed monthly per payslip with a one-time setup fee.

Product overview

Cleverlohn offers a hybrid Payroll-Operating-System that combines a cloud-based HR software platform with managed payroll processing services delivered by certified payroll specialists. The core product (Lohnbüro & HR-Plattform) integrates payroll accounting, time tracking, master data management, document management, and employee self-service into a single platform. The HR-Plattform and Lohnabrechnungs-App serve as the software components, while the Lohn- und Gehaltsabrechnung is the service component — both delivered together as an all-in-one offering. Specialized variants target startups, small businesses, hospitality, and tax advisory firms. The company was acquired by Integral (Berlin) in November 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lohnbüro & HR-Plattform (Payroll Office and HR Platform) Hybrid digital payroll office and HR management platform that combines managed payroll processing by certified payroll specialists with a cloud HR software. Covers monthly payroll, time tracking, master data, document management, and digital approvals under a single login for German SMBs.
• Lohn- und Gehaltsabrechnung (Full-Service Payroll Processing) Full-service payroll processing including salary calculation, social security contributions, tax filings, and all mandatory employer registrations. Delivered by certified payroll specialists with a dedicated personal contact per client.
• HR-Plattform (HR Platform) Cloud-based HR platform bundled with the payroll service. Covers employee master data management, time tracking, absence management, document management, and digital approval workflows for small businesses.
• Lohnabrechnungs-App (Employee Payroll App) Employee-facing mobile and web application that gives staff access to current and past payslips, certificates, and documents, and lets them manage personal data including bank details.
• Payroll for Startups Specialized payroll package for German startup companies, scaling from first hire through 100+ employee teams without tool changes or service disruptions during funding rounds.
• Payroll for Small Businesses Payroll service tailored for German small businesses with 1-100 employees, offering a fixed personal contact, all-inclusive pricing starting from approximately €13 per payslip, and HR software included.
• Lohnabrechnung Gastronomie (Hospitality Payroll) Specialized payroll service for the German hospitality industry covering SFN shift allowances (Sunday/holiday/night surcharges), tip taxation, seasonal workers, minijobs, midijobs, and high employee turnover. Includes Gastromatic integration for time tracking.
• Payroll Services for Tax Advisors (Steuerberatungen) Payroll outsourcing service for German tax advisory firms and their clients. Includes automatic FiBu data transfer to the tax advisor's accounting system while the tax advisor retains the client relationship.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8+ hours saved per month per customer on average
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• IntegralcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2025Integral, a Berlin-based AI-powered accounting, tax, and payroll services company, acquired cleverlohn as part of its strategy to create Europe's leading AI-powered platform for accounting, tax, and payroll. cleverlohn maintains its independence while benefiting from Integral's resources and platform expansion. The acquisition enhances cleverlohn's payroll and HR capabilities within the larger DACH platform.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kenjo: Berlin-based HR and payroll SaaS for SMBs in DACH and Europe; competing head-on with cleverlohn for the same startup and small-business segment in Germany.
• Personio: Munich-based HR and payroll platform for SMBs in Europe, offering cloud HR software with integrated payroll; directly competes with cleverlohn's HR-Plattform + payroll bundle for the same German SME buyer.
• HRworks: German cloud HR and payroll SaaS provider focused on small and medium-sized businesses; offers comparable bundled HR software plus payroll services with DATEV integration, overlapping with cleverlohn's hybrid model.
• PayFit: European payroll and HR SaaS platform for SMBs with automated payroll processing; while France-headquartered, it exemplifies the digital-first payroll SaaS model cleverlohn competes against in DACH and pan-European expansion.
• rexx systems: German HR software and payroll services provider for SMBs and mid-market; offers comparable hybrid HR software plus managed payroll with a similar target customer profile.

Broad incumbents

• DATEV: Dominant German cooperative providing accounting, payroll, and tax advisory software; sets the ecosystem standard that cleverlohn integrates with and competes against for tax advisor and SMB payroll workflows.
• Lexware: Haufe-owned German accounting and payroll software suite for SMBs and freelancers; competes with cleverlohn for small-business payroll customers and is also an integration partner via its accounting stack.
• Sage HR / Sage Payroll: Global incumbent with Sage HR Payroll in Germany and DACH, targeting SMB payroll and HR; offers broader portfolio of solutions but overlaps directly with cleverlohn's payroll + HR proposition.

Emerging players

• sevdesk: German cloud accounting SaaS for freelancers and SMBs with growing payroll and HR capabilities; an integration partner today but a potential competitor as it expands into payroll automation.

Regional players

• Pento: Copenhagen-based payroll automation platform for European SMBs; not in DACH today but represents the pan-European digital payroll competitor that could enter Germany.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cleverlohn
• Instagraminstagram.com/cleverlohn
• Facebookfacebook.com/Cleverlohn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about cleverlohn