LEXinform

LEXinform is a professional research database for current tax and business information, best suited to advisers whose work already runs through DATEV. Its broad legal collection and cross-database search make it a strong reference tool, but DATEV authentication and LEXchat’s partial coverage narrow its appeal.

Overview

LEXinform classic brings together tax laws, administrative guidance, case law, pending proceedings, EU law, practical tools and other tax materials. Comfort expands the scope to personnel management, commercial and civil law, and business administration, so it is the better fit when advisory work crosses into business topics; classic keeps the focus on tax research.

Cross-content search returns targeted results sorted by relevance. Within the DATEV Wissensplattform, a single query can also search LEXinform alongside partner databases from NWB and Haufe. That is useful for advisers who work across these collections, though protected documents require DATEV SmartLogin or DATEV mIDentity/SmartCard—a real hurdle for users who need access without DATEV credentials.

Key features

LEXchat

LEXinform plus adds AI-assisted research across LEXinform comfort and DATEV Verlagsmedien comfort, with answers that reference the sources used. The references support follow-up checking, but the tool does not cover the full collection: DATEV says approximately 300,000 of approximately 600,000 documents are currently available for LEXchat research. DATEV also directs users to check AI output for suitability, accuracy and completeness, and warns against entering personal, professionally protected or other particularly sensitive data. LEXchat is therefore an aid to research, not a substitute for checking the underlying material.

Mobile access and support

LEXinform comfort can be used online on smartphones and tablets as well as in the user’s usual DATEV environment. DATEV provides a service contact and telephone support at 0800 3283825, useful for users who need help with access or the service.

Pricing

The pricing model is freemium. The DATEV Basis-Angebot Zusatzmodul LEXinform comfort costs €14.80 a month, billed monthly, for DATEV Basis-Angebot users; LEXinform classic is included. It is the clearest entry point for existing Basis-Angebot customers who want comfort’s wider business coverage.

LEXinform classic and LEXinform comfort have custom pricing. Classic suits tax-focused research, while comfort adds personnel management, commercial and civil law, EU law and business information. DATEV LEXinform plus also has custom pricing, requires LEXinform comfort, and includes LEXchat and DATEV Verlagsmedien comfort. A 50% discount applies for 2026; the published offer does not give a price or further discount terms.

Platforms

LEXinform is offered on web, Windows, Android and iOS. Comfort’s online smartphone and tablet access makes it practical to consult away from a desktop, while protected documents still depend on DATEV authentication.

Who it's for

LEXinform is a good match for tax and business advisers who need a substantial legal reference collection and already use DATEV credentials. Comfort is especially relevant to practices whose research extends into personnel, commercial and civil law or business administration. DATEV education partners should look elsewhere for LEXchat: LEXinform plus is not approved for them, and learners cannot use it on education partnership platforms.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Classic covers laws, guidance, case law, pending proceedings, EU law and practical tools, giving tax professionals several kinds of reference material in one database.
• Pro: Comfort adds business and legal topics beyond tax, and the DATEV Wissensplattform can search partner databases from NWB and Haufe in the same query.
• Pro: LEXchat provides source references and includes DATEV Verlagsmedien comfort, broadening AI-assisted research for eligible users.
• Con: DATEV credentials are required for protected documents, limiting access for advisers outside that authentication setup.
• Con: LEXchat currently covers about half of the roughly 600,000 documents, and its responses require checking for accuracy and completeness.
• Con: LEXinform plus is unavailable to DATEV education partners, even though LEXchat may be attractive for research.

Alternatives

Explore the Tax Research Software category to compare other tax research options. FinRace AI is worth considering if a free plan and support across Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows matter more than DATEV’s legal-reference collection. Instead suits readers looking for a web platform with a free plan, unlimited users and entities, and multi-entity support. TaxPlead is another free-plan option, with a daily AI-token allowance and basic GST and income-tax research.

Bizora AI may fit teams that prefer prepaid API research, with a stated $0.24, paid once for a straightforward question and no monthly minimum or contract. Croner-i Tax is an alternative web tax product with package options available on request. Taxsutra, Bloomberg Tax and Tax Analysts Research are also paid web alternatives; Bloomberg Tax and Tax Analysts Research use custom pricing.

Verdict

Choose LEXinform if you are a professional adviser who needs a broad tax reference database, or comfort’s additional business and legal coverage, within a DATEV workflow. Its collection, relevance-sorted search and partner-database integration are compelling strengths. Look elsewhere if you cannot use DATEV authentication, need LEXchat to search the full document collection, or are a DATEV education partner seeking AI research access.