Fortnox or Visma eEkonomi: Integration Options
By CodexierPublished 6 min read
Fortnox and Visma eEkonomi are the two accounting systems most Swedish small companies choose between, and most comparisons rank them on bookkeeping features and price. Those matter less than people think, because the accounting itself is similar. What differs, and what you will live with for years, is how each connects to the webshop, the CRM, the payroll tool and the time-reporting app. This guide compares them from that angle only.
The short answer
We build against both in our integration work, so the comparison is from practice, not from feature pages.
Why integration matters when choosing
The accounting system is the last stop for data that starts elsewhere: an order in a shop, a booking in a calendar, hours in a time app, a deal in a CRM. Every one of those that is not connected becomes manual entry, and manual entry is where errors and month-end overtime come from. The question to ask is not which system has better bookkeeping, but which one will still let you connect the tool you adopt in three years without hiring a developer to build the bridge from scratch.
Ask your accountant which system they work in daily, and ask every software vendor you already use which of the two they connect to natively. Those two answers usually decide it.
APIs and documentation
| Aspect | Fortnox | Visma eEkonomi |
|---|---|---|
| API style | REST with OAuth 2.0, one API covering most objects | REST with OAuth 2.0 through Visma's developer platform |
| Developer access | Open developer portal; private integrations do not need marketplace review | Developer programme with registration; some partner-level access gated |
| Coverage | Sales, purchasing, vouchers, files, projects, registers; payroll on the right plan | Sales, purchasing, vouchers, registers; payroll via Visma's own payroll products |
| Rate limits | Per connected company, modest; plan for throttling | Per app and company; similar planning needed |
| Developer familiarity in Sweden | Very high; most agencies have built against it | Good; smaller pool of integration developers |
Both APIs are adequate for the integrations a small company needs. The difference is how many developers and ready-made apps already exist, which affects your cost and your options later.
App marketplaces
Both systems have a marketplace of ready-made connectors, and the marketplace is where most small companies should look before commissioning anything. Fortnox's is larger and includes many Swedish niche tools: industry booking systems, transport software, construction project tools. Visma's covers the mainstream well and integrates tightly with Visma's own products. The practical test is simple: list the tools you use today and the two you are considering, and check each marketplace for a maintained connector. A connector that exists and is maintained by the vendor beats any custom integration on cost and reliability.
- Check who maintains the connector: the accounting vendor, the tool vendor or a third party. Third-party connectors are the ones that go stale.
- Read the connector's field mapping. Many push invoices but not payments, or articles but not stock, and you discover the gap at month end.
- Note the price model: per company, per user or per transaction. Transaction pricing grows with your business.
Webshop, payroll and CRM connections
Webshop
Shopify and WooCommerce have connectors for both. Fortnox has more options for B2B pricing, multiple channels and stock; Visma covers standard B2C well.
Payroll
Fortnox Lön and Visma Lön each integrate best with their own accounting. If payroll is a big part of your admin, this alone can decide the choice.
CRM
HubSpot, Pipedrive and similar connect to both, usually through an integration platform or a marketplace app. Custom deal-to-invoice flows are equally feasible on either API.
Time reporting and projects
Fortnox's project and cost-centre objects are well exposed in the API; check how your time tool maps to whichever system you choose.
Supplier invoices and Peppol
Both support Peppol receipt and invoice capture; Fortnox exposes the inbox and attachments more fully to third-party tools. See our guide to what you can build on the Fortnox API.
Switching later
Companies do switch, usually at a financial year boundary with their accountant's help. Opening balances, customer and supplier registers and articles move via SIE files and exports; historic vouchers are typically archived rather than migrated; open invoices need manual attention. What people forget is the integration layer: every connected app must be reconnected to the new system, every custom integration rewritten, and every connector re-evaluated because it may not exist for the other side. Budget the integration rebuild as the largest part of a switch, not the bookkeeping migration.
When you do not need this comparison, or us: if you have no webshop, no CRM and an accountant who handles everything, either system works and no integration is needed; choose the one your accountant likes and stop reading. If you run two or more systems that should share data, book a call with your current tool list and we will tell you which side connects more cheaply; fixed prices for integration work are on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Which system do Swedish accounting firms prefer?
Both are widely used, and many firms work in both. Ask your own accountant, because their daily fluency in one system saves you more money than any feature difference. A firm that has to learn your system charges you for the learning.
Can we use Fortnox for accounting and Visma for payroll, or the other way round?
Yes, with a connector or a manual voucher import for payroll postings. It works, but each pair adds a monthly step someone owns. Staying within one family reduces that overhead, which is why payroll volume is a good tiebreaker.
Is one of them better for a webshop?
For a standard Shopify or WooCommerce shop selling to consumers, both have adequate connectors. For B2B pricing, several sales channels or stock synchronisation, Fortnox's larger set of connectors and the maturity of its API make custom or semi-custom flows easier to find and build.
How much does a custom integration between a webshop and either system cost?
It depends on how far the marketplace connector gets you and how many special rules you need on top. Standard cases are covered by an app subscription; custom work is priced as a fixed project once we have seen your order and article data. Our fixed prices for integration work are published rather than quoted case by case.
Choosing an accounting system with other tools in mind?
Send your list of current and planned tools. In fifteen minutes we tell you which system connects to them with ready-made apps, where custom work would be needed, and what that would cost.
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