Editor's Review
DATEV SmartLogin exists for one narrow job: proving that you are you when you sign in to DATEV's cloud services. It is the smartphone alternative to the DATEV SmartCard and the USB security stick, aimed at tax advisers, accounting firms and the client businesses working alongside them. You register the app once against a DATEV account, and from then on it handles the login step for services such as DATEV Unternehmen online.
Because this is a security tool rather than a productivity tool, there is almost nothing to explore inside it. The app holds your credential, asks for a PIN or a fingerprint, and then approves or rejects a sign-in attempt. Setup is the part that takes effort, and it usually runs through your tax adviser or the DATEV administrator at your firm rather than being something you complete on your own.
The 3.62 average reflects that reality. Reviews cluster around activation trouble, device changes and the chore of re-registering after replacing a handset, which is the same pattern you see with most banking and enterprise authenticators. Set up correctly it stays out of the way; when something breaks, you need a support contact rather than a settings menu.
Features
Smartphone credential for signing in to DATEV cloud applications
PIN or biometric confirmation on each approval
Replacement for the DATEV SmartCard and USB security stick
Guided registration linked to an existing DATEV account
One registered device covers several DATEV services
Pros
No card reader or USB token to carry around
Approving a login takes seconds once registration is finished
Free to download, with the cost sitting in the underlying DATEV contract
Cons
Registration depends on your firm's DATEV administrator rather than on you
Switching to a new phone means working through activation again
Questions people ask
Who is this app for?
People who already use DATEV software or services in Germany, meaning tax advisers, accounting practices and their client companies. Without a DATEV account there is nothing the app can do.
Can I use it instead of a SmartCard?
Yes, that is the point of it. The credential lives on your phone in place of the physical card or USB stick, so no reader hardware is needed.
What happens if the phone is lost?
The credential has to be blocked and re-issued through DATEV or your firm's administrator. Plan for that process rather than assuming a phone backup will restore it.
