e-conomic vs. Dinero: Which One Is Best for Your Online Store?

e-conomic or Dinero: Here's the Difference for an Online Store

e-conomic and Dinero are two of the accounting programs used by many online stores, and in Shoporama, both can import orders using a free app. The difference lies in how the order is recorded in the accounting system, how sales tax and payments are posted, how customers are managed, and what features you need from the provider.

This comparison is based on how the two apps in Shoporama handle the online store’s orders. It does not cover the programs’ other features, packages, or pricing. You can find that information on the e-conomic and Dinero websites.

In short: which one is right for you?

• e-conomic is right for you if you sell to both individuals and businesses, or to many countries, and want to manage customer groups, payment terms, and invoice layouts. The app can transfer the order as soon as it’s created and sets up your item numbers in e-conomic.
• Dinero is suitable for smaller online stores that want sales and payments posted to the correct accounts without modifying the order. The app records the payment by payment method, verifies the amount before posting, and can attach the online store’s invoice as a PDF.

If you or your bookkeeper already use one of these, it’s almost always the right choice. Both apps are free in Shoporama, so choosing one won’t cost you anything extra with us.

Comparison: How Orders Are Processed in e-conomic and Dinero

The table shows only e-conomic and Dinero. Billy, Uniconta, and Business Central are included alongside them in the comparison of all five accounting programs.

VAT and OSS when selling abroad

Both apps distinguish between sales in Denmark, sales to businesses in other EU countries with a valid VAT number, and exports outside the EU. In Shoporama, the VAT number is checked against the EU’s VIES register before the order is made VAT-exempt. Read more in Reverse Charge and VIES Validation.

• e-conomic assigns a VAT zone based on the customer’s country, so that sales in Denmark, sales to businesses in the EU, sales to private customers in other EU countries, and exports are handled separately. Private customers in other EU countries are assigned a VAT zone per country, and how VAT is posted depends on your setup in e-conomic. There is also an option for Norwegian VOEC.
• Dinero posts sales to the accounts you select in the app: sales with and without VAT, sales to businesses in the EU, sales outside the EU, and shipping. If you’re registered for OSS, you select two OSS accounts for sales to private individuals in other EU countries. Which account the sale is posted to is determined by the country of delivery and whether the line item includes VAT.

If you sell items with 0% VAT alongside items with VAT—such as newspapers or items in the “VAT-Exempt” category —there is also a difference. The Dinero app posts the 0% portion of shipping and discounts without VAT. The e-conomic app does not break down shipping and discounts by rate, so in this case, the invoice should be saved as a draft so you can correct it before it is posted.

Payments and Reconciliation

The biggest difference in day-to-day use is how payments are handled.

• Dinero records payments in a separate account for each payment method: card, MobilePay, ViaBill, Anyday, Klarna, PayPal, and in-store cash payments. The invoice is marked as paid, while orders on invoice, with an EAN number, or via bank transfer may remain marked as unpaid until the funds are received. A draft invoice will not have the payment recorded.
• The e-conomic app does not record payments by payment method. It assigns separate payment terms and invoice layouts to orders paid by card, invoice, or EAN, and you handle the actual payment processing in e-conomic.

Payment providers deduct their fees before the funds reach your bank account. With one account per payment method in Dinero, it’s easier to reconcile each payment, but you must post the payments and fees yourself in both programs. Payment status is a one-way process: if you mark an invoice as paid in the accounting system, it does not affect the order in Shoporama.

Customers, Products, and Credit Memos

• Customers. In e-conomic, you decide how to identify a customer: by phone number, by the customer number from the online store, or with a single fixed account number for all orders. Private and business customers can each be assigned their own customer group. The Dinero app finds the customer by email and otherwise creates a contact with name, address, phone number, and email; for businesses, it also includes the CVR number, EAN number, and contact person. If you select financial documents in Dinero, no contacts are created.
• Items. The e-conomic app creates your item numbers with names in e-conomic so you can view sales by item. The Dinero app does not create any items. The line items appear as text with the item name and item number.
• Credit Memos. Both apps automatically transfer credit entries from the returns center and from credit memos you create on the order. In e-conomic, the credit memo is imported as negative product lines, but promotional discounts and discount codes are not included, so check the amount if the customer used a discount code. In Dinero, the credit memo is linked to the original invoice and always has the same amount as the credit entry in Shoporama. Read more in Credit Memos and Refunds.
• Verification before posting. The Dinero app compares amounts and sales tax with the order and leaves the invoice as a draft if they differ. The e-conomic app does not perform this check, so if you want to be sure, you can leave the invoices as drafts for the first few weeks.

What do e-conomic and Dinero require from the provider?

• e-conomic requires an e-conomic subscription and an API key, which you create in e-conomic and enter into the app.
• Dinero requires Dinero Pro, because Dinero’s API can only be used with Pro. You connect the app by logging in with your Dinero account, and the login remains valid for one year at a time. A reminder appears in the app’s settings 30 days before it expires.

Both apps are free in Shoporama. You can find the current subscription prices on the e-conomic and Dinero websites.

Switch accounting programs without having to post orders twice

You can switch from e-conomic to Dinero, or vice versa. You’ll need to coordinate the transfer of the actual accounting data—such as balances and open entries—with your bookkeeper or accountant. From the online store’s perspective, here’s how to avoid confusion in your accounting:

1. Choose a transition date that you can explain to your accountant, such as the 1st of the month.
2. Deactivate the old system before activating the new one. Otherwise, you risk having the same orders posted in two places.
3. Leave the old orders where they are. Orders that have already been transferred won’t be moved. The Dinero app only transfers orders from before installation if you label them “dinero-pending.” The e-conomic app does not have this limitation: an older order that, for example, is paid or shipped after the switch can be transferred. Therefore, keep an eye out for the “e-conomic-ok” label on orders from before the switch.
4. Issue credit memos in the correct program. A credit memo belongs in the same program as the invoice. The Dinero app only transfers credit memos for orders it has transferred itself, and adds a note to the credit memo if it cannot do so. The e-conomic app transfers all credit memos, including those for orders in the old program. Create the credit memo in the program where the original invoice is located, and check credit memos for older orders after the migration.

You can track the status of each order using order labels.

And what about Billy and Uniconta?

• Billy, now called Shine Regnskab, works similarly to Dinero: the order becomes an invoice or a financial document with the online store’s invoice as a PDF; the payment is recorded in an account based on the payment method; and credit memos are linked to the invoice. The Billy app requires Billy’s Plus or Complete subscription. Billy does not support OSS VAT rates, so if you’re registered for OSS and check the “Registered for OSS” box, orders with VAT for private customers in other EU countries will be saved as drafts. See the online store with Billy.
• Uniconta generates sales orders that you invoice yourself, and it’s well-suited for B2B. Customers are identified by their CVR number or email address; business orders are imported with prices excluding VAT, and the line items are linked to your product numbers. API access may incur an additional fee with Uniconta. See the online store with Uniconta and the Uniconta entry in the glossary.

When the online store grows: Business Central and ERP

If you need to consolidate accounting, sales, purchasing, and inventory into a single system, many companies consider an ERP system such as Business Central or Uniconta. This is a bigger decision than choosing an accounting program, and most companies make it in consultation with a partner.

If your business runs Business Central online, there’s also a free app for it. It posts the sales invoice along with the payment and the online store’s invoice as a PDF, or creates a sales order that you can generate from Business Central. From the online store’s perspective, the main difference from e-conomic is that the Business Central app can post sales to your inventory items, so the inventory in Business Central is updated in real time; it records the payment by payment method; and it verifies the amount against the order. However, it saves OSS sales with a rate other than 25% as a draft, while the e-conomic app sets a VAT zone for each EU country. Learn more at Web Store with Business Central.

Frequently Asked Questions About e-conomic and Dinero

What is the difference between e-conomic and Dinero for an online store?

With the e-conomic app, the order becomes an invoice or a sales order; the customer is identified by phone number or customer number (if you choose that option); and your item numbers are created in e-conomic. With the Dinero app, the order becomes an invoice or a financial document; the customer is identified by email; the payment is recorded by payment method; and the amount is verified against the order before being posted to the books. Both apps are free in Shoporama.

Is e-conomic or Dinero best for an online store?

It depends on the store. If you sell a lot to businesses, want customer groups, payment terms, and invoice layouts by order type, or want your product codes in your accounting, e-conomic is the better choice. If you want payments posted by payment method, the amount verified before posting, and the online store’s invoice as a supporting document, Dinero is the better choice. If your bookkeeper already uses one of them, go with that one.

How much does it cost to connect the online store to e-conomic or Dinero?

Both apps are free in Shoporama. The e-conomic app requires a subscription with e-conomic, and the Dinero app requires Dinero Pro, because Dinero’s API can only be used with Pro. You can find the current prices for the subscriptions on the e-conomic and Dinero websites.

Can both e-conomic and Dinero handle OSS VAT?

Yes, but in different ways. The e-conomic app provides private customers in other EU countries with a separate VAT zone per country, and the VAT is posted according to your setup in e-conomic. The Dinero app posts the sale and the foreign VAT to two OSS accounts that you select in the app.

Is the payment recorded automatically?

In Dinero, yes. The payment is recorded in one account per payment method, so the invoice appears as paid, while orders on an invoice or with an EAN number may appear as unpaid. A draft order does not have the payment recorded. The e-conomic app does not record the payment. It assigns separate payment terms to orders paid by card and orders on an invoice or with an EAN, and you handle the payment entry in e-conomic.

Is the online store’s invoice included as an attachment?

With the Dinero app, you can transfer the order as a financial document with the online store’s invoice attached as a PDF. The e-conomic app does not attach the online store’s invoice, but the online store’s order number appears on the invoice in e-conomic, so you can locate the order.

Can I switch from Dinero to e-conomic, or vice versa?

Yes. You’ll need to coordinate the transfer of the actual accounting records with your bookkeeper or accountant. Deactivate the old system before activating the new one to ensure orders aren’t posted in two places, and choose a transition date, such as the 1st of the month. Orders that have already been transferred will remain in the old program. The Dinero app only imports orders from before installation if you mark them as “Dinero-pending,” while the e-conomic app can import an older order if, for example, it’s sent after the switch.

What about Billy and Uniconta?

Billy, now called Shine Regnskab, is similar to Dinero in terms of invoices or financial documents, payments by payment method, and credit memos linked to invoices; the app requires Billy’s Plus or Complete subscription. Uniconta creates sales orders that you invoice yourself and is well-suited for B2B. Both apps are free in Shoporama.

When should the online store use Business Central instead?

When the company manages its finances, inventory, and purchasing in Microsoft’s online ERP system, Business Central. In that case, Shoporama’s free Business Central app can post the sales invoice along with the payment, or create a sales order and post the sale to your inventory. Switching to an ERP system is a major decision that most companies make in collaboration with a partner.

Get started with bookkeeping

If you use e-conomic, read about setting up an online store with e-conomic and the guide “Set Up e-conomic Integration.” If you use Dinero, read about setting up an online store with Dinero, the Dinero integration, and the guide “Set Up Dinero Integration.” You can install both apps under Integrations, Apps in Shoporama.

If you’re not a customer yet, you can create an online store and try it out for yourself, or see how the platforms handle accounting in “Best Online Store Platform.” Questions? Email support@shoporama.dk.