Remember the days of cringing at the thought of your tax return? Well, guess what? They are over. Thanks to the best tax return software in Germany, you can file your tax return 100% digitally in as little as 15 minutes.
Here are our picks for the best tax return software in Germany this year. All listed software providers offer their services in English and cost less than 40 euros.
- SteuerGo: Great if you’re employed or self-employed. They offer their services in English and 6 other Eastern European languages like Russian and Romanian. With the plus option, they forward all your data to the German tax office.
- Taxfix: A great option if you’re employed. Through their intuitive app, you can take pictures of your documents and upload them directly. They’re available in English, French, and Italian.
- Smartsteuer: Great for both employed or self-employed. It allows you to file up to 5 tax declarations a year.
- Zasta: A great option for employed individuals who want a tax consultant to take care of their taxes. Through the app, you upload your documents, and a tax consultant reviews them and sends you a quote. If you accept it, they will proceed to file your tax declaration. Currently, it’s only available in German.
- Taxando: Great for employed or self-employed. The unique selling point is that if your case gets more complex, they provide you with the ability to consult a tax consultant. They offer their services in English, Polish, Russian, Bulgarian, Romanian, and Italian.
- MyExpatTaxes: A tailored option for USA Citizens. They can help you file your taxes both in Germany and the USA. Great for employed and self-employed individuals.
| SteuerGo | Taxfix | smartsteuer | Zasta | Taxando | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Website & Support |  | | |  | |
| No. of Tax Returns per Year | 1 | 1 | 5 | Individual | 1 |
| Suited for Self-Employed | | | | | |
| Free Trial & Tax Calculation | | | | | |
| Estimated Time for Completion | 20 mins | 22 mins | <60 mins | 3 mins | 15 mins |
| Data Transfer from previous Year | | | | Individual | |
| Cost | €34,95 | €39,99 | €39,99 | Individual | €33,80 |
How do you get your taxes back in Germany?
To get some of your taxes back in Germany, you need to file a tax return at the end of the calendar year. We have written a detailed guide on how you can submit your tax declaration in Germany in which we outline four possible ways:
1. Use a tax return online software
2. Use a tax consultant
3. Become a member of a Lohnsteuerhilfeverein
4. Use ELSTER – the official German tax authorities online form
In this guide, we will focus on the best online tax return software in Germany.
Which is the best tax return software in Germany?
Every tax return software listed below does what they are supposed to; however, some have limitations, while others have useful add-ons. Take a look and choose the software provider that best fits your needs.
And for all of you US expats, keep reading until the end, where we highlight tax software to file your taxes in the US as well.
1. SteuerGo
SteuerGo calculates your tax return online for free. It’s a great choice for employed and self-employed.
Once you decide to upgrade to SteuerGo Plus to submit your tax return, it forwards your data and documents reliably to the tax office via the official ELSTER system. The functions of the tax software are intuitive and easy to use. Should you have any questions or need help, you can contact the English customer service. SteuerGo is also available in Russian and four other Eastern European languages. SteuerGo Plus costs 34,95 euros per tax return.
SteuerGo Benefits:
✅ Free trial
✅ 2 tax returns per tax year included
✅ No installation needed
✅ Works on all devices – Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, and Android
✅ Easy data entry
✅ Data transfer from the previous year
✅ Checklist for tax documents
✅ Verification of the entries
✅ Customer support in English by phone and email
✅ Customized tax tips
✅ Supports complex situations such as: self-employed, income abroad or from property, pensions, married with children, etc..
✅ Tax return in 20 minutes
2. Taxfix
Taxfix is another German Fintech company striving to make peoples’ lives easier when it comes to taxes. Taxfix differentiates itself by offering an intuitive app. You can photograph documents to upload their information to the app. With an interview-style questionnaire, you can submit your tax declaration in 22 minutes. Taxfix is available in English, French, and Italian, however, only for employees. It does not support self-employed or other complex situations. It costs 19,99 euros if you have been on Kurzarbeit. Otherwise, the price is 39,99 euros for one person or 59,99 euros for married couples.
Taxfix Benefits:
✅ Free tax calculation
✅ No installation needed
✅ Intuitive app with photo option to upload your documents
✅ Easy data entry interchangeable between phone and desktop
✅ Data transfer from the previous year
✅ Customer support in English, French, and Italian
✅ Customized interview questions to save time
✅ Tax return in 22 minutes
Taxfix Drawbacks:
⛔️ Does not support more complex taxes from self-employment or rental property income
3. Smartsteuer
Smartsteuer is available in 58 languages (by integrated Google translations), so you might even be able to file your taxes in your mother tongue. Smartsteuer also offers a free tax calculator, where you can enter all of your data. Should you wish to proceed and use smartsteuer to file your tax return, you can transfer your data to a free user account and then pay for submitting your files in less than an hour.
Smartsteuer costs 39,99 euros and includes five tax returns per same tax year, making it a great tool to also file taxes for other family members in Germany.
Smartsteuer Benefits:
✅ Free trial
✅ 5 tax returns per year included
✅ No installation needed
✅ Works on all devices – Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, and Android
✅ Simple language with detailed explanations
✅ High TÜV approved data security
✅ Data transfer from the previous year
✅ Verification of the entries
✅ Customer support in English via email
✅ Customized tax tips
✅ Supports complex situations such as: self-employed, income abroad or from property, pensions, married with children, etc..
✅ Compares tax return to actual tax assessment received
✅ Tax return in less than 60 minutes
4. Zasta
Zasta is a different kind of tax software, as it serves as a platform to connect you to a professional tax advisor. You can enter your details on Zasta for free and you will get a pre-calculated tax return offer from a tax consultant. Once you accept the offer, the tax consultant will handle your tax return. You can also reject the offer at no cost to you.
The fee for the tax advisor is very individual and there is no average range or percentage. It usually gets subtracted from the tax return you will receive. Therefore Zasta offers a very smooth, easy, and free service to get you more money in your bank account. Currently, Zasta is only available in German and for employees. However, they are working on adding other languages and services for self-employed as well.
Zasta Benefits:
✅ Free tax calculation from a professional tax advisor
✅ No installation needed
✅ Works on all devices – Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, and Android
✅ Easy data entry
✅ Tax calculation in 3 minutes
✅ No tax knowledge necessary
✅ Maximum returns through a professional tax advisor
✅ Up to 4 years retroactively possible
✅ Tax calculation in 3 minutes
✅ Supports employees, students, or apprentices
Zasta Drawbacks:
⛔️ Currently only website in German
⛔️ Does not support freelancers and self-employed yet
⛔️ Does not support income generated abroad yet
5. Taxando
Taxando also offers an intuitive app in English, Polish, Russian, Bulgarian, Romanian, and Italian. You can upload or photograph your employment tax statement and start adding your details. Taxando’s unique feature is the ability to consult a tax adviser if your situation is more complex. The standard version costs 33,80 euros per tax declaration, and the Steuer++ with individual tax advice starts at 99 euros per tax declaration.
Taxando Benefits:
✅ Free tax calculation
✅ No installation needed
✅ Works on all devices – Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, and Android
✅ Easy data entry
✅ Intuitive app with photo option to upload your documents
✅ Easy data entry interchangeable between phone and desktop
✅ Data transfer from the previous year
✅ Customer support in English, Spanish, and Italian
✅ Customized tax tips
✅ Tax return in 18 minutes
✅ Option to consult tax adviser
You can benefit from a 10 euros discount on the Standard package with this promo code: 9434A
Bonus: MyExpatTaxes for US Citizens
If you are a US citizen living in Germany, next to declaring your taxes in Germany, you will also have to file them in the US every year. MyExpatTaxes is the No. 1 software to do so. Whether your situation is simple or complex, MyExpatTaxes can handle it all. You can get a free Stimulus calculation, and choose from four different pricing and service packages, starting at 149 euros.
Conclusion
Filing your tax return has never been easier thanks to these new-age software providers and apps. For regular employees, Taxfix had the best usability during my test, whereas SteuerGo is the most versatile option supporting almost all taxpayer categories.
Disclaimer: Neither myself as the author of this article, nor Simple Germany as a business, are qualified to provide tax advice under German law. We cannot provide specialist tax services beyond any of the general tips contained herein. For tax advice, we strongly recommend you consult a professional tax consultant.
