How to (Easily!) File Tax Return in Germany for Under €50!

Last updated on February 23rd, 2022 at 10:15 pm

Need to file your annual German tax return soon? Make your expat taxes in Germany easy with these intuitive German tax return software. Learn more in this post.

LAST UPDATED in FEB 2022 – Latest Trustpilot ratings added to the products. 

In one of my older posts, I compared the three most popular ways expats can get help with their online tax returns in Germany. Outsourcing your German tax return to a Steuerberater is the safest (and most expensive) way of filing a tax return in Germany. Thankfully, there are some cheaper alternatives for dealing with expat tax returns in Germany.

In this post, I will introduce you to some popular online German tax return software and apps which also make it possible to file your tax return in Germany in English.

Head to Head Comparison of German Tax Return Software

1. SteuerGo

SteuerGo is an online German tax return software offered by a Berlin-based fintech company. It allows tax noobs to quickly complete and submit their income tax return in Germany.

The biggest plus of SteuerGo is that it is not only available in German and English but also Polish, Russian, Hungarian and other European languages. They also have a customer support team in English which makes it very friendly and convenient for non-native German speakers.

SteuerGo is suitable for most taxpayer categories in Germany (Mantelbogen, Anlagen N, Kind, KAP, VOR , AV, G, S, R, SO, V).

This smart online tax software knows the German tax regulations and laws inside out and automatically gives individual tax tips for the highest refund.

This simple German online tax return software is completely free of charge until the tax return is submitted. A fee is due only when you submit the German tax return.

Key features of SteuerGo

LANGUAGES SUPPORTED BY SteuerGo.

• English, German, Polish, Russian, Hungarian and several other European languages
• English customer service with Steuergo Plus

WHO CAN USE SteuerGo? 

• Single or Married Salaried Employees
• Landlords or Homeowners
• Pensioners or Retirees
• Students, Interns and Trainees

HOW DOES SteuerGo WORK?

• Register for free with SteuerGo
• Answer the simple German tax return questionnaire
• Use custom tax tips based on your information for a maximum German tax refund
• Easily transfer the data from the previous year’s tax returns
• Pay only when you submit the tax return
• Continue working with your data from the trial version once you upgrade to SteuerGo Plus.
• Submit your German tax return electronically to the Finanzamt

HOW MUCH DOES SteuerGo COST?

• SteuerGo offers a free trial. You pay only when you decide to submit your tax return in Germany.
• SteuerGo costs 34,95 € for one German income tax declaration.

Click here to file an online German tax return in English with SteuerGo

2. smartsteuer

smartsteuer is another excellent and affordable online German tax return software. It can be used in practically any language, thanks to the integrated Google translations.

smartsteuer is ideally suited for singles, families, trainees, students, pensioners, the self-employed and business people.

Self-employed individuals can also report income from freelancing or sole trading, add an income surplus calculation (Einnahmenüberschussrechnung/EÜR), trade tax return, sales tax return for their income tax return in Germany.

Key features of smartsteuer

LANGUAGES SUPPORTED BY smartsteuer.

• English, German plus multiple languages
• English customer service

WHO CAN USE smartsteuer? 

• Single or Married Salaried Employees
• Freelancers or Sole Traders
• Landlords or Homeowners
• Pensioners or Retirees
• Students, Interns and Trainees

HOW DOES smartsteuer WORK?

• Register for free with smartsteuer. You can also create an account at a later stage.
• Answer the simple German tax return questionnaire
• Use custom tax tips based on your information for a maximum German tax refund
• Easily transfer the data from the previous year’s tax returns
• Pay only when you submit the tax return
• Complete processing of your German tax declaration and transfer to your local tax office
• Access your tax assessment online as soon as the Finanzamt has processed your tax return in Germany.

HOW MUCH DOES smartsteuer COST?

• smartsteuer offers a free trial. You pay only when you decide to submit your tax return in Germany.
• smartsteuer costs 34,95 € for FIVE German income tax declarations.

Click here to file your German income tax return now with smartsteuer 

NOTE: Are you a sole trader or freelancer in Germany? There are tax filing tools specific to your requirements.

Click here to learn more on how to file tax return as a freelancer in Germany. 

3. Taxfix

Taxfix is a German online tax return app available in English, German, Italian and French. It helps users by asking the most relevant questions, saving their time and getting back the maximum refund.

Taxfix app itself and calculating German tax returns are free of charge. A fee is due only when submitting a tax return. The submission of the tax return with Taxfix is free of charge if you are not obliged to submit it to the tax office.

Taxfix is most suitable for salaried employees, students, families, expats in Germany, however, self-employed taxpayers cannot use this German tax return software.

Key features of Taxfix

LANGUAGES SUPPORTED BY Taxfix.

• English, German, Italian and French
• English customer service

WHO CAN USE Taxfix? 

• Single or Married Salaried Employees
• Landlords or Homeowners
• Pensioners or Retirees
• Students, Interns and Trainees

HOW DOES Taxfix WORK?

• Start your German tax declaration via app or browser
• Register for free and without obligation
• Follow the easy inquiry-response process
• Answer the tax return question with the help of live tax tips
• Calculate your refund
• File your taxes quick and safely

HOW MUCH DOES Taxfix COST?

• Taxfix offers a free trial. You pay 34.99€ only when the calculated refund is more than 50€ or you are obligated to file a German tax return.
• If you were employed in Kurzarbeit (short-time work due to Corona restrictions) in 2020 or 2021 you can use Taxfix for €19.99.

Click here to file your German tax return with Taxfix now

4. Other ways to file Annual German Tax Return

If you’re unsure about using German tax return software to file your expat taxes in Germany, then you still have other options.

Read more about joining Lohnsteuerhilfeverein (or hiring a Steuerberater in Germany)

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So this is how you can file your own income tax declaration using these German tax return software. Are you also a tax-paying expat in Germany? How do you file your annual tax return in Germany? Let us know in the comments below!