Best Tax Return Software in Germany [English & German List 2024]

Looking for tax return software to file your tax return yourself? Here is the complete guide to online tax filing programs in Germany and you can file it with English instructions using these online software.

Get Your Taxes Back

Filing your tax return is compulsory to get your taxes back at the end of the year. There are four methods to submit your tax declarations as listed;

• Online tax return softwares
• Tax professional 
• Join a Lohnsteuerhilfeverein as a member 
• Use ELSTER, the official online form

Ways to File Tax Return in Germany

Here are the ways with which you can submit and file your tax return.

• Best tax software includes online services
• To file employee income tax, sign up for a Steuerverein
• Self employed individuals can use the duty specialist to pay business tax and value-added tax
• Elster software is only available in Germany.

Tax return software allows the applicants to submit their files online but there is no need to submit documents or invoices in advance. You can submit if the authority request you later. Tax Number is needed to file your tax return and you can get it from tax authority in advance through the official Elster software.

Best Tax Return Softwares (English Interface)

Here are the five best tax return softwares that offer an English interface.

Taxando

Free tax app is available to calculate your tax refund. If the tax refund calculated is less than sixty Euros, a standard plan is available to file the tax return for free. Filing tax returns for complex situations are not allowed with the standard plan for example; freelancers, self-employed individuals, capital income, rental income, and cryptocurrency. You can use the premium plan for such scenarios and your tax advisor will check if the tax return is accurate or not.

Key Features

• Simple to use as no installation is required.
• Supports multiple languages such as English, Polish, Italian, Bulgarian, Russian, German, and Romanian.
• Standard plan is free to use on any device if tax refund is less than 60 Euros.
• Declare your international income.
• You will receive an electronic tax assessment.
• A tax advisor checks the tax return with a premium plan.
• The cost of a standard plan is 33.8 Euros and premium plan cost is 99 Euros.

WunderTax – GermanTaxes

Wundertax was established in 2015 for students to submit their tax returns online. Later, Wundertax started their services for other target groups including workers and independently employed individuals.

Key Features

• Quick, simple, and easy to use
• Pay after submission of your tax return
• Interview guidelines available.
• Calculate your tax refunds live.
• No assessment is required.
• Customer service is free and tips for English taxes are available.
• Best app for students, employees, self-employed individuals, soldiers, and police officers.
• The cost begins at 34.99 EUR

SteuerGo

Submitting your annual tax returns is easy with SteuerGo and you can use it to determine your tax refund for free. This software is very simple and easy to use as it offers free tax advice according to the information and data provided by you, so you can get maximum tax refund. You need to submit a questionnaire after which your tax refund will be displayed. If it suits you, pay the one time fee and file your tax return. Later SteuerGo will give an agenda to submit the supporting documents with your expense form.

Key Features

• Refund calculation is simple and free.
• Pay after submission of tax return.
• If you are an old applicant, transfer your previous data.
• Receive automatically
  • document checklist
  • letter templates
  • • tax assessment notice
• Support in multi languages like English, Polish, Hungarian, and other European languages.
• Accuracy guaranteed.
• Good for individuals with income from pensions or real estate, families with children, and employees.
• The price starts at 34.95 EUR.

TaxFix

This is Germany’s most downloaded software and tax app with which you can submit your tax return with a request reaction process. There are almost 70 questions to answer and you can view your tax refund. Once a tax return is submitted, you can make payment to transfer your data to the tax office by using the ELSTER interface. Taxfix does not offer support for complex tax cases such as self-employment, freelancers, income from private pensions, adult relatives receiving financial assistance, and real estate.

Key Features

• Simple and easy to file return
• Import the information into the app by taking a picture of your pay stub.
• Pay after tax return submission.
• Free tax refund estimate.
• Best software for students, families, employees, pensioners, temporary workers, officials, trainees, and expats, among other groups.
• One-time cost is 39.99 EUR, or 59.99 EUR for civil partnerships and married couples.

SmartSteuer

Lexware is an accounting software company founded in Germany in 1989 started by Smartsteuer recently. Smartsteuer was introduced in 2010 where you can view your tax assessment notice online. This software offers guidelines and templates and you can file for tax returns per year for 39.99 EUR.

Key Features

• Other than English, Smartsteuer’s connection point supports around 100 different dialects using Google Decipher (even in Chinese).
• Free estimate of your tax refund.
• Transfer your previous year’s data.
• Pay when your tax return is submitted.
• Simple and easy to use by responding to questions.
• View your notice of tax assessment online.
• Good for self-employed individuals, students, pensioners, and others
• The cost for five tax returns (in one year) is 39.99 EUR.

Best Tax Return Software (German Interface)

Here are the three best tax return softwares for people who knows German;

Wiso Steuer

Almost 2.8 million tax returns are submitted by using Wiso Steuer by employees, students, couples, homeowners, pensioners, investors, and individuals. The cost of the basic Wiso Steuer plan is 29.95 EUR for five tax returns per year. The ProfiCheck plan by Wiso Steuer offers services from a tax professional who can review your tax return accuracy and offer professional advice. The cost of the ProfiCheck plan is 128.95 EUR.

Key Features

• You can use it on any device.
• Pay after tax return submission.
• View your anticipated tax refund.
• Advice, guidance and tips are available.
• Add pictures to your tax return.
• Professional tax advisor services are available with the ProfiCheck plan.
• The prices for five tax returns filed in the same year is 29.95 EUR.

ELSTER

Electronic Scientific Discovery, or ELSTER, is an online software to submit your German tax return online for free and is only available in Germany. It is bit difficult to use because of the tax forms you need to submit. ELSTER provides explanations but you must have understanding about the tax language and terms used in this explanation..

Key Features

• Instructions are available.
• Easy to input tax return data
• Tax calculations are available
• Free to use and prepare tax return
• Easy online registration

TaxMan

Lexware is an accounting software company established in 1989 in Germany established by Taxman that has a lot of features to proceed and submit complex tax returns including income from self-employment, investment capital gain, and income from real estate.

Key Features

• Installation is necessary
• Verification of the accuracy of your data.
• Checklists and tax-saving tips.
• Upload and manage your documents
• Transfer your previous year’s data.
• Free customer service is available.
• Suitable for employees, students, job seekers, families, investors, landlords, homeowners, commuters across borders, retirees, self-employed individuals, and others
• Receive tax assessment notice online.
• The cost for five tax returns filed in the same year is 29.9 EUR.

Conclusion

These English and German softwares to file tax returns have made it easier to submit tax returns without any hussle. Taxfix  is an amazing software for regular employees and Wundertax is used for all categories. It is your choice which software you use, but remember the features mentioned in this guide to make an informed decision. All the best to file your tax return!