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Tax Filing

Filing a German tax return can get you a significant refund — the average is over €1,000. Compare English-friendly tools with the official portal.

Easy tax filing apps

English-friendly online tax tools. Guided walkthrough, automatic calculations, and digital submission.

Recommended
Taxfix
from €39.99
Germany's #1 English tax app
100% English
Simple Q&A format — no tax knowledge needed
Average €1,072 refund
Only pay when you submit
Refund estimate before paying
Handles expat-specific cases
€39.99 fee per submission
Complex cases may need manual help
Not for freelancers/self-employed
File taxes
Wundertax
from €34.95
Affordable guided tax filing
Cheaper than Taxfix
English interface
Step-by-step guidance
Digital ELSTER submission
Good for simple returns
Less polished UX
Limited expat-specific features
Not for freelancers
File taxes
SteuerGo
from €34.95
Browser-based tax return tool
No app download needed
English available
Handles most employee cases
Pre-fill from previous year
Interface can feel dated
Less beginner-friendly
German defaults in some areas
Start filing

Official German tax portal

ELSTER is the free government portal for filing tax returns. Powerful but not beginner-friendly.

ELSTER (Mein ELSTER)
Free
Official German government tax portal
Completely free
Official government portal
Full feature set
Accepted by all Finanzamt offices
German-language only
Complex interface
Requires ELSTER certificate (setup takes days)
No guidance for beginners
Not designed for expats
Use ELSTER

Important considerations

Official routes are typically German-language only and assume existing tax knowledge:

  • ELSTER requires creating a certificate that takes 1–2 weeks to arrive by post
  • German tax forms (Einkommensteuererklärung) are notoriously complex
  • Freelancers and self-employed need a Steuerberater (tax advisor) — apps won't cover this
  • You have until 31 July of the following year to file (or 28/29 February with a tax advisor)
  • Filing is not always mandatory for employees — but you should, because most people get a refund
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