Tax Software
smartsteuer: features, pricing and who it fits
A browser-based German product with a flat €39.99 per tax year, paid at submission, that covers up to five filings. Vendor pages list a guided EÜR, Umsatzsteuererklärung and Gewerbesteuererklärung, and EÜR data transfers automatically from Lexware Office. No Steuerberater option is stated, and some reviewers report slow support.
Who smartsteuer is for
Best for
- Selbstständige and side-business owners who want a flat €39.99 per tax year including business returns
- Lexware Office users who want EÜR data transferred automatically
- Households sharing one fee across up to five filings in the same tax year
Look elsewhere if
- Buyers who want a Steuerberater option inside the product (none stated)
- People who want to file directly in ELSTER for free
smartsteuer features
- Tax market
- Germany (transmission to the Finanzamt, not direct ELSTER account)
- Self-employed return support
- Yes: guided Einnahmen-Überschuss-Rechnung for self-employed, side-business freelancers and landlords; Anlage S and Anlage G not named on the pages read
- Business entity returns
- Einkommensteuererklärung, Umsatzsteuererklärung, Gewerbesteuererklärung and gesonderte (einheitliche) Feststellung listed; Umsatzsteuer-Voranmeldung not named
- E-filing to IRS or ELSTER
- Online transmission to the Finanzamt via an interface; vendor says filing directly in ELSTER is not required
- Data import
- Prior-year data transfer; automatic import of Einnahmen, Ausgaben and Belege from Lexware Office; no general bank import stated
- Expert or Steuerberater help
- No Steuerberater option stated; email support (hilfe@smartsteuer.de) and a SmartCheck review before submission
- Pricing model
- €39.99 per tax year, paid at submission, not refund-based
- Target company size
- Employees, students, retirees, Selbstständige and Kleingewerbe; no Kapitalgesellschaften stated
smartsteuer pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steuererklärung (Einkommensteuer, incl. business returns) | €39.99 | per tax year; up to 5 filings for the same year | Includes betriebliche Steuererklärungen, support and a check before submission; paid only at submission; a fee per extra tax year |
| Lexware Office combo | €19.99 at submission for the first return (50% off) | first return | Plus Lexware Office free for 6 months; automatic data transfer from Lexware Office |
EUR as published on smartsteuer.de/online/preis/ (checked 2026-11-02). Free to try, pay when filing. Fee is not based on the refund. Joint assessment price not stated separately.
Prices as published by smartsteuer on the date above. Quotes for larger teams often differ, which is what a request on SaaSBid surfaces.
Integrations, security and hosting
- Security and compliance
- Vendor shows ELSTER and 'saved secure' seals; hosting location not stated on pages read
- Implementation
- Browser-based, no download
Worth knowing before you buy
- Flat €39.99 per tax year covers up to five filings for that year, so the fee can be shared; each additional tax year is charged again
- Business returns (Umsatzsteuererklärung, Gewerbesteuererklärung, gesonderte Feststellung) are listed within the same price
- Lexware Office combo: 50% off the first return and 6 months Lexware Office free, with automatic EÜR data transfer
- No Steuerberater option stated, unlike Taxfix Expert
smartsteuer alternatives
Vendor dossier
Fit by company size
| Category | 1-10 people | 11-50 people | 51-500 people | 500+ people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tax Software | Strong fit | Workable | No data | No data |
Strong fitWorkablePoor fitNo data from the vendor
How buying smartsteuer works
- How you buy
- Buy online
- Contract
- No subscription; pay when submitting
Switching to smartsteuer
Official ways to bring your data over, as documented by smartsteuer:
- From Lexware Office: automatic data transfer of Einnahmen, Ausgaben and Belege
Support and integrations
- Support
- Free email support included in the fee (hilfe@smartsteuer.de); no Steuerberater option stated.
- Notable integrations
- Lexware Office
What vendors in this category ask before quoting
Answer these once in a SaaSBid request and smartsteuer and its alternatives quote against the same facts.
- Which country will the return be filed in, and are you also filing in a second one?Tax software serves one market, so a two-country setup usually needs two products.
- Are you a sole proprietor, freelancer, LLC, partnership or corporation?Entity type decides which edition and which forms are required.
- Is your VAT or Umsatzsteuer status small-business exempt or regular?Some German products cover only exempt or simple cases and treat VAT-liable users separately.
- How many returns and how many states or businesses do you need to file?Per-state fees and limits on returns per license change the total price.
- Do you want a person to review or prepare the return, or only software?Expert tiers cost more and can be priced per entity or as a share of a refund.
- If you run a tax firm: how many clients and staff do you have, and do you keep DATEV?Client bands, included users and the DATEV interface decide which plan and which add-ons are needed.