Every European personal tax filing app reviewed
Baar, Switzerland
CHF 0.- per year for taxpayers (etax.ch pricing section)
Demo on request
Best for: Swiss taxpayers in canton Zurich who want a free online return
eTax is a Swiss online tax return from Ringler Informatik AG in Baar, and the etax.ch pricing section states CHF 0.- per year for taxpayers. The package covers a check assistant, import of prior-year data, online submission, receipt scanning with the Snapshare app and support.
The operator says it launched the first tax return software in Switzerland in 1986 and is certified to ISO 27001:2022. Return data is encrypted and stored in a certified Everyware AG data centre in Switzerland. Since tax period 2025 the etax.ch site serves canton Zurich directly, and the other cantons offer eTax through their own portals.
What eTax does well
- Stated price of CHF 0.- per year for taxpayers
- Data stored in Switzerland at Everyware AG
- Operator certified to ISO 27001:2022
- Check assistant and prior-year data import included
- Operator has built Swiss tax software since 1986
Where eTax falls short
- etax.ch itself serves canton Zurich only from tax period 2025
- No paid expert review listed on the pages we read
- AI receipt reading is still marked "coming soon"
- No coverage for German or other EU returns
Standout feature. eTax is the only tool in this category that states a price of CHF 0.- per year for the complete return.
Neunkirchen (Siegerland), Germany
Trial EUR 0.00; yearly plan EUR 39.99; single purchase EUR 49.99 (buhl.de/wiso-steuer)
Demo on request
Best for: German taxpayers who want a long-established program with a free trial and a flat price
WISO Steuer is a German income tax program made by Buhl Data Service GmbH in Neunkirchen (Siegerland), registered at the Siegen court. The product page lists a EUR 0.00 trial, a EUR 39.99 yearly plan and a EUR 49.99 single purchase.
Buhl states that more than 6 million people use WISO Steuer and that all functions can be tried before paying. The software includes an AI adviser called SteuerGPT, tax coaching, an error check and data transmission recognised under section 87c AO. Servers stand at the company site in Germany, according to the product page.
What WISO Steuer does well
- Free trial with all functions before paying
- Public prices of EUR 39.99 and EUR 49.99
- Own servers at the company location in Germany
- AI adviser and tax coaching included
- Operator named in imprint with court register entry
Where WISO Steuer falls short
- Germany only
- No expert-prepared filing tier on the page we read
- Yearly plan is a subscription that must be cancelled
- Data centre operator not named on the pages we read
Standout feature. WISO Steuer is the only tool here whose free trial opens every function before a payment is requested.
Fellbach, Germany
Refund calculation free; EUR 39.99 to file; optional pay later after the tax assessment arrives (steuerbot.com/kosten)
Demo on request
Best for: German employees with a simple tax case who want a phone-first app
Steuerbot is a chat-style tax app from Steuerbot GmbH in Fellbach that asks questions one by one and sends the German return through ELSTER. The refund calculation costs nothing, and filing costs EUR 39.99 according to the cost page.
The company lists apps for iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and the web, and promises a reply from tax experts within 24 hours. A pay-later option charges after the tax assessment arrives at an individual offer. The imprint names the Stuttgart register entry HRB759748 and two managing directors.
What Steuerbot does well
- Free refund calculation before paying
- Public price of EUR 39.99
- Pay-later option after the assessment
- Imprint names court, register number and directors
- Apps on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and web
Where Steuerbot falls short
- Pay-later price is an individual offer
- Germany only
- No expert-prepared filing tier on the pages we read
- Hosting location not stated on the pages we read
Standout feature. Steuerbot offers to move its fee to after the tax assessment, which no other tool in this category lists.
Hannover, Germany
EUR 39.99, paid at submission (smartsteuer.de/online)
Demo on request
Best for: German freelancers and employees who also use Lexware Office
smartsteuer is online tax software from smartsteuer GmbH in Hannover, registered at the Amtsgericht Hannover under HRB 200898. The listed price is EUR 39.99, paid when the return is submitted, and the start is free with a live refund calculation.
The company says it employs 46 people and is majority-owned by Haufe-Lexware GmbH & Co. KG of the Haufe Group. The smartCheck review runs before filing, and a transfer of income, expenses and receipts from Lexware Office is offered. The privacy policy names SysEleven GmbH as hosting processor.
What smartsteuer does well
- Single listed price of EUR 39.99
- Pay at submission, free start
- smartCheck review before filing
- Lexware Office data transfer
- Hosting processor named in the privacy policy
Where smartsteuer falls short
- Germany only
- No human adviser filing option listed
- Part of a larger group (Haufe)
- Average refund figure is marketing, marked with an asterisk
Standout feature. smartsteuer is the only tool in this category that takes income and receipts straight from Lexware Office.
Potsdam, Germany
Standard from EUR 39.99 (EUR 59.99 if refund over EUR 522); Premium 19% of refund, minimum EUR 99, nothing upfront; Business Standard EUR 89.90; Business Premium from EUR 219
Demo on request
Best for: Germans who want an optional tax adviser paid only on success
Taxando is a tax app from Taxando GmbH in Potsdam, registered at the Amtsgericht Potsdam under HRB 42812 P. Standard starts at EUR 39.99 and costs EUR 59.99 when the expected refund is over EUR 522, with the binding price shown in the app.
Premium takes 19% of the refund with a minimum of EUR 99 and nothing upfront, Business Standard costs EUR 89.90 and Business Premium starts at EUR 219. The website runs at Raidboxes in Münster and the app backend at Hetzner in Gunzenhausen, but the privacy policy also lists Google and Meta tracking services.
What Taxando does well
- Public price list with four packages
- Adviser option with no upfront payment
- Package for self-employed people
- Final price shown in the app before submission
- Imprint names court and register number
Where Taxando falls short
- Standard price depends on the refund size
- Premium costs 19% of the refund (minimum EUR 99)
- Privacy policy lists Google and Meta tracking services
- Germany only
Standout feature. Taxando is the only tool here with a four-package price list that includes an adviser paid from the refund.
Berlin, Germany
Founded 1996
Advice and data entry free and anonymous; submission EUR 19.95 via ELSTER (steuerfuchs.de)
Demo on request
Best for: German users who want the lowest listed filing fee and no installation
SteuerFuchs is a browser-based tax return from Hartwerk Digitalmedien-Integrations-GmbH in Berlin, where the operator says it was founded in 1996 and has offered returns in the browser since 2002. Advice, data entry and optimisation are free and anonymous.
Submission through ELSTER with a digital signature costs EUR 19.95. No purchase, download or installation is needed, and the site names PC, Mac, iPad and smartphone. Support answers by email only, and no app, AI helper or expert option appears on the pages we read.
What SteuerFuchs does well
- Filing fee of EUR 19.95
- Free and anonymous advice before registering
- Operator active since 1996 and product since 2002
- Works in any browser, no installation
- Imprint names register and managing director
Where SteuerFuchs falls short
- Support by email only
- No app or AI helper listed
- No expert tier on the pages we read
- Data location not stated
Standout feature. SteuerFuchs publishes the lowest stated filing fee in this category, EUR 19.95, and lets you work anonymously until then.
Berlin, Germany
Not shown on the pages we read; Expert fee depends on the refund (percentage fee per the terms)
Demo on request
Best for: Germans who want to hand the return to an adviser inside an app
Taxfix is a tax app from Taxfix SE in Berlin, registered at the Amtsgericht Charlottenburg under HRB 253966 B. The plans are Basic, where you fill in the return yourself, and Expert, where independent tax advisers prepare it.
The company says more than 10 million returns have been submitted through the app and has announced a version for self-employed users. Versions for expats in Germany, the UK and Spain are linked. The terms say the Expert fee depends on the refund, no price is shown on the pages we read, and the imprint declines consumer arbitration.
What Taxfix does well
- Adviser-prepared route inside the app
- Self-employed edition added
- Clear imprint with register number and directors
- Versions listed for expats, UK and Spain
- Over 10 million returns stated
Where Taxfix falls short
- Prices not shown on the pages we read
- Expert fee depends on refund size
- Will not take part in consumer arbitration
- Data location not stated
Standout feature. Taxfix combines a self-service plan and an independent-adviser plan inside one app.
Berlin, Germany
Free to start; pay on submission; price not shown on the pages we read
Demo on request
Best for: German users in special groups such as students, expats, police and military staff
wundertax is a German return tool from wundertax GmbH in Berlin, registered at the Amtsgericht Charlottenburg under HRB 172114 B. The home page says a return takes 17 minutes and counts more than one million customers.
Separate paths exist for employees, the self-employed, students, expats, police, military staff and pensioners. Starting is free and payment falls due at submission, with terms stating that prices include VAT, though the amount is not shown on the pages we read. The terms add that wundertax gives no tax advice, and the English imprint names study clever GmbH as provider.
What wundertax does well
- Free start, pay on submission
- Paths for students, expats, police, military and pensioners
- Servers stated to be in Germany
- Subprocessors named in the privacy policy
- Terms state prices include VAT
Where wundertax falls short
- Price not shown on the pages we read
- No tax advice offered
- English imprint names study clever GmbH as provider
- Germany only
Standout feature. wundertax is the only tool here with separate question paths for police and military staff.
Berlin, Germany
Free test, pay at submission; price list not read (pricing page not found)
Demo on request
Best for: Residents in Germany who read Polish, Romanian, Russian or English better than German
SteuerGo is a tax return application from forium GmbH in Berlin, registered at the Amtsgericht Charlottenburg under HRB 74178. The interface is available in German, English, Polish, Romanian and Russian.
IntelliScan reads receipts with AI and assigns them automatically, and an anonymous test works without registration. The home page says 3.6 million users have used it, a vendor claim. The pricing page returned not found, and the privacy policy lists Cloudflare, Google, Meta and Microsoft services with US destinations.
What SteuerGo does well
- Interface in five languages
- AI receipt recognition (IntelliScan)
- Anonymous trial without registration
- Servers stated to be in Germany
- Imprint names court, register and directors
Where SteuerGo falls short
- Price not shown on the pages we read
- No adviser option listed
- Privacy policy lists several US-based tools
- Germany only
Standout feature. SteuerGo is the only tool in this category with an interface in Polish, Romanian and Russian.
Berlin, Germany
Free test, pay at submission; price list not read (pricing page not found)
Demo on request
Best for: German employees who want an established brand with independent recommendation
Lohnsteuer kompakt is an online tax return from forium GmbH in Berlin, the company that also runs SteuerGo. The home page states hosting in Germany and promises a return in 25 minutes with IntelliScan receipt capture and data import.
The pages cite a Finanztip recommendation from April 2026 and more than 42,000 reviews at Trusted Shops, both vendor-quoted. Dedicated pages cover students, police officers and pensioners. No price table is visible and no expert tier is listed, so the choice against SteuerGo rests on brand and interface.
What Lohnsteuer kompakt does well
- Home page states "Hosted in Germany"
- Anonymous free test
- Pages for students, police and pensioners
- Operator named with register entry
- Finanztip recommendation stated (April 2026)
Where Lohnsteuer kompakt falls short
- Price not shown on the pages we read
- Same operator and text as SteuerGo
- No expert filing tier listed
- Germany only
Standout feature. Lohnsteuer kompakt is the only tool here that cites a Finanztip recommendation on its own pages.
London, United Kingdom
Starting from GBP 99 for new customers (home page, with conditions marked by an asterisk)
Demo on request
Best for: UK taxpayers who prefer an accountant to file their Self Assessment
Taxfix UK is a Self Assessment service run by Positron Technologies Ltd, company number 10934812, trading as Taxfix, with offices in London. The home page states that TaxScouts is now Taxfix, and a UK accountant handles each return.
The listed starting price is GBP 99 for new customers, with conditions marked by an asterisk, and the terms describe pay-in-advance and pay-later options. The service list names company tax returns, bookkeeping and Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. The pages do not say whether the company belongs to Taxfix SE in Berlin.
What Taxfix UK does well
- Real UK accountant files the return
- From GBP 99 for new customers
- Covers landlords, expats, construction workers and company directors
- Company number and addresses published
- Also offers MTD for Income Tax
Where Taxfix UK falls short
- Price applies to new customers with conditions
- Not a do-it-yourself tool
- Hosting location not stated
- Ownership link to Taxfix SE not stated on the pages we read
Standout feature. Taxfix UK is the only tool here that files UK Self Assessment returns.
Dübendorf, Switzerland
Not shown on the pages we read (price page returned not found)
Demo on request
Best for: Swiss residents in Zurich or Aargau who want someone else to fill in the return
Simpletax is a Swiss service from Simpletax GmbH in Dübendorf, entered in the commercial register of canton Zurich. Staff fill in the return from documents that clients bring to one of 10 locations in Zurich and Aargau, send by post or upload online.
The FAQ states that all data sits on Swiss servers, and payment at an appointment works by cash, card or TWINT. The privacy policy names Hetzner Online GmbH for website hosting. Simpletax does not represent clients before the tax office or file objections, and the price page returned not found.
What Simpletax does well
- Return filled out by staff
- 10 locations in Zurich and Aargau
- Online service available
- Data stated to be on Swiss servers
- Payment by cash, card or TWINT
Where Simpletax falls short
- Prices not shown on the pages we read
- No representation before the tax office
- Not a self-service tool
- Website hosting at Hetzner Online GmbH per privacy policy
Standout feature. Simpletax is the only tool in this category where staff fill in the return at a local office.
