VAT Filing Software 2026: 7 Tools Compared (Germany)

Every month or quarter, the same routine: gather your sales, add up the input VAT, work out what you owe, and submit it all to the tax office through ELSTER on time. The advance VAT return (UStVA) costs many freelancers and GmbH directors hours every month, yet the right software handles most of it automatically.

But not every tool that advertises an "ELSTER interface" actually files the return at the push of a button. Some only export a file you have to upload yourself. Others fail to detect the input VAT in your receipts, so you end up typing every line by hand.

In this comparison we look at 7 UStVA tools for 2026 and rate them on price, real ELSTER submission, input-VAT detection, filing extensions and nil returns, so you, as a business owner, can find the tool that genuinely takes the return off your plate.

Key takeaways

• Real automation, not a file export: Only software with direct ELSTER submission and automatic input-VAT detection actually saves time. An "ELSTER export" is not the same as filing.
• Cheapest automated route: With Norman, invoicing and bookkeeping are free; UStVA filing starts at €9/month; you pay only for tax filing, not for a whole bookkeeping package.
• Bookkeeping suites (Lexware Office, sevDesk, FastBill) do everything, but bundle the UStVA into larger packages from around €9–20/month.
• ELSTER is free but entirely manual: no receipt scanning, no input-VAT automation, no deadline alarm.
• No tax advisor needed: The UStVA is a routine filing that any good software automates reliably.

What matters in VAT filing software

Before comparing tools, know which features separate "saves time" from "just moves the typing around":

• Direct ELSTER submission: The software sends the return to the tax office itself: no manual upload, no fiddling with ELSTER certificates. How the form works in detail is covered in our UStVA guide.
• Automatic input-VAT detection: From each receipt, the tool reads the VAT and assigns it to the correct field (e.g. code 66 for deductible input VAT).
• Deadline tracking: You get reminded in time, for monthly, quarterly filing or with a filing extension.
• One-click nil return: Even with no turnover in a period, you must file. Good software turns that into a nil return at the push of a button.
• Small-business aware: If you use the Kleinunternehmer scheme (§ 19 UStG), you don't file a UStVA at all; the tool should account for that.

A common trap: many providers advertise an "ELSTER interface" but mean only a file export (a so-called ELSTER file) that you then have to upload yourself in the ELSTER portal. That's not real submission; the manual work stays with you. So look for the wording "direct submission" or "filing from within the software".

Norman: automatic VAT filing, free bookkeeping

Norman is built precisely for this workflow: receipts are read by AI, the input VAT is detected automatically, and the UStVA is pre-filled with the right field codes. At the push of a button the return goes straight to the tax office via the ELSTER interface, including nil returns and deadline reminders.

The clever part is the pricing: invoicing and bookkeeping are free and unlimited with Norman. You only pay for tax filing: plans that include UStVA submission start at €9/month (Klein plan). For solo freelancers with a manageable volume of receipts, that's the cheapest option with genuine automation. Details under Taxes for the Self-Employed and AI Bookkeeping.

Here's how a return works with Norman in practice:

1. Capture the receipt: You photograph or import your incoming and outgoing invoices. The AI reads the amount, tax rate and input VAT.
2. Assign automatically: Norman books the amounts to the correct UStVA field codes (sales, input VAT, amount due).
3. Review and send: You check the pre-filled return, confirm, and Norman submits it directly to ELSTER. Done.

Lexware Office, sevDesk & FastBill: the bookkeeping suites

The established all-in-one tools handle UStVA, but bundle it into larger bookkeeping packages:

• Lexware Office (formerly lexoffice): UStVA submission straight from the software. Entry tiers start at a few euros a month, but full input-VAT automation and UStVA filing only kick in on the higher tiers from around €9/month.
• sevDesk: Solid ELSTER integration, but UStVA only appears in the bookkeeping tier from around €20/month (billed annually). The pure invoicing tier doesn't include it.
• FastBill: UStVA from the mid tier (around €19/month), with decent receipt recognition in the Pro package.

All three are mature, but you pay for a full bookkeeping suite, even if all you want is to file the return. More in our accounting software comparison.

WISO & Accountable: desktop and app

• WISO MeinBüro / WISO Steuer: The classic from Buhl. WISO MeinBüro reliably submits the UStVA to the tax office, from around €8/month on the web subscription. Strong if you're already in the WISO ecosystem for taxes.
• Accountable: App-first, popular with freelancers. UStVA submission in the paid version (from around €15/month), with a limited free tier.

Both handle the return, but each is tailored to its ecosystem (desktop and mobile app, respectively).

ELSTER: the free route from the tax office

ELSTER is the tax authority's official portal and completely free. You can fill in and submit the UStVA there directly. The catch: you do everything by hand. No receipt scanning, no automatic input VAT, no deadline alarm. For micro-businesses with two or three invoices a quarter it works, but as soon as receipts pile up regularly, manual entry eats more time than a tool costs.

At a glance

As of 2026; prices and tier thresholds vary by provider and billing period.

Which tool fits your profile?

The choice depends less on the feature list than on your working profile: how many receipts you handle, whether you want full bookkeeping or just the return, and how much budget you have for it. Three typical profiles cover most cases.

• Automation on a small budget: You're solo, want to automate receipt capture and don't want to pay separately for bookkeeping. Norman is the cheapest option here with real automation.
• Full bookkeeping wanted: You need the complete bookkeeping package plus a tax-advisor export alongside the UStVA; then Lexware Office, sevDesk or FastBill make sense.
• Few receipts, €0 budget: With two or three invoices a quarter and time for manual entry, ELSTER is free and enough.

Software or a tax advisor?

For the UStVA alone you almost never need a tax advisor: it's a routine filing that software automates reliably. An advisor pays off more for annual accounts and complex planning questions. If you're weighing it up, see Tax advisor vs. software.

Official UStVA form (current edition)

The official German advance VAT return form as a PDF, to understand, prepare, and file away.

Email *

Company website

I want to receive the UStVA form and agree that Norman may send me related emails with tips and product info. Details in the privacy policy. Unsubscribe anytime. *

Get the form

Frequently asked questions about VAT filing software

Which software files the UStVA with the tax office automatically?

Tools with a direct ELSTER interface submit the return without a manual upload: Norman, Lexware Office, sevDesk, FastBill, WISO MeinBüro and Accountable all do. Make sure it's a genuine submission and not just a file export you have to upload yourself.

What does VAT filing software cost in 2026?

The range runs from free (ELSTER, but manual) through around €8–12/month for the cheaper automated tools up to €20/month and more for the full bookkeeping suites. With Norman, invoicing and bookkeeping are free; only tax filing costs from €9/month.

Do I need a tax advisor for the UStVA?

No. The advance VAT return is a routine filing you may submit yourself via software or ELSTER. There is no legal requirement to use a tax advisor for it. An advisor is more worthwhile for annual accounts and planning questions.

Do I have to file a UStVA if I had no turnover?

Yes. Even with no turnover in the filing period, you must submit a nil return. Good software does this at the push of a button so you don't miss the deadline.

Do small businesses (Kleinunternehmer) need VAT filing software?

Kleinunternehmer under § 19 UStG don't charge VAT and therefore don't file a UStVA. For them, software for the return is unnecessary; a simple solution for invoices and the EÜR is enough.

Conclusion

The best VAT filing software is the one that genuinely takes the typing off your hands: reading receipts, assigning the input VAT automatically and submitting to the tax office at the push of a button. ELSTER is free but fully manual. The bookkeeping suites Lexware Office, sevDesk and FastBill do everything, but charge for the full package. If you mainly want automatic VAT filing without paying separately for bookkeeping, Norman is the cheapest option with real automation: free bookkeeping, UStVA filing from €9/month. Try it under Taxes for the Self-Employed.