CalCal vs Mein ELSTER
CalCal
calcal.uk
Mein ELSTER
elster.deSide by side
| Figure | CalCal | Mein ELSTER |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £5/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 1 |
| Spec score · Tax Software | 8.8 (#19) | 8.8 (#16) |
| Spec score · Personal Tax Software | 8.6 (#27) | 8.7 (#16) |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Headquarters | London N12 0BP, United Kingdom | Munich, Germany |
| Investment income | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile access | web_and_mobile | web_and_mobile |
| Purpose | CalCal is DIY accounting software for small UK businesses, designed to let people keep records without accounting jargon. | Mein ELSTER is an online tax office for paperless electronic transmission of tax data. |
| Rental income | Yes | Yes |
| Self-employment support | Yes | Yes |
| Support | CalCal provides a help centre with articles covering tax returns, VAT, basic usage, and pre-sales questions. | ELSTER offers a technical hotline on weekdays from 7:00 to 22:00 and weekends or nationwide public holidays from 10:00 to 18:00; it handles technical issues only. |
Plans
CalCal
- Free accessFree
- Unlimited£5 a month
- Unlimited +£8 a month
- Tax return only£35 a month
- Self-Assessment tax return only£35, paid once
- Unlimited+£8 a month
In their own words
Mein ELSTER
Mein ELSTER is a free online tax office for transmitting tax data electronically without paper. Users can upload receipts to Meine Belege, while the free MeinELSTER+ app can photograph paper receipts and transfer them to an account. The app suggests values and categories from images for review, displays the ELSTER inbox, and lets users send receipts or messages to the tax office. For simple tax situations, it can prepare a suggested 2025 income tax return using existing data and allowances. Listed users include individuals, employers, businesses, associations, and tax advisers; organizations can authenticate through ELSTER certificates. Login options include certificate files, security sticks, signature cards, and ElsterSecure, though available functions vary by method and security level. Tax data is encrypted in transmission, with integrity checked using a hash code. The service runs on administration infrastructure certified to ISO 27001 based on BSI IT-Grundschutz.