smartsteuer vs Taxfix

smartsteuer is an online tax-return service for employees, self-employed people, retirees, and students filing in Germany. Its guided interview takes users through relevant questions, while smartCheck looks for errors, plausibility problems, and possible tax-saving opportunities. VaSt can retrieve tax data from the tax office to prepare a pre-filled return, and users can transfer information from prior years. Self-employed users can send EÜR data from Lexware Office through an interface. Returns are submitted electronically to the tax office using ELSTER; amended returns and rental income are supported. The service runs in a browser without installation on desktop, tablet, or smartphone, and its listed platforms include Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. The paid plan costs €39.99/yr, billed by tax year, and a free trial is available. smartsteuer says data is encrypted and stored in German data centres, and cites PCI DSS and SAS 70 Type IIb standards. It also says its systems receive BSI checks and ongoing internal security testing. Email support and a 24/7 AI chatbot are available. Some special cases, including profit determination for agriculture and forestry, cannot be recorded.

Taxfix provides digital tax returns that users can prepare themselves or have prepared by independent tax advisers. In Basic, a question-led process guides users through a return and provides an initial refund estimate. The Start plan offers a free estimated refund calculation, with submission through Basic. Taxfix sends returns to the tax office through the official ELSTER interface. Basic works in a browser and through Android and iOS apps. For Expert, users answer questions and upload documents; an adviser reviews and prepares the return for the user to confirm. The listed Expert fee is 20% of the refund, with a minimum of €99.99, and may apply even if the return is not submitted. A separate solution for VAT-liable self-employed people combines bookkeeping, receipt capture, VAT pre-returns, and income tax returns including EÜR. Uploaded receipts and invoices are read for details such as amount, date, and tax rate. Taxfix says it uses encryption, does not share data with third parties, and operates servers mainly in Germany or elsewhere in the EU while observing GoBD and GDPR. Basic is free until submission; individual annual filing costs €39.99 a year, and one-time filing costs €49.99, paid once payment.