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Comparison
File your German tax return in English and get your refund. We compared the top tax tools for expats.
By Mahiuddin Al Kamal · 5 options
Filing a German tax return (Steuererklarung) is not mandatory for most employed expats, but it almost always makes sense. The average refund is over 1,000 EUR, and for expats who moved to Germany mid-year or have deductions like a home office, the refund can be significantly higher.
The problem: German tax forms are complex and mostly in German. That is where English-language tax software comes in. All three tools below let you complete your return in English through a guided step-by-step process, no Steuerberater (tax advisor) needed for standard cases.
We tested each tool with a standard employed expat scenario: single, Tax Class I, one employer, some work expenses. We looked at English language support, ease of use, price, and the types of deductions each tool catches. Wundertax takes our top spot for its combination of a clean English interface and thorough deduction guidance, but Taxfix's mobile-first approach is a close second if you prefer doing everything on your phone.
Pro Tip: You have until July 31 of the following year to file voluntarily (September 30 if you use a Steuerberater). If you are filing for previous years, you can go back up to 4 years. Many expats file their first return for multiple years at once and get a combined refund of 3,000-5,000 EUR.
01 / At a glance
Pick an option name to jump to its full write-up below.
| Option | Rating | Best for | Price | English | Best case | Refund est. | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top pick Wundertax | 4.3 | Simple employee returns | ~€35 | Yes | Employees | Yes | Visit Wundertax website, opens in a new tab |
| Taxfix | 4.3 | Fast mobile filing | ~€40 | Yes | Employees | Yes | Visit Taxfix website, opens in a new tab |
| SteuerGo | 4.2 | Detailed / complex returns | ~€35 | Yes | Complex | Yes | Visit SteuerGo website, opens in a new tab |
| Zasta Assisted filing | 4.0 | Hands-off / complex | % of refund | Limited | Complex/freelance | Yes | Visit Zasta website, opens in a new tab |
| ELSTER (official) Free / official | 3.3 | Free, official filing | Free | No | Confident filers | No | Visit ELSTER (official) website, opens in a new tab |
Scroll the table sideways to see every spec.
02 / In detail
Simple online tax return software in English. Average refund: 1,063 EUR.
Pros
Cons
Mobile-first tax app that files your return in under 30 minutes. Simple Q&A format, average refund over 1,000 EUR.
Pros
Cons
Online tax return software with an English interface. Guided process walks you through every step.
Pros
Cons
Assisted filing
Hands-off option: a real Steuerberater files for you, fee based on your refund. Good for complex situations.
Pros
Cons
Free / official
The tax office's own free online portal. No cost, but German-only and no guidance. The baseline everything else beats on UX.
Pros
Cons
Heads up: some links in this article are partner links, so we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is general information, not financial or tax advice. Learn more.
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