Comparison
The accounts, tax software, and insurance every freelancer (Freiberufler) in Germany actually needs, and which to pick based on your situation.
Reviewed 2026-07-21 · By Mahiuddin Al Kamal · 5 options
Going freelance in Germany means you become your own back office. No employer withholds your tax, sorts your insurance, or gives you a business account. You do all of it. These are the tools that make that manageable, picked for expats who are still learning the system.
You need three things sorted early: a separate account to keep business and personal money apart (the Finanzamt will thank you at tax time), software to file your Umsatzsteuervoranmeldung and annual return without a 300 EUR Steuerberater bill, and liability insurance (Berufshaftpflicht) that many German clients require before they'll sign a contract.
| Option | Best for | Monthly fee | English app | German IBAN | Branches | Price | English | Best case | Refund est. | Type | From | Cancel | Rating | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N26 | English-first digital bank | Free | Full | Yes | No | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4.5 | Visit → |
| C24 Bank | Interest on balance | Free | No | Yes | No | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4.3 | Visit → |
| Wundertax | Simple employee returns | — | — | — | — | ~€35 | Yes | Employees | Yes | — | — | — | 4.3 | Visit → |
| Taxfix | Fast mobile filing | — | — | — | — | ~€40 | Yes | Employees | Yes | — | — | — | 4.3 | Visit → |
| Getsafe | English app, cheap liability | — | — | — | — | — | 100% | — | — | Liability+ | €3/mo | Monthly | 4.3 | Visit → |
Free mobile bank account with a German IBAN. Fully digital, English-friendly app.
Free smart banking with up to 2.5% interest on your balance. German-only app.
Simple online tax return software in English. Average refund: 1,063 EUR.
Mobile-first tax app that files your return in under 30 minutes. Simple Q&A format, average refund over 1,000 EUR.
App-based insurer for liability (Haftpflicht), household, legal, and more. Fully in English, cancel monthly.
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