Steuerbot

Overview

Steuerbot is a German income-tax app that guides users through a return in a chat and lets them calculate a potential refund for free before deciding whether to submit. It is best suited to employees, civil servants, retirees and trainees with supported income; self-employed people should look elsewhere.

The split between free calculation and paid submission lowers the cost of working out whether filing may be worthwhile, while the chat and pre-filled return aim to reduce manual entry. The key trade-off is narrow eligibility: Steuerbot does not support self-employment or several business and agricultural income types.

Key features

Chat-led preparation

Simple questions, with extra explanations when needed, make Steuerbot a guided option rather than a tax form to complete alone. That can suit people who prefer prompts, but the flow does not overcome the app's exclusions for unsupported income.

Pre-filled return and support

Steuerbot can populate a return with tax data that users then confirm. Users can contact support in the app; the provider says trained tax experts respond within 24 hours. This combination offers help with the process, though the return still requires user confirmation.

Data handling

The provider says it follows GDPR, transfers data over encrypted HTTPS/SSL connections, sends tax data through the official ELSTER interface and keeps its servers in Germany. It also says submitted tax data is retained for five years to handle tax-office questions.

Pricing

Steuerbot is freemium. Refund calculation is always free, so users can estimate a refund without paying for submission. Submitting the return costs €39.99 per once, charged once after calculation if the user chooses to file through Steuerbot. The free option gives up submission; it is a calculation, not a free filing plan.

A pay-later option is offered on an individual basis: fees apply after the user receives a refund from the tax office, but the price is custom pricing. This may suit someone who prefers to pay after a refund arrives, but the cost cannot be compared with the fixed €39.99 option before receiving an individual offer.

Platforms

Steuerbot is available on Android, iOS, Mac, Windows and the web. Mobile and browser access give users several ways to work through the chat, while desktop apps are also offered.

Who it's for

The provider names employees, civil servants, retirees and trainees as users for income-tax returns, and students and school trainees for loss carryforwards. Investment and rental income are supported. Steuerbot is not for income from self-employment, business, or agriculture and forestry, making it a poor fit for people whose returns depend on those sources.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Free refund calculation: users can calculate before deciding whether a paid submission is worthwhile.
• Guided questions and pre-filled data: the chat and confirmable tax data can reduce the amount of information users need to enter manually.
• Multiple access options: Android, iOS, Mac, Windows and web coverage suits users who want to choose between mobile, browser and desktop.

Cons

• No self-employment support: people with self-employed, business, or agricultural and forestry income need another service.
• Submission is paid: filing costs €39.99 after calculation, so the free plan does not complete the return.
• Five-year data retention: submitted tax data is retained for tax-office follow-up, which may matter to users weighing privacy preferences.

Alternatives

For another German tax-preparation option, compare WISO Steuer: it has a free test version with all functions available to test and payment only when submitting, plus apps for Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, web and Windows. For U.S. tax filing, FreeTaxUSA offers federal filing and supported forms, with a separate state-return plan.

H&R Block Online has a free online plan for simple tax situations and Form 1040. StudioTax has a free option for eligible users with income of $20,000 or less or Northern Territories residency. Taxfix offers an annual individual plan at €39.99 a year, free until submission. TaxSlayer has a free plan with one federal and one state return. UFile offers a free online return for qualifying taxpayers. 1040.com is a web-based alternative with a 34.99 USD monthly plan that includes federal and state returns.

Browse more options in Tax Preparation Software and Personal Tax Software.

Verdict

Steuerbot is a sensible choice for supported German taxpayers who want guided preparation, a free refund estimate and a fixed €39.99 submission fee. Its chat, pre-filled return and broad device support make the process approachable, but anyone with self-employment or business income should choose a service that supports those cases instead.