Cost & Pricing

What do German financial statements cost? Advisor fees vs software

The cost of preparing a German Jahresabschluss ranges enormously depending on who does it and how big your entity is. This page breaks down what drives the price, how tax advisor fees are set, and exactly what the software costs by size class — so you can compare like for like.

What drives the cost

Two things move the price more than anything else: your size class and who prepares the accounts. A micro entity with a short balance sheet and no notes is a fraction of the work of a large company with a full Anhang, a Lagebericht and a statutory audit. And the same statement costs very differently depending on whether a tax advisor prepares it by hand or you use software.

It helps to separate three cost buckets: preparing the statements, the mandatory audit (only for medium and large companies, § 316), and filing. Software addresses the first; the audit, where required, is a separate professional engagement.

How tax advisor fees work

German tax advisors bill statutory-statement work under the official fee schedule, the Steuerberatervergütungsverordnung (StBVV). The fee for preparing a Jahresabschluss is a function of the 'value' of the engagement — broadly, your balance-sheet total and revenue — so it scales up as the company grows.

In practice that means a small GmbH's accounts can run to several hundred or a few thousand euros, and medium and large companies considerably more, before any audit fee. There is nothing wrong with that — an advisor brings judgement and takes on responsibility — but for a straightforward micro or small entity, much of the work is routine mapping and drafting that software can do at a fixed, far lower price.

What the software costs

Micro (Kleinstkapitalgesellschaft)

1 credit = €250. The smallest filing, often just a shortened balance sheet with figures beneath it and no separate Anhang.

Small (kleine)

2 credits = €500. Balance sheet, GuV and a reduced Anhang; no statutory audit required.

Medium (mittelgroße)

10 credits = €2,500. Full statements including the Anhang and Lagebericht — note that a medium company also carries a separate audit obligation with its own fee.

Large (große)

20 credits = €5,000. The full statutory set at the highest disclosure level, again alongside a separate mandatory audit.

The pricing, in plain terms

  • One credit costs €250, and a complete fiscal-year filing costs 1 / 2 / 10 / 20 credits for micro / small / medium / large entities respectively.
  • The E-Bilanz for the tax office is a standalone product at €20 per fiscal year.
  • Your first exploration is free: register, upload a trial balance and see the Bilanz and GuV generate before you commit anything.
  • There is a live demo with example data so you can evaluate the output with no account and no cost.
  • The audit itself, where the law requires one for medium and large companies, is a separate professional engagement priced by a Wirtschaftsprüfer — not part of the software fee.

Comparing like for like

For a micro or small entity where no audit is required, the comparison is direct: an advisor's StBVV-based fee for the statement versus a one-off €250 or €500 software cost for the same document. For many owner-managed GmbHs that is the single biggest saving available on the year-end.

For medium and large companies the picture is more nuanced — you still need an audit, so the realistic saving is on the preparation work, not the audit. The software can also sit alongside your advisor: you produce the draft statements at low cost and the advisor reviews or audits, rather than doing everything from scratch.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a German Jahresabschluss cost?

It depends on size and who prepares it. With this software the preparation is credit-based: €250 for a micro entity, €500 for a small company, €2,500 for medium and €5,000 for large. A tax advisor bills under the StBVV fee schedule, which scales with your balance-sheet total and revenue and is typically higher for small entities.

How is the software priced?

One credit is €250. A full fiscal-year filing costs 1 credit (micro), 2 (small), 10 (medium) or 20 (large). The E-Bilanz is a separate €20 per fiscal year, and your first exploration is free.

Is it cheaper than a tax advisor?

For micro and small entities, usually yes — there is no mandatory audit, so you compare an advisor's StBVV fee directly against a €250 or €500 software cost. For medium and large companies the audit is a separate obligation, so the saving is mainly on the preparation work.

Can I try it before paying anything?

Yes. Registration is free, you can upload a trial balance and see the Bilanz and GuV generate at no cost, and there is a live demo with example data. You only spend credits when you finalise a filing.

What does the E-Bilanz cost?

The E-Bilanz is a standalone product at €20 per fiscal year. It produces the machine-readable XBRL the tax office requires, separate from the Jahresabschluss credit pricing.