Taxfix
Taxfix is a Berlin-based digital tax filing platform that guides individual consumers through German and European tax declarations via a mobile app, integrated ELSTER submission, and an optional certified tax advisor marketplace. It serves employees, freelancers, students, retirees, and families across Germany, the UK, Spain, and Italy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Taxfix does
Taxfix SE is a Berlin-based digital tax filing platform founded in 2016 that has become Germany's leading mobile tax application, with over 8 million tax declarations submitted through its platform and more than €4.5 billion in total refunds processed. The company serves individual consumers — employees, students, retirees, freelancers, expats, and families — across Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy (the latter three via the July 2024 acquisition of TaxScouts). Its core product is a mobile-first guided question-and-answer application that replaces complex German tax forms, integrates directly with the official ELSTER electronic tax declaration system for secure submission to the Finanzamt, and uses computer vision/OCR to capture data from photographed wage tax certificates and receipts.
The platform operates on a hybrid self-service and assisted model. Self-service users pay €39.99–€69.99 per filing (or subscribe via Taxfix+ at €39.99–€59.99 per year), with payment triggered only upon successful submission to the tax authority. A higher-margin Experten-Service routes users to independent certified tax advisors (Steuerberater*innen) at 20% of the refund with a €99.99 minimum. A €19.99/month subscription module serves VAT-liable self-employed users with bookkeeping and VAT pre-registration submission, and a separate flow handles tax number applications for newly self-employed individuals. Taxfix monetizes both as a transaction-fee platform on consumer filings and as a marketplace taking a share of expert-prepared filings.
Taxfix has raised approximately $220 million across five disclosed funding rounds, achieving unicorn status at roughly $1 billion valuation in its April 2022 Series D led by Teachers' Venture Growth. It has pursued an inorganic growth strategy, acquiring Steuerbot in February 2023 and TaxScouts in July 2024 to expand across DACH and into the UK, Spain, and Italy, operating as Taxfix Group. CEO Martin Ott, formerly Managing Director for Northern and Central Europe at Facebook, leads the company alongside co-founders Mathis Ginzbourg and Lino Teuteberg.
Taxfix firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Taxfix
- Legal name
- Taxfix SE
- Website
- https://taxfix.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Taxfix is a Berlin-based digital tax filing platform that guides individual consumers through German and European tax declarations via a mobile app, integrated ELSTER submission, and an optional certified tax advisor marketplace. It serves employees, freelancers, students, retirees, and families across Germany, the UK, Spain, and Italy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Taxfix industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Tax Preparation Software
- NAICS
- Tax Preparation Services (541213), Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (5412)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tax Planning & Personal Tax Optimization Tools (FSAGADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Tax Advisory & Compliance (BPAHABAB), Indirect Tax (VAT/GST/Sales & Use) Services (BPAHABAJ)
Keywords
Where Taxfix is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Taxfix business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Self-Service Tax Filing (DIY): Users pay a one-time fee or subscription (Taxfix+) when they actually submit their tax return to the tax authority. Free to download, free to calculate potential refund. Fee only charged upon successful submission.
- Taxfix+ Subscription: Annual subscription model offering discounted rates per tax filing (€10 savings vs one-time payment) plus additional benefits like discounts on retroactive filings
- Expert Service (Assisted Filing): Independent tax advisors prepare the user's tax return. Taxfix charges 20% of the refund amount with a minimum fee of €99.99, payable after the tax authority issues the decision
- Self-Employed/VAT Services: Monthly subscription for VAT-registered self-employed users (€19.99 + VAT per month after free first month) for bookkeeping and VAT pre-registration services
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Self-Service Single Filing - One-time payment |
| Subscription | Annual | Self-Service Single Filing - Taxfix+ Subscription |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Self-Service Joint Filing - One-time payment |
| Subscription | Annual | Self-Service Joint Filing - Taxfix+ Subscription |
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Pay-as-you-go | Expert Service - Full-Service Assisted Filing |
| Subscription | Monthly | Self-Employed VAT Services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Taxfix product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Taxfix is a mobile-first digital tax filing platform that lets individual consumers in Germany prepare and submit their income tax returns via a guided question-and-answer interview, with direct submission to the tax authorities through the official ELSTER interface. The core product is a free-to-download mobile and web app where users pay a one-time fee only when submitting, with an optional annual Taxfix+ subscription for repeat filers and an upsell to expert-assisted filing (Experten-Service) by independent certified tax advisors. Supplementary modules cover VAT pre-registration for self-employed users, tax number application for newly self-employed individuals, and an educational tax guide (Ratgeber).
Product overview
Taxfix is a digital tax filing platform operating as a mobile app and web application. The core product is the Taxfix App for self-service tax declaration, which uses a guided question-and-answer interview process. The platform offers two tiers: (1) DIY filing with Taxfix+ subscription option for repeat users, and (2) the Experten-Service add-on connecting users with independent certified tax advisors. Additional specialized modules include Taxfix für Umsatzsteuerpflichtige for VAT-liable self-employed, and a Steuerummer Beantragung service for business registration. The product portfolio is supplemented by educational content (Taxfix Ratgeber). Following the July 2024 acquisition of TaxScouts, the company expanded to the UK, Spain, and Italy markets under the Taxfix Group umbrella, operating in four major European markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Taxfix App (Self-Service Tax Filing) Mobile and web-based tax filing application that guides users through their tax declaration via an intuitive question-and-answer interview process. Users photograph documents, answer plain-language questions, see an estimated tax refund, and submit directly to the German tax authorities via ELSTER. Priced from €39.99–€69.99 per submission.
- Taxfix+ Subscription Annual subscription service offering discounted tax filing at €39.99/year (single) or €59.99/year (joint), a €10 discount on additional retroactive filings within the same year, and additional member benefits for repeat users.
- Experten-Service (Expert Service) Assisted-filing service where independent state-certified tax advisors (Steuerberater*innen) prepare the user's tax declaration. Includes extended deadline to 01 March of the following year, personalized checklist, document upload, chat support, and tax-authority correspondence handling. Priced at 20% of refund with a minimum fee of €99.99.
- Taxfix für Umsatzsteuerpflichtige (VAT-Liable Self-Employed) Specialized Taxfix module for self-employed users subject to VAT. Features include income and expense tracking, automatic invoice and receipt data capture via OCR, VAT pre-calculations, and direct VAT advance declaration (Umsatzsteuervoranmeldung) submission via ELSTER. Priced at €19.99 + VAT per month after the first free month.
- Taxfix Steuernummer Beantragung (Tax Number Application) Online service that guides newly self-employed individuals through applying for a tax number (Steuernummer) by completing the official Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung (Questionnaire for Tax Registration of Newly Founded Businesses) and transmitting the data directly to tax offices via the ELSTER API.
- Taxfix Ratgeber (Tax Guide) Comprehensive tax knowledge base with articles, calculators, checklists, and educational guides covering tax topics for various demographics (students, employees, retirees, parents, expats, multi-jobbers, investors), including a tax deadline tracker and refund calculator.
Quantifiable outcome
- Average tax refund of €1,172 for users
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Taxfix
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Taxfix technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability6 records
Feature6 records
Taxfix partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- TaxScoutscoreTaxfix Group acquired TaxScouts, a UK-based digital tax declaration company, marking Taxfix's entry into the UK market. This acquisition enabled expansion into four major European financial markets: Germany, UK, Spain, and Italy. TaxScouts was the UK market leader for accountant-prepared digital tax declarations, complementing Taxfix's existing self-service model with assisted filing capabilities.
- ELSTER (German Tax Authority System)coreOfficial integration with ELSTER, the electronic tax declaration system of the German tax authorities (Finanzamt). Enables secure and direct submission of tax declarations through Taxfix's platform.
- Independent Certified Tax Advisors (Steuerberater*innen)coreNetwork of independent, state-certified tax advisors (Steuerberater*innen) who prepare tax returns for users through the Expert Service. These are self-employed professionals with long-standing experience, not Taxfix employees, connected through the platform.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Taxfix competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wundertax: Berlin-based direct competitor offering mobile-first German tax filing via app, with similar DIY positioning and pricing tier. Taxfix acquired its sibling competitor Steuerbot in 2023, indicating Wundertax is the next-most-comparable app-based peer in the German market.
- Smartsteuer: German online tax-filing service (now part of the H&R Block family) targeting individuals with a web-based DIY model, comparable to Taxfix's self-service offering and pricing band.
- Taxman: Long-standing German tax-software product with both DIY and expert-assisted offerings, directly comparable to Taxfix's hybrid self-service/expert model in the German market.
- WISO Steuer-Spar-Erklärung: One of Germany's most established desktop tax-filing products from Buhl Data Service, with millions of users annually. Competes head-on with Taxfix in the DIY individual-filing category.
- GoSimpleTax: UK-based digital tax-filing platform that connects users with accountants on a hybrid model, directly comparable to the TaxScouts offering Taxfix acquired in 2024.
Regional players
- TaxSlayer: US-headquartered digital tax-filing software with a similar DIY-plus-assisted model and price points; useful proxy for US market dynamics even though geography differs from Taxfix's European footprint.
- Wealthsimple Tax: Canada-based digital-first tax-filing product (formerly SimpleTax) owned by a fintech platform. Comparable business model and target customer, but operates in a different geography.
Broad incumbents
- TurboTax (Intuit): The dominant US digital tax-filing product from Intuit, with a hybrid DIY/expert model and tiered pricing that closely mirrors Taxfix's structure. Different geography, but the closest analog for a mature digital tax-filing franchise at scale.
- H&R Block: Global tax-preparation incumbent (now also owner of Smartsteuer) offering DIY software plus a vast assisted-filing retail network. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping hybrid offerings in Taxfix's geographies.
Emerging players
- Holvi: European fintech serving freelancers and self-employed with banking plus bookkeeping. Comparable in its self-employed/VAT module target segment and overlap with Taxfix's €19.99/month VAT offering.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Taxfix social profiles
Digital presenceTaxfix compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Taxfix financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Taxfix leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Taxfix subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Taxfix funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Taxfix M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Taxfix
What does Taxfix do?
Taxfix is a mobile-first digital tax filing platform that lets individual consumers in Germany prepare and submit their income tax returns via a guided question-and-answer interview, with direct submission to the tax authorities through the official ELSTER interface. The core product is a free-to-download mobile and web app where users pay a one-time fee only when submitting, with an optional annual Taxfix+ subscription for repeat filers and an upsell to expert-assisted filing (Experten-Service) by independent certified tax advisors. Supplementary modules cover VAT pre-registration for self-employed users, tax number application for newly self-employed individuals, and an educational tax guide (Ratgeber).
Is Taxfix a public or private company?
Taxfix is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Taxfix founded?
Taxfix was founded in 2016. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Taxfix based?
Taxfix is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Taxfix make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Self-Service Tax Filing (DIY) is the primary driver. The others are taxfix+ Subscription, expert Service (Assisted Filing) and self-Employed/VAT Services.
Who are Taxfix's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wundertax, Smartsteuer, Taxman, WISO Steuer-Spar-Erklärung and GoSimpleTax. Regional players are TaxSlayer and Wealthsimple Tax. Broad incumbents are TurboTax (Intuit) and H&R Block. Holvi is listed as an emerging player.
Does Taxfix have an API?
Yes. Taxfix connects to ELSTER (Elektronische Steuererklärung), the German Federal Central Tax Office's official electronic tax filing system, to submit tax declarations directly to tax offices. The integration enables secure transmission of tax data and retrieval of pre-filled tax data (vorausgefüllte Steuererklärung) from the tax authorities. Taxfix also offers an API for the 'Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung' (questionnaire for tax registration of newly founded businesses), allowing users to submit business registration forms directly to tax offices via the ELSTER interface.
What industry is Taxfix in?
Taxfix's product category is Consumer Tax Preparation Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAGADAJ, Tax Planning & Personal Tax Optimization Tools, with a secondary code of BPAHABAB, Tax Advisory & Compliance. Its NAICS code is 541213.