123Fahrschule

What 123Fahrschule does

123fahrschule SE operates Germany's largest digital-first driving school network, with 60+ physical locations concentrated in North Rhine-Westphalia and extending to Berlin, Hamburg, and Leipzig. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Köln, the company delivers driver education across the full German license spectrum — Class B/B197 cars, Class A/A1/A2/AM motorcycles, Class C/CE/C1/C1E trucks, Class D/DE/D1/D1E buses, Class L/T tractors, and Class BE trailers — plus foreign license conversion, BF17 accompanied driving, ASF remedial seminars, B196 extensions, and commercial Berufskraftfahrer training (including ADR dangerous goods, forklift, and 5 BKF modules). The platform serves both individual learners and professional drivers, accepting Bildungsgutschein government education vouchers for unemployed trainees.

The core product is the proprietary 123Fahrschule App (Meine 123fahrschule), which bundles all official TÜV and DEKRA theory exam questions across 10+ languages with progress tracking, driving lesson booking, prepaid account management (123Konto), and AI-assisted chat support (KI-Chat) and AI-powered booking tools. The app holds a 4.8/5 rating across 1,967 iOS and 1,310 Android reviews. Supporting infrastructure includes Först driving simulators (free flatrate at select locations, €299 standalone value) and an integrated ecosystem of referral (Bring-a-Friend up to €250), peer-to-peer crowdfunding, installment plans from €149/month with €1,500 overdraft, and quarterly prize draws. The company holds official DVR membership and partnerships with TÜV/DEKRA, ADAC, and Först, and was awarded Deutscher Bildungs-Award 2025/2026 Gesamtsieger.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time tuition per license class (€1,400–€2,200 depending on region and class), supplemented by recurring installment payment plans, prepaid account top-ups, intensive 14-day premium courses, and simulator-driven incremental ARPU. Go-to-market is product-led and digital-first: students self-register online, download the app, and book lessons on demand across branches, with social media (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube), SEO, referral mechanics, and crowdfunding links driving top-of-funnel acquisition. The company is structured as a Societas Europaea with a public Investor Relations page, has 251–500 employees, and has executed one bolt-on acquisition (Fahrlehrerausbildungsstätte FahrerWerk, €600,000, December 2021) to secure its own instructor training pipeline.

Name

123Fahrschule

Legal name

123fahrschule SE

Website

https://123fahrschule.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

123fahrschule SE is Germany's largest digital-first driving school chain, operating 60+ locations and serving individual and professional driver license candidates (cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses) via its proprietary multilingual app with TÜV/DEKRA content and AI-assisted booking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices41 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Driving Education Fees: One-time fees for driver education across all license classes (Class B, motorcycle, truck, bus, tractor, trailer). Students pay registration fees and per-driving-lesson fees. Prices vary by location and number of lessons required.
2. Installment Payment Plans: Monthly installment payments starting from €149/month for driving education. Students can overdraw their 123fahrschule account by up to €1,500 (at €199/month rate). Revenue recognized over the duration of the training period.
3. Prepaid Account System: Students load funds (Prepaid Konto) to their 123fahrschule account and pay only for lessons taken. No hidden costs. This creates a usage-based revenue stream.
4. Theory-Only Courses: Standalone theory courses and exam preparation for those who only need theory instruction.
5. Intensive Courses: 14-day intensive driving courses for fast-track licensing, offered at premium pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

123Fahrschule operates Germany's largest digital driving school network with 60+ physical locations and a proprietary mobile app (Meine 123fahrschule) that delivers theory learning, exam simulation, driving lesson booking, progress tracking, and AI-powered support for license classes B, motorcycle (A/A1/A2/AM), truck (C/CE), bus (D/DE), tractor (L/T), and trailer (BE). Revenue is generated primarily through per-student driving education fees, supplemented by installment payment plans (from €149/month), prepaid 123Konto accounts, intensive 14-day courses, simulator training, and B196/BF17 add-on services.

Product overview

123Fahrschule is Germany's leading digital driving school chain operating over 60 locations across Germany. The core offering centers on the 123Fahrschule App (Meine 123fahrschule) — a unified digital platform combining theory learning with all TÜV & DEKRA questions, driving lesson booking, progress tracking, and AI-powered customer support. This app serves as the hub for all license training including car (B/B197 with automatic/manual options including BF17 accompanied driving from 17), motorcycle (A/A1/A2/AM with B196 extension), truck (C/CE/C1/C1E), bus (D/DE/D1/D1E), tractor (L/T), and trailer (BE) licenses. The company differentiates through a portfolio of financial and engagement add-ons including Führerschein Ratenzahlung (installment payments from €149/month), Führerschein Crowdfunding (peer funding), Bring-a-Friend referral credits (up to €250), and quarterly Führerschein Gewinnspiel prize draws. Supplementary services include 14-day Intensivkurse intensive courses, Aufbauseminar (ASF) for traffic violators, Führerschein umschreiben for foreign license conversion, and Fahrschule wechseln transfer services. Driving simulators with free flatrate are available at select locations. The company positions itself as a modern, digital-first alternative to traditional driving schools, leveraging AI for chat support and intelligent learning assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 123Fahrschule App (Meine 123fahrschule)

Quantifiable outcome

• 14,000+ passed driving exams
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• mwb researchminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 December 2021Investor relations and research partner. 123Fahrschule's board participated in an online roundtable hosted by mwb research discussing company figures, outlook, and new driver training regulations in Germany.
• DVR (Deutscher Verkehrssicherheitsrat)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial membership in the German Road Safety Council (DVR). DVR is Germany's leading road safety organization. Membership demonstrates 123Fahrschule's commitment to traffic safety standards and professional excellence in driver education.
• TÜV & DEKRAcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for official exam question content. 123Fahrschule's app includes all official TÜV & DEKRA exam questions for theory test preparation. This is essential for exam readiness as these are the bodies that administer driving license exams in Germany.
• ADACminorGTM or Marketing PartnerADAC membership offered to students - 1 year fee-free membership included with driving safety training. ADAC is Germany's largest automobile club and provides added value to students through this partnership.
• FahrerWerk (Fahrlehrerausbildungsstätte)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired company (Fahrlehrerausbildungsstätte FahrerWerk GmbH) for €600,000 in December 2021 as part of strategy to train over 1,000 driving instructors by 2024. This acquisition expanded operational capacity and instructor training capabilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• iTheorie: iTheorie is a digital theorie-learning platform with official TÜV/DEKRA question banks. Comparable because it targets the same theory-prep stage of the student journey that 123Fahrschule's 'Meine 123fahrschule' app monetizes via integrated lesson booking.

Broad incumbents

• ADAC: ADAC, Germany's largest auto club, runs its own Fahrschule plus safety-training partnerships (which 123Fahrschule resells as a member perk). Comparable as a broader, membership-funded incumbent that competes for the same young-driver and safety-training demand.

Direct peers

• Fahrschule.de: Fahrschule.de is one of Germany's largest online portals connecting students with driving schools and providing theory-learning tools. Comparable as the closest digital marketplace/thin layer over the same fragmented driving-school supply chain that 123Fahrschule is verticalizing.
• DEKRA: DEKRA operates one of Germany's largest networks of driving schools alongside its vehicle testing and certification services. Directly comparable as a multi-site, multi-class driving school operator using DEKRA's own exam infrastructure — the same regulatory anchor that 123Fahrschule integrates with.
• TÜV NORD: TÜV NORD Mobility operates accredited driving schools and professional driver training (LKW/Bus) across Germany. Comparable because it combines a regulated exam-body position (TÜV) with a competing physical training footprint in the same license categories (B, C/CE, D/DE) that 123Fahrschule serves.

Others

• Fahrschulverband Deutschland: National industry association representing German driving schools. Relevant as an ecosystem/defense counterpart — it shapes the regulatory posture, instructor-training standards, and lobbying that materially affect 123Fahrschule's operating economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/123FAHRSCHULE
• Facebookfacebook.com/123fahrschule.de
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/123fahrschule
• Instagraminstagram.com/123fahrschule.de
• TikToktiktok.com/@123fahrschule
• Xx.com/123fahrschule

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 123Fahrschule