Ferber Software
Ferber-Software GmbH is a German privately-held software company founded in 1990 that develops IKAROS, a web-based debt collection and receivables management software now in its fourth generation, serving more than 200 collection agencies, law firms, and corporate customers across Germany and parts of Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersDe Pere, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Ferber Software does
Ferber-Software GmbH is a privately-held German software company founded in 1990 by Matthias Ferber and Jochen Schneiders and headquartered in Lippstadt. The company develops, sells, and supports IKAROS, a web-based debt collection and receivables management software platform now in its fourth generation. IKAROS serves debt collection agencies, law firms, and corporate collections departments across Germany and parts of Europe, with a customer base of more than 200 organizations including named accounts such as Riverty (Arvato Financial Solutions), TeamBank AG, HFG Gruppe (LZI), Inkasso Küng AG, and GREIF.
The product is a cloud-capable, web-architected standard software platform with deep customization: a graphical Workflow Editor enables drag-and-drop configuration of business processes, users can independently add new parameters rather than only selecting from presets, and the system supports multi-company deployments on a single server landscape. Domain features include joint-and-several claims processing, multi-currency operations, multilingual interface, and German/EU-specific compliance (eSchKG Switzerland, Camt/Pain formats, GDPR-aligned debtor management). The platform integrates via proven interfaces with credit bureaus (SCHUFA, CRIF, Regis24, RISER, Experian), document and payment partners (softgate, QENTA, FP IAB, Deutsche Post Adress), and curates third-party add-ons through the IKAROS Solution Store (ISS) marketplace.
Ferber generates revenue through a mix of recurring subscriptions (rental from €95/month, SaaS from €395/month), perpetual licenses for basic and above editions, annual maintenance contracts, and professional services for implementation and customization. Go-to-market is direct sales led by in-house IT consultants, supplemented by an annual user conference and a user-elected advisory council. The product is TÜV-certified (the first standard debt collection software to achieve this), and the company is the recognized market leader in German debt collection software since 2009, operating with 130+ employees of which 55 are dedicated to two product development departments.
Ferber Software firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ferber Software
- Legal name
- Ferber-Software GmbH
- Website
- https://ferber-software.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Ferber-Software GmbH is a German privately-held software company founded in 1990 that develops IKAROS, a web-based debt collection and receivables management software now in its fourth generation, serving more than 200 collection agencies, law firms, and corporate customers across Germany and parts of Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ferber Software industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Debt Collection Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210), Collection Agencies (561440)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Compliance, GRC Workflow & Audit Automation Platforms (HDAEAHAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Compliance, Audit & Regulatory Services for Collections (FSAKAJAL), Risk, Controls & Governance (GRC) Platforms (FSAFAOAG)
Keywords
Where Ferber Software is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- De Pere
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ferber Software business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Software Rental: Rental model for IKAROS starting from €95/month. Available from IKAROS starter edition. Includes maintenance and support. Attractive entry option especially for smaller collection companies and startups.
- SaaS (Software as a Service): Full SaaS offering where Ferber handles infrastructure, administration, and third-party licenses. Customers benefit from infrastructure savings, administration savings, and reduced concerns. Starting from €395/month.
- Perpetual License: Software purchase option available for IKAROS basic and above editions. Provides ownership model alternative to rental.
- Professional Services: Implementation services, project management, and technical consulting for IKAROS deployment and customization.
- Maintenance and Support: Annual maintenance contracts with updates for bank code directories, court jurisdiction directories, and software updates.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | IKAROS starter - For startups and new businesses with up to 1,000 active cases |
| Subscription | Monthly | IKAROS basic - For small to medium-sized companies with unlimited cases |
| Subscription | Monthly | IKAROS plus - For medium-sized companies with national operations |
| Subscription | Monthly | IKAROS enterprise - For corporations with international operations and mass collection |
| Subscription | Monthly | SaaS Model - Full service hosting by Ferber |
| Subscription | Monthly | Rental Model - Starting price |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Ferber Software product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ferber-Software GmbH develops, sells, and supports IKAROS, a web-based debt collection and receivables management software platform in its fourth generation. The product is offered in four editions (starter, basic, plus, enterprise) and deployed via on-premise rental, perpetual license, or SaaS to debt collection agencies, law firms, and corporations handling domestic and international collections. Complementary professional services include IT consulting, implementation, and ongoing maintenance and support.
Product overview
Ferber-Software GmbH offers IKAROS, a web-based debt collection and receivables management software platform currently in its 4th generation. The product is available in four editions (IKAROS starter, basic, plus, and enterprise) to serve different company sizes from startups to large multinational corporations. The software supports highly automated collection processes through optimally coordinated components, with flexible customization and rapid integration of new ideas, innovations, or individual adaptations. IKAROS is offered as on-premise rental (Miete) or Software as a Service (SaaS), with a pricing range from €95/month (starter rental) to €395/month (SaaS). The company also operates the IKAROS Solution Store (ISS) as a marketplace for complementary solutions developed by partner companies and experienced IKAROS users.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- IKAROS: Debt collection and receivables management software offered in four editions: Starter, Basic, Plus, and Enterprise. Supports highly automated collection processes with customizable workflows, multi-currency capability, and multilingual interface.
Products and services
- IKAROS Web-based debt collection and receivables management software that highly automatically supports all collection processes through optimally coordinated components. Supports multi-currency, multilingual interface, workflow management with graphical editor, customizable interface, multi-company capability, and international features including eSchKG for Switzerland and Camt & Pain payment formats. Targeted at debt collection agencies, law firms, and corporations in DACH and Europe.
- IKAROS Solution Store (ISS)
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% of collection cases reach amicable settlement in out-of-court collection
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Ferber Software
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ferber Software technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
Feature10 records
Ferber Software partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bundesverband Deutscher Inkasso-Unternehmen e.V. (BDIU)coreFerber-Software is associated with BDIU, the Federal Association of German Debt Collection Companies. BDIU represents the interests of the collection industry and has 560 member companies. The association is Europe's largest collection industry association and second largest worldwide.
- DSC Unternehmensberatung und Software GmbHminorLong-standing SAP partner since 1993 specializing in IT systems implementation and business process optimization for the energy industry in DACH region.
- BVMW (Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft)minorLong-standing member of the German SME association representing 270,000 SMEs with 9 million employees. Ferber contributes expertise in technical consulting and collection management.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ferber Software competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Serrala: Hamburg-based provider of financial automation software including receivables and collections workflow solutions. Comparable to Ferber as a German-headquartered vertical software vendor serving finance/collections operations with workflow and integration depth.
- BearingPoint: European management and technology consultancy with regulatory and finance software offerings including debt collection / regulatory reporting. Comparable as a European-headquartered provider of specialized collection and compliance software.
- Tinubu Square: Paris-based software vendor specialized in credit insurance, receivables management, and collections workflow. Comparable to Ferber as a European-headquartered vertical software company serving receivables/credit management with workflow customization depth.
Broad incumbents
- FICO: Global analytics and decision management software vendor with debt collection, recovery, and customer management solutions. Competes with Ferber in collections technology but operates at much larger scale across broader financial services.
- Wolters Kluwer: Global information services and software provider with finance, risk, and compliance solutions including collections workflow. Overlaps with Ferber in compliance-driven software for regulated financial workflows but operates at a much larger scale and broader portfolio.
- Temenos: Global banking software platform whose core banking suite includes collections and recovery modules for retail and commercial banks. Comparable in collections workflow but as part of a broader core banking offering rather than a specialized vendor.
- Sopra Banking Software: European banking software provider with collections, recovery, and receivables management capabilities within its core banking suite. Comparable to Ferber's enterprise edition serving banks and large financial services institutions, but as a broader platform vendor.
Emerging players
- Pair Finance: Berlin-based AI-native digital debt collection platform using machine learning for debtor communication and recovery optimization. Represents the AI-first alternative to Ferber's workflow-automation approach in the same German collection market.
- CollectAI (Riverty): AI-powered debt collection platform now part of Riverty (Bertelsmann subsidiary, also an existing Ferber customer). Competes with Ferber in the German market with a modern AI-driven approach versus Ferber's traditional workflow automation model.
Others
- Atos: Global IT services and digital transformation company with collections-related systems integration and managed services in financial services. Adjacent rather than directly competing — relevant as a systems integrator that custom-builds collection solutions in the same customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ferber Software social profiles
Digital presenceFerber Software compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Ferber Software financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ferber Software leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Ferber Software funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ferber Software M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ferber Software
What does Ferber Software do?
Ferber-Software GmbH develops, sells, and supports IKAROS, a web-based debt collection and receivables management software platform in its fourth generation. The product is offered in four editions (starter, basic, plus, enterprise) and deployed via on-premise rental, perpetual license, or SaaS to debt collection agencies, law firms, and corporations handling domestic and international collections. Complementary professional services include IT consulting, implementation, and ongoing maintenance and support.
Is Ferber Software a public or private company?
Ferber Software is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ferber Software founded?
Ferber Software was founded in 1990. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Ferber Software based?
Ferber Software is headquartered in De Pere, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ferber Software make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Software Rental is the primary driver. The others are saaS (Software as a Service), perpetual License, professional Services and maintenance and Support.
Who are Ferber Software's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Serrala, BearingPoint and Tinubu Square. Broad incumbents are FICO, Wolters Kluwer, Temenos and Sopra Banking Software. Emerging players are Pair Finance and CollectAI (Riverty). Atos is listed as an others.
Does Ferber Software have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ferber Software.
What industry is Ferber Software in?
Ferber Software's product category is Debt Collection Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEAHAL, Compliance, GRC Workflow & Audit Automation Platforms, with a secondary code of FSAKAJAL, Compliance, Audit & Regulatory Services for Collections. Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7372.