SteuerGo

What SteuerGo does

SteuerGo is an online income-tax filing platform operated by forium GmbH, headquartered in Berlin, Germany. The platform serves German individual taxpayers — wage earners, retirees, self-employed persons, and individuals with rental or investment income — providing a guided, interview-style web application (steuergo.de) and native iOS and Android apps for preparing and electronically submitting Einkommensteuererklärungen directly to the German Finanzamt via the official ELSTER system. The product supports a five-language interface (German, English, Polish, Romanian, Russian), runs on German-hosted infrastructure (Herbst Datentechnik high-security data center), and is certified under §87c Abgabenordnung.

The technical stack combines 25+ years of accumulated German tax-rule logic with three AI features layered via OpenAI APIs: IntelliScan computer-vision document recognition that auto-classifies uploaded receipts; a customer-service NLP chatbot grounded in the FAQ knowledge base; and a tax-assessment (Steuerbescheid) summarization feature that compares the user's filed return with the Finanzamt's notice and explains discrepancies. Pre-filled tax-return retrieval (Vorausgefüllte Steuererklärung / VaSt) and digitally signed online submission are integrated natively. The platform is monitored and supported via Atlassian Jira Service Desk, Inxmail email infrastructure, Sipgate telephony, and Google/Firebase analytics.

Revenue is generated entirely on a per-filing transaction basis: 34.95 EUR for a single return, 89.95 EUR for three, and 114.95 EUR for four — no subscription required. Users complete the interview and view a free instant refund calculation (Sofort-Berechnung), paying only on submission. Distribution is fully digital (web, App Store, Google Play), with acquisition driven by SEO, recurring editorial endorsements from Finanztip, Computer Bild, CHIP and PC-Welt, and third-party trust badges (Trusted Shops, BankingCheck.de). The company claims 3.6M+ users and an average refund of 1,350 EUR, and is led by managing directors Felix Bodeewes and Leander Bretschger as a privately held, bootstrapped GmbH with no disclosed external investors.

Name

SteuerGo

Legal name

forium GmbH

Website

https://steuergo.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SteuerGo is a Berlin-based online tax-return filing platform operated by forium GmbH, serving German individual taxpayers via a guided web and mobile app with AI document scanning and direct ELSTER submission, monetized through per-return fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Per-Tax-Return Fee (One-time transaction): SteuerGo charges a one-time fee of 34.95 EUR per tax return submission. Users can start for free to calculate their expected refund and only pay when they decide to file. This is the primary and essentially sole revenue stream. No subscription is required; each purchase is independent. Volume discounts are available: 3 returns for 89.95 EUR and 4 returns for 114.95 EUR. The fee includes the online filing, a printed version for the user's records, and tax assessment verification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SteuerGo is an online tax preparation and filing platform for individual German taxpayers, delivered via a web application and native iOS/Android apps. Users complete a guided interview-style tax return with instant refund calculation (Sofort-Berechnung) for free, then pay a one-time fee of €34.95 per submitted tax return (or €89.95/€114.95 for bundled multi-return packages). The platform integrates directly with the German Finanzamt's ELSTER system for electronic submission, leverages AI-powered IntelliScan for automatic receipt classification, retrieves pre-filled tax data via VaSt, and supports tax assessment review and Einspruch (objection) workflows.

Product overview

SteuerGo is an online tax preparation platform offered by forium GmbH (Berlin, Germany) providing web-based and mobile applications for German taxpayers to prepare and submit their income tax returns electronically. The core platform includes browser-based access (PC/Mac/Linux/iPhone/iPad/Android) and dedicated iOS/Android apps. Key AI-powered features include IntelliScan for automatic document recognition and processing, an AI customer service chatbot, and tax assessment summarization. The platform integrates with ELSTER for official tax submission and offers pre-filled tax return data retrieval (VaSt). Pricing is per tax return (€34.95 single, €89.95 for 3, €114.95 for 4) with no subscription. The platform also provides free tax calculators and personalized tax tips.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SteuerGo Online Tax Filing Platform (Web) Browser-based online tax preparation and filing platform that guides individual German taxpayers through an interview-style data entry with real-time Sofort-Berechnung (instant refund calculation), automatic data validation, pre-filled VaSt data retrieval, IntelliScan AI document recognition, and direct ELSTER-based electronic submission to the Finanzamt. Accessible without installation on all major browsers across desktop and mobile devices.
• SteuerGo Mobile App (iOS and Android) Native iOS and Android applications enabling German taxpayers to prepare and electronically submit their income tax returns on smartphones and tablets, with feature parity to the web platform and Firebase-based analytics and crash reporting.
• IntelliScan (AI-powered receipt recognition) AI-powered document recognition service (powered by OpenAI) that automatically classifies uploaded images of receipts, certificates, and tax documents and inserts the extracted information into the correct fields of the user's tax return.
• KI-Chatbot (AI Customer Service Chatbot) OpenAI-powered chatbot that answers customer service questions based on SteuerGo's FAQ database and tax knowledge base, providing initial guidance before users escalate to a human agent.
• Steuerbescheid-Zusammenfassung (Tax Assessment Summarization) OpenAI-powered feature that summarizes the German tax assessment notice (Einkommensteuerbescheid) and explains the differences between SteuerGo's calculated refund and the Finanzamt's official decision, helping users understand changes and identify potential Einspruch (objection) opportunities.
• Steuer-Rechner (Tax Calculators) Free suite of standalone tax and finance calculators covering income tax, tax class selection, inheritance tax, gift tax, pension taxation, Riester, gross-net, vehicle tax, property tax, IBAN, currency conversion, and more. Used as a top-of-funnel SEO and lead-generation tool for the main tax filing product.
• SteuerGo Tax Return Submission Service Paid per-filing service that completes the tax return submission to the German Finanzamt (paperless or with printed form) on behalf of the user, including tax assessment verification. Priced as a one-time per-return fee (€34.95 single / €89.95 for 3 / €114.95 for 4 returns) with no subscription required.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average tax refund of 1,350 EUR per user (per SteuerGo's reported average)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• OpenAI Ireland LimitedcoreTechnology or IntegrationOpenAI provides AI model services (via API) that power three key features: (1) IntelliScan AI document recognition and auto-classification of uploaded tax receipts, (2) an AI chatbot for customer service that accesses FAQs and tax knowledge, and (3) AI-powered tax assessment (Bescheid) summary that explains differences between the user's calculation and the Finanzamt's notice. Data is transmitted to OpenAI for processing under the user's consent (Art. 6 DS-GVO). A Data Processing Agreement (Auftragsverarbeitungsvertrag) is in place. OpenAI Ireland Limited may transfer data to US and other non-EU locations under Standard Contractual Clauses.
• Herbst Datentechnik GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationHerbst Datentechnik GmbH is the external hosting provider (Hoster) for SteuerGo's website and application. They operate servers in Germany (Hochsicherheitsrechenzentrum) and provide data center services, IT security, and server infrastructure. A Data Processing Agreement (ADV) under Art. 28 DS-GVO governs the relationship. Their address is Philippistr. 10, 14059 Berlin.
• Trusted Shops AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationTrusted Shops provides the trust badge (ratings/reviews) displayed on the website and manages the customer review collection and display infrastructure. Data transfers to Israel are covered by an EU adequacy decision. Trusted Shops is also used for fraud prevention during payment processing.
• Google Ireland Ltd. (Google Analytics, Firebase, Tag Manager, Maps, reCAPTCHA, YouTube)coreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle Ireland Ltd. provides multiple services integrated into SteuerGo: Google Analytics 4 and Google Optimize for web analytics and A/B testing; Google Tag Manager for tag management; Google Maps for location features; reCAPTCHA for bot/spam protection; YouTube for embedded video content; Google Firebase for mobile app analytics and crash reporting (iOS and Android). All data transfers to the US use Standard Contractual Clauses (with additional technical safeguards like anonymization/pseudonymization).
• Atlassian (Jira Service Desk)coreTechnology or IntegrationAtlassian's Jira Service Desk is used to manage and track all customer support tickets. Customer emails are automatically imported into Jira from Google Workspace, and phone/postal inquiries are manually entered. An ADV under Art. 28 DS-GVO is in place. Data may be processed in the US and Australia under Standard Contractual Clauses.
• Finanzverwaltung / ELSTER (German Tax Administration)coreTechnology or IntegrationSteuerGo integrates with the German tax administration's ELSTER (Elektronische Steuererklärung) system for two-way data exchange: (1) retrieval of pre-filled tax data (VaSt — vorausgefüllte Steuererklärung) such as wage tax certificates from employers, and (2) submission of completed tax returns directly to the Finanzamt. The VaSt connection also serves as an identity verification method for the signed online filing. This is a mandatory government integration for any German tax software.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Taxfix: German mobile-first consumer tax filing app, also serving individual taxpayers (Arbeitnehmer, Selbständige) with a guided interview and per-return fee model in Germany. Comparable in product-led, AI-augmented UX, B2C focus, and ELSTER submission — the most direct head-to-head competitor in the German market.
• WISO Steuer (Buhl Data): Long-established German consumer and self-employed tax software from Buhl Data, supporting ELSTER filing and covering most German tax annexes. Closest analogue to SteuerGo on feature breadth and on the 'Steuererklärung für jedermann' target user; differs primarily in traditional install/software origin and subscription pricing.
• Smartsteuer: Web-based German consumer tax preparation product that, like SteuerGo, offers guided interview-style filing with direct submission to the Finanzamt. Overlaps almost entirely on use case, audience, and pricing tier — a same-category competitor rather than an adjacent one.

Broad incumbents

• ELSTER (Bayerisches Landesamt für Steuern / Finanzverwaltung): The official free German tax portal run by the federal tax administration; same Einkommensteuererklärung use case but does not offer a guided, AI-augmented interview. ELSTER is the baseline alternative SteuerGo is priced and UX-differentiated against, and the source of the VaSt pre-fill data SteuerGo relies on.
• Intuit TurboTax: Global leader in self-file consumer tax software, used as the dominant US analogue for SteuerGo's guided, AI-augmented consumer tax prep. Same end-to-end consumer journey (interview, calculation, e-filing, refund), but executed in the US regulatory context and at much larger scale.
• H&R Block: Global tax preparation incumbent with both DIY software and assisted channels, widely recognized as a category benchmark for consumer tax filing. Comparable on the self-file software surface even though its primary market is the US.
• TaxSlayer: US-based consumer tax software with a comparable DIY / interview-led self-file model and per-filing pricing. Useful as a same-business-model comparator even though regulatory and language context differs.

Others

• Datev: Germany's dominant professional tax software / tax-advisor platform used by Steuerberater. Serves a different customer (tax professionals vs. end consumers) but operates in the same German tax-regulation stack, making it a structural reference point for technical and regulatory depth that SteuerGo must match.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/steuergo_de
• Facebookfacebook.com/SteuerGo
• Instagraminstagram.com/steuergo

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SteuerGo