Invoicing Software for Germany
What to look at when a business in Germany picks an invoicing tool: the rules in the German VAT Act, quoted in German with a translation, and the Billed features its own pages describe.
A business in Germany choosing an invoicing tool should compare it with what the German VAT Act (Umsatzsteuergesetz, UStG) requires: the details every invoice must contain, what counts as an electronic invoice between businesses, the dates when the transition rules end, and the tax rate. The points below quote the law in German with our translation. The How to Invoice in Germany guide on this site goes through the rules in full.
Worked example, with sample figures in euros, calculated by hand: a designer bills a German client €1,200.00. Section 12(1) of the UStG (checked October 31, 2026) says "Die Steuer beträgt für jeden steuerpflichtigen Umsatz 19 Prozent der Bemessungsgrundlage" (our translation: for every taxable sale, the tax comes to 19 percent of the amount it is based on), so the VAT is €1,200.00 × 19% = €228.00 and the client pays €1,200.00 + €228.00 = €1,428.00. Check whether a reduced rate or an exemption applies to your supply.
For Billed itself, this page quotes Billed's own pages only. Billed's invoice software page says: "For clients you bill on a schedule, set up a recurring profile once."
Invoicing rules in Germany
Local rules change over time; use these themes as a checklist and confirm details with a qualified adviser for your situation.
The details an invoice must contain
Section 14 of the German VAT Act, the UStG (checked October 31, 2026 on gesetze-im-internet.de), subsection 4, begins: "Eine Rechnung muss folgende Angaben enthalten:" (our translation: the following must appear on an invoice:) Its list includes "das Ausstellungsdatum" (our translation: the issue date) and "eine fortlaufende Nummer mit einer oder mehreren Zahlenreihen, die zur Identifizierung der Rechnung vom Rechnungsaussteller einmalig vergeben wird" (our translation: a running number, using one or more series of figures, given once by the issuer to identify the invoice).
What counts as an electronic invoice
Section 14 of the German VAT Act, the UStG (checked October 31, 2026 on gesetze-im-internet.de) says: "Eine elektronische Rechnung ist eine Rechnung, die in einem strukturierten elektronischen Format ausgestellt, übermittelt und empfangen wird und eine elektronische Verarbeitung ermöglicht." (our translation: an electronic invoice is created, sent and received in a structured electronic format and can be processed electronically.)
When the transition rules end
Section 27(38) of the UStG (checked October 31, 2026) allows an invoice to be sent on paper, or with the recipient's consent in another electronic format, "bis zum 31. Dezember 2026 für einen nach dem 31. Dezember 2024 und vor dem 1. Januar 2027 ausgeführten Umsatz" (our translation: until December 31, 2026, for a supply carried out between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2026). The same applies "bis zum 31. Dezember 2027 für einen nach dem 31. Dezember 2026 und vor dem 1. Januar 2028 ausgeführten Umsatz" (our translation: until December 31, 2027, for a supply carried out during 2027) where the issuer's prior-year turnover "nicht mehr als 800 000 Euro betragen hat" (our translation: was no more than 800,000 euros).
The general VAT rate
Section 12(1) of the UStG (checked October 31, 2026): "Die Steuer beträgt für jeden steuerpflichtigen Umsatz 19 Prozent der Bemessungsgrundlage" (our translation: for every taxable sale, the tax comes to 19 percent of the amount it is based on).
Billed features
Customisable Invoices
Billed's invoice software page says: "Choose an invoice template, add your logo and business details, and save the products and services you sell so you can pull them into an invoice instead of retyping them."
Frequently Asked Questions
Invoicing Software in Other Countries
Start Invoicing With Billed
Create invoices, track payments and keep your clients' details in one place with Billed.
At a glance
| What to compare | Where the law says it |
|---|---|
| Details on every invoice | UStG section 14(4) |
| Electronic invoice definition | UStG section 14(1) |
| Transition dates | UStG section 27(38) |
| General VAT rate | UStG section 12(1) |
When this isn't for you
This page is for comparing invoicing tools. For VAT registration, the small-business rules or how the e-invoice transition affects you, ask the Finanzamt or a Steuerberater.