Are you looking for the right tax solution for your self-employment? We provide a clear comparison between Accountable and Smartsteuer so you can clearly see which software best fits your needs.
Accountable
vs.Accountable is the digital tax solution for self-employed professionals who want to handle their bookkeeping and tax returns themselves, with smart automation, clear overviews, and personal support, all without ongoing accountant fees.
Smartsteuer is an intuitive online tax software, primarily designed for employees and freelancers. It guides you step by step through your tax return, provides clear instructions, and makes even more complex tax situations easy to handle digitally.
| Accountable | Smartsteuer | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | All-in-one solution for bookkeeping & taxes | Online software for preparing tax returns |
| Who it’s for? | Self-employed & freelancers | Employees, self-employed, retirees, students |
| Bookkeeping included? | Yes (ongoing bookkeeping with receipts & categories) | No |
| Invoicing | Directly in the software | Not included |
| Receipt scanning & capture | Via app with automatic recognition | Not available |
| EÃœR (income surplus calculation) | Automatically generated from bookkeeping | Possible within the tax return |
| VAT pre-filing | Automatically created & submitted | Focus on annual tax return |
| Income tax return | Integrated & guided | Step-by-step interview |
| App available? | Yes | Browser-based |
| Everyday use | Ongoing finance & tax management | Occasional use for filing tax return |
| In short | Accountable supports you year-round with bookkeeping and taxes | Smartsteuer mainly helps with preparing and submitting your tax return |
They always answer right away to any question I have, they provide clear answers, and they are very patient even when I struggle to understand. They try to explain in different ways. They are very helpful, responsive and friendly.
Chiara Marradi
10/05/2026
This is an amazing application with great support on issues. In short as in day I am addicted to it (in a positive way). I myself is from IT project management and the way they have captured the user requirement, it’s phenomenal.
Sumit Tewary
01/12/2024
UI is great. Feature packed and very easy to use. The team at Accountable were VERY quick to respond and their team of technicians soon had a fix in place. Very happy with the level of service so far. Thumbs up from me!
Dean Osborne
05/06/2023
Everything was great! All my questions were answered quickly and in a friendly manner.
Wenzeslawa Wegener
11/05/2026
This program is a lifesaver, and it is always improving. Plus, it has an AI chat feature that is actually useful.
Jeffrey Humble
12/01/2026
The coaching session on tax management was excellent, good material, excellent explanations and very insightful. Combined with the AI I never feel alone with Accountable.
Sergio Barbarino
13/04/2026
The availability of your team to help and guide people to understand their finances better is what really makes Accountable valuable. While the AI is able to give answers to most basic questions, specific scenarios need counsel from a human which your team performs beautifully.
Norma
06/04/2026
Fast and careful answers from Alina. Top service. Thank you.
Anonymous
06/04/2026
In the world where everyone seems to be out to get small entrepreneurs and overwhelm them with new rules, more taxes and reporting obligations, Accountable often feels like the one steady partner that actually wants you to succeed, providing quick, clear and personalised support. Thank you!
Janina Arsenjeva
10/04/2026
They always answer for questions wherever is via direct e-mail or through app. If they can’t answer fully they will forward you to the right place. Documents were always prepared well and ready to send further to government. Everything is intuitive in the app and easy to sort out even for someone completely green in this field.
Anonymous
12/03/2026
We make the switch as easy as possible. If you’re currently using Smartsteuer and move to Accountable, you’ll get three months free when you sign up for an annual plan. On top of that, a personal tax coach will be there to help you with any questions about your taxes or using the software. Just send an email to [email protected] to get your personalized bonus link.
Accountable offers a free 14-day trial. Click the link to explore the design, user interface, and our personal support.
Accountable uses a monthly subscription model designed for ongoing bookkeeping and tax management.
Smartsteuer charges a one-time fee per submitted tax return.
👉 For continuous bookkeeping, Accountable is often more cost-effective.
👉 For a one-time annual tax return, Smartsteuer can be cheaper.
Accountable is built for freelancers and self-employed professionals who need ongoing bookkeeping (invoicing, VAT filings, EÃœR).
Smartsteuer focuses mainly on preparing and submitting annual tax returns. So, for ongoing business operations: Accountable and for annual tax return only: Smartsteuer.
You can prepare your tax return for free in Smartsteuer. Payment is only required when you submit the return to the tax office.
Yes, but with different purposes: Accountable is specifically designed for freelancers and self-employed individuals. Smartsteuer on the other hand is suitable for self-employed users, but not intended as a full bookkeeping solution.
For small business owners, or Kleinunternehmer, who regularly issue invoices and track expenses, Accountable is usually more practical because it combines bookkeeping and tax features. Smartsteuer is more suitable if you only want to file your annual tax return.
Yes, Accountable supports compliant e-invoice creation according to current legal requirements (including structured B2B formats).
No. Smartsteuer is not a bookkeeping tool. It is primarily designed for preparing and submitting tax returns.
Yes. Accountable automatically generates an EÃœR based on your recorded income and expenses.
If you only need to file your annual income tax return, Smartsteuer is sufficient.
If you also want invoicing, VAT pre-filings, ongoing bookkeeping and handling your finances, Accountable is the more comprehensive solution. It also comes with an AI Tax Advisor and Tax Coaches for personal support as well as an integrated free business account.
You are not obliged to work with a tax advisor in Germany. And for most situations software is more than sufficient. Only for certain complex cases (e.g., GmbH or special tax scenarios), a tax advisor is recommended.
Switching makes sense if you move from a tax-return-only tool to a solution that supports ongoing bookkeeping and tax management throughout the year. There is no direct data import between the two, however, there’s an pdf import option and a switching bonus when you come from a different tax software and start using Accountable. Find out more on the bottom of this page.
