Free e-invoicing in Germany: tools to receive and create e-invoices (2026)
Ad This page mentions products whose affiliate programmes we use or plan to use: sevdesk, Accountable (Deutschland), Qonto (Deutschland). Mentions and links are marked as ads.
In short: you don't need to buy anything to receive e-invoices: an email inbox and a free viewer are enough [1]. To create them, several plans are free for good, usually with a monthly cap. For small businesses and anyone with few invoices that is often enough.
Deadline: from 1 January 2027, businesses with prior-year turnover above €800,000 must issue e-invoices, everyone else from 2028 [1]. Whether that applies to you is explained on e-invoicing mandate 2027.
Receive and read for free
Since 2025 every business established in Germany must be able to receive e-invoices; an email inbox is enough [1]. You can read XRechnung and ZUGFeRD for free with:
| Tool | Type | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Our viewer | in the browser | the file is not uploaded |
| ELSTER "E-Rechnung ansehen" [2] | in the browser | tax administration service, "non-binding" |
| Quba Viewer [3] | desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) | open source, view only |
Keep the XML file for eight years; it is the original [1].
Create for free: free plans compared
All details from the vendor's pricing page, checked on 6 October 2026. A free trial does not count as a free plan here.
| Vendor | Free plan | Limits | Receive e-invoices on the free plan? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountable (affiliate) | "Rechnungen Free" | phone app only, unlimited XRechnung/ZUGFeRD, 5 expenses/month [6] | yes [6] |
| easybill | free forever | 50 documents/month, 3 contacts, 1 user [4] | yes [4] |
| kostenlose-erechnung.de | "Start" | 3 invoices/month with an ad notice [12] | viewing and checking free [12] |
| Papierkram | "Free" | basic functions, 100 MB, logo on documents [9] | yes [9] |
| sevdesk Ad (affiliate) | "Kostenlos" | 3 invoices/e-invoices per month [5] | no (from the "Buchhaltung" plan) [5] |
| SumUp Rechnungen | €0 | 4 invoices/month, payouts only to the SumUp account [7] | yes, unlimited [7] |
| WISO Business | "Gratis starten" | unlimited invoices, including electronic [11] | not stated |
| Zervant | €0 | 5 invoices/month, XRechnung only, you send it yourself [8] | not stated |
| Zoho Invoice | free | 500 invoices/year, 2 users, Zoho branding [10] | no |
Other free options:
- Business accounts: Qonto (affiliate) offers a free Starter account and describes e-invoicing as free for all customers [13]. More accounts with e-invoicing are in the list below.
- DATEV e-invoice platform: according to DATEV, receiving through its e-invoice mailbox is free; mostly useful if your tax adviser works with DATEV [15].
- Collmex: free invoicing and bookkeeping plans; the vendor's pages contradict each other on whether the free plan sends XML e-invoices [16].
Only for invoices to authorities: OZG-RE
The federal administration offers a free web form on its OZG-RE platform for typing an e-invoice in the browser. It is only for invoices to federal authorities and participating states, not for invoices to businesses, and requires registration [14]. The former ZRE platform has been merged into OZG-RE [14].
What to watch for
- Monthly caps: 3 to 5 invoices a month suit micro businesses, not growing ones.
- Receiving ≠ creating: some free plans only create, others only receive.
- Format: invoices to businesses must be XRechnung or ZUGFeRD 2.0.1+ (not MINIMUM/BASIC-WL) [1].
- Check your duty: small businesses (Kleinunternehmer) never have to issue e-invoices [1]; see Kleinunternehmer.
More choice with prices: software comparison · one-off purchase software
Only PDF invoices so far? See convert PDF to XRechnung.
Vendors marked "(affiliate)" have partner programmes: sevdesk's is active, the others are pending. Links to them are labelled as ads and may earn us a commission. Selection and order (alphabetical) do not depend on it. All prices as stated by the vendor, checked on 6 October 2026.
How we earn money: labelled ads, affiliate links and optional paid plans. The order below is not paid. How we rank
Providers
| Product | Free plan | From | Can | One-off purchase | Bank offer | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accountable (Deutschland) Accountable SA Correct this listing |
Yes 'Rechnungen Free': smartphone app only, 1 bank account, unlimited ZUGFeRD and XRechnung e-invoices, up to 5 expenses booked per month; receives e-invoices (ZUGFeRD, XRechnung, Peppol). |
EUR 12.40 / month · source |
send, receive, process | No | Website Ad | |
| Clean Invoice E-Rechnung-Viewer Correct this listing |
Yes Free, no registration; view and convert to PDF. |
Unknown · source |
receive | Unknown | Website | |
| Collmex Collmex GmbH Correct this listing |
Yes 'Collmex rechnung free' and 'Collmex buchhaltung free' at 0.00: 1 admin, up to 100,000 documents or bookings, storage not expandable. Whether 'rechnung free' sends XML e-invoices is contradictory (pricing page yes, FAQ no). |
EUR 8.95 / month · source |
send, receive, process | No | Website | |
| DATEV (Unternehmen online, Auftragswesen next, E-Rechnungsplattform) DATEV eG Correct this listing |
Yes E-Rechnungsplattform basic functions: receiving through the E-Rechnungspostfach is free, and sending from DATEV's own invoicing tools is free. Fees for other functions since July 2026 (see prices). Needs a DATEV account. |
EUR 0.42 / month · source |
send, receive, process | No | Website | |
| easybill easybill GmbH Correct this listing |
Yes Permanent free plan: 50 documents per month, 3 contacts, 1 user; create and receive e-invoices. |
EUR 12 / month · source |
send, receive, process | No | Website | |
| ELSTER: E-Rechnung ansehen Steuerverwaltung (ELSTER) Correct this listing |
Yes Free, view only, one file at a time; described as 'ein unverbindlicher Service der Steuerverwaltung'. |
Unknown · source |
receive | Unknown | Website | |
| Fakturama Correct this listing |
Yes Free open-source desktop software (Windows, macOS, Linux); needs Java 11+ and LibreOffice/OpenOffice. |
Unknown · source |
send | Unknown | Website | |
| Faktwise Correct this listing |
Yes 'Gratis': 25 invoices a month, ZUGFeRD 2.4 and XRechnung 3.0.2, GoBD archive and accountant export. |
USD 22 / month · source |
send | No | Website | |
| Holvi Correct this listing |
Yes Holvi Flex 0/month: 1 German IBAN, 1 virtual card, 0.25 per SEPA transfer; upload, check and archive received e-invoices. Creating XRechnung/ZUGFeRD and Peppol are not listed for Flex. |
EUR 9 / month · source |
send, receive, process | No | Holvi business account | Website |
| Invoice Ninja Correct this listing |
Yes Free: $0, up to 5 clients; no e-invoicing (XRechnung, ZUGFeRD and Peppol start at the Enterprise plan). |
USD 18 / month · source |
send, receive | No | Website Ad | |
| Kontist Shine Germany GmbH Correct this listing |
Yes 0: business account with German IBAN, 5 SEPA transfers, 1 debit card, invoice tool (PDF), sevdesk access included for 3 months. |
EUR 11 / month · source |
process | No | Kontist business account | Website |
| KoSIT Validator und XRechnung-Visualisierung KoSIT (Koordinierungsstelle für IT-Standards) Correct this listing |
Yes Open source (Apache-2.0); developer tools without an end-user interface. |
Unknown · source |
receive | Unknown | Website | |
| kostenlose-erechnung.de Correct this listing |
Yes 'Start' 0, permanent: 3 invoices per month with an ad notice; PDF, XRechnung and ZUGFeRD; viewing and validating free. |
EUR 9.92 / month · source |
send, receive | No | Website | |
| OZG-RE: Rechnungseingangsplattform des Bundes Beschaffungsamt des BMI Correct this listing |
Yes Free registration (company account) required. Only for invoices TO the federal administration and participating Länder (B2G), not for B2B. |
Unknown · source |
send | Unknown | Website | |
| Papierkram odacer finanzsoftware GmbH Correct this listing |
Yes 'Free' 0.00: basic bookkeeping for starters and side businesses, 100 MB storage, Papierkram logo on documents; e-invoice creation and receiving included in all packages. |
EUR 15.90 / month · source |
send, receive, process | No | Website | |
| Qonto (Deutschland) Qonto SA Correct this listing |
Yes Starter 0 (new): business account with German IBAN, 5 transfers per month, 1 virtual card. E-invoicing is described as free for all Qonto customers. |
EUR 9 / month · source |
send, receive, process | No | Qonto business account | Website Ad |
| Quba Viewer Correct this listing |
Yes Free, open source (Apache-2.0), desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux; view only. |
Unknown · source |
receive | Unknown | Website | |
| sevdesk sevDesk GmbH Correct this listing |
Yes 'Kostenlos' plan, permanently free: 3 invoices/e-invoices per month (ZUGFeRD and XRechnung). No receiving of e-invoices. |
EUR 11.90 / month · source |
send, receive, process | No | Website Ad | |
| SumUp Rechnungen SumUp Limited Correct this listing |
Yes 0: up to 4 invoices/e-invoices per month, unlimited receiving of e-invoices, standard template; payouts only to the SumUp business account. |
EUR 10 / month · source |
send, receive, process | No | SumUp business account | Website |
| Vivid Business Vivid Money S.A. Correct this listing |
Yes 'Free Start' account 0/month; invoicing included in all tiers, no quantity limit stated. |
EUR 6.90 / month · source |
send, receive | No | Vivid business account | Website |
| WISO Business Buhl Data Service GmbH Correct this listing |
Yes 'Gratis starten': unlimited invoices (classic and electronic), receipt scanning, payment links. |
EUR 5.25 / month · source |
send | No | Website | |
| Zervant Correct this listing |
Yes 0: up to 5 invoices per month; XRechnung included (you send the file yourself). |
EUR 9 / month · source |
send, process | No | Website | |
| Zoho Books Correct this listing |
Yes 0: invoices, quotes, expenses, reports, 1 user + accountant; XRechnung and ZUGFeRD export. Import of e-invoices starts at Professional. |
EUR 40 / month · source |
send, receive, process | No | Website | |
| Zoho Invoice Correct this listing |
Yes Free: up to 2 users, 3 projects, 500 invoices per year, 'Powered by Zoho Invoice' branding. |
Unknown · source |
send | No | Website |
Sources
- BMF: FAQ on mandatory e-invoicing (status March 2026, German) (checked on )
- ELSTER: view an e-invoice (checked on )
- Quba Viewer (checked on )
- easybill: pricing (checked on )
- sevdesk: pricing (checked on )
- Accountable: pricing (checked on )
- SumUp: e-invoice pricing (checked on )
- Zervant: pricing (checked on )
- Papierkram: pricing (checked on )
- Zoho Invoice: pricing (checked on )
- WISO Business: e-invoice (checked on )
- kostenlose-erechnung.de: pricing (checked on )
- Qonto: pricing (checked on )
- E-Rechnung Bund: OZG-RE (checked on )
- DATEV: e-invoice platform basic functions free (checked on )
- Collmex: pricing (checked on )
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