Overview

The workflow offers several ways to build a return: photograph wage statements and receipts for automatic recognition and entry, or authorize retrieval of tax information such as wage-tax data from the tax administration. The expected refund updates as you enter information, and completed returns are transmitted to the tax office through the official ELSTER interface. These features can reduce manual entry and give you an ongoing view of the likely result.

One license covers up to five tax returns, which can suit a household or someone preparing several returns. The key boundary is eligibility: WISO Steuer supports income tax returns only for people with unlimited tax liability in Germany. It runs on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, the web and Windows.

Key features

Document entry and data retrieval

Photographing wage statements and receipts lets the software recognize and enter their information, reducing transcription work. With your consent, it can also retrieve tax data such as wage-tax information from the tax administration. Those options are useful for filers who want to assemble a return with less manual input, though they do not remove the need to check the information in the return.

Live refund estimate and SteuerGPT

The expected refund recalculates as you enter information, making the likely outcome visible during preparation rather than only at the end. SteuerGPT answers tax questions in natural language within the program. The privacy notice names Taxy.io GmbH as the processor for SteuerGPT and Microsoft Azure servers in Germany.

Banking and filing

Tax Banking can retrieve and categorize bank transactions, but it requires a finanzblick account. Electronic filing is included: WISO Steuer transmits returns to the tax office through the official ELSTER interface.

Security and support

Buhl says data is stored on its servers in Germany, with HTTPS and AES-256 encryption for transmission and storage. Its privacy notice says personal data is not generally shared with third parties, subject to limited exceptions such as service providers, legal requirements or user consent. Vorteils-Abo subscribers get a technical support hotline; users can also submit support requests through Buhl's ticket system.

Pricing

WISO Steuer is paid software, with a free test version and two paid options. The plans differ in when payment is due and what kind of commitment they require.

Testversion: Free. You can test all functions and pay only when submitting the return. This lets you prepare before committing, but it is not a free filing plan: payment is requested at submission.
Vorteils-Abo: 35.99 EUR per year, billed as an annual subscription that renews automatically each November. It includes five tax returns and a technical support hotline. This is the lower-priced annual option for people who expect to use WISO Steuer across multiple returns and are comfortable with automatic renewal.
Einzelkauf: 45.99 EUR per month, billed as a one-time purchase for a tax year. It includes one-time submission for one tax year and a personal SteuerGPT AI adviser. It avoids the subscription structure but costs more than the annual Vorteils-Abo and does not include its five-return allowance.

Both paid plans include electronic filing. Choose the test version to prepare before paying, the subscription if the five-return quota and hotline fit your needs, or Einzelkauf for a one-tax-year purchase with the personal AI adviser.

Platforms

WISO Steuer supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, the web and Windows. That range gives users a choice of mobile, desktop and browser access, rather than limiting preparation to one device type.

Who it's for

The maker describes WISO Steuer as suitable for employees, self-employed people, retirees, landlords, families and beginners. Support for self-employed filers and rental income broadens its usefulness beyond a straightforward employee return. The decisive qualification is unlimited tax liability in Germany; anyone outside that group should look elsewhere. The five-return license is especially relevant to households or users preparing more than one return.

Pros and cons

Pros: Photograph-based recognition and authorized tax-data retrieval offer alternatives to entering everything manually.
Pros: A live refund estimate keeps the expected outcome visible as the return takes shape.
Pros: One license covers up to five returns, and electronic filing through ELSTER is included.
Cons: Eligibility is restricted to people with unlimited tax liability in Germany.
Cons: The free test version does not cover submission without payment.
Cons: Vorteils-Abo renews automatically each November, while Einzelkauf is priced at 45.99 EUR per month and covers one tax year.
Cons: Tax Banking requires a separate finanzblick account.

Alternatives

If WISO Steuer's German tax-liability boundary makes it unsuitable, the alternatives below serve different filing contexts and plans.

H&R Block Online offers a free plan for simple tax situations using Form 1040, with web, iOS and Android access; choose it if that scope fits your return.
TaxAct offers free federal filing for eligible standard returns, with state filing additional; choose it if you need that federal-filing option.
CloudTax has a free plan for basic self-guided tax returns, capped at two returns; choose it if a mobile option for that scope suits you.
TaxDown offers a free simulation to calculate a tax return result, while presenting requires a plan; choose it if you only need a free calculation.
TurboTax offers a free edition for simple Form 1040 returns; choose it if your return qualifies for that limited scope.
ClearTax offers DIY income-tax return filing; choose it if that is the filing service you need.
Keeper offers an deductions-focused option with expense tracking, deduction-summary export and a 24/7 AI Tax Assistant; choose it if deduction discovery is your priority.
1040.com is another tax-preparation option to consider.

For broader comparisons, browse Personal Tax Software or Tax Preparation Software.

Verdict

Choose WISO Steuer if you have unlimited tax liability in Germany and want guided preparation, multiple ways to bring in tax information, a live refund estimate and ELSTER filing. Its clearest advantages are reduced manual entry and a license that covers up to five returns. Look elsewhere if you fall outside its eligibility boundary, need a genuinely free submission, or do not want to manage an automatically renewing subscription.

	WISO Steuer	ZHprivateTax
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	€3/mo	Free
Platforms	Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows	Web
Free plan	No	Yes
Filer types	both
Self-employed support	Yes
Rental income support	Yes
Electronic filing included	Yes
Self-employment support		Yes
Investment income		Yes
Rental income		Yes
State filing		included
Mobile access		web_only

WISO Steuer vs ZHprivateTax

WISO Steuer

ZHprivateTax