Invoice (Rechnung) Generator for Germany

German invoices — Rechnungen — are famously exacting: tax numbers, unbroken numbering, and a clear USt breakdown are expected on essentially every B2B invoice. The one big fork in the road is whether you charge VAT at all, because Kleinunternehmer (small businesses under §19 UStG) don't. Speed Invoices covers both cases in a free editor — no signup, no watermark, and your data stays in your browser.

What belongs on a Rechnung

• Your full name or business name and address.
• Your tax identifier — either your Steuernummer or your USt-IdNr (VAT ID).
• Your customer's name and address.
• A unique, sequential invoice number — no gaps in the series.
• The invoice date and the date of supply where it differs.
• Line items — quantity and description of each good or service, with unit prices.
• The tax breakdown — net amount, USt rate and amount, and the gross total.
• Kleinunternehmer instead? No USt line — but the invoice should state that no VAT is charged under §19 UStG.

Umsatzsteuer in numbers

Germany's standard VAT rate (Umsatzsteuer, often called Mehrwertsteuer) is 19%, with a reduced 7% rate for certain goods and services. For a freelance developer invoicing €1,200 net:

• Netto: €1,200.00
• USt (19%): +€228.00
• Brutto (total due): €1,428.00

A Kleinunternehmer sending the same invoice would simply bill €1,200 with the §19 UStG note and no tax line.

From editor to PDF

In Speed Invoices, set the currency to EUR and choose the DD.MM.YYYY date format Germans expect (7 formats available). Add a 19% USt line — or none, if you're a Kleinunternehmer, using the notes field for your §19 statement. Sequential numbering is configurable so your series stays intact, totals and discounts calculate automatically, and you can add your logo and pick a PDF template before downloading. The same editor also produces quotes (Angebote), credit notes, receipts, and purchase orders.

Billing clients every month?

The editor and PDF download are free forever. Pro ($5/mo) adds recurring invoices, scheduled sends, payment reminders, and sending from your own domain.

Invoicing elsewhere in Europe? Compare the VAT setups in Spain — where IRPF withholding enters the picture — and Ireland.

This article is general guidance, not tax or legal advice. Rates and rules change; confirm with a qualified Steuerberater or your Finanzamt.