OpenXRechnungToolbox vs ZUGFeRD-Manager
OpenXRechnungToolbox and ZUGFeRD-Manager are both e-invoicing library software. OpenXRechnungToolbox is open source under GPL-3.0, with 64 GitHub stars. ZUGFeRD-Manager is open source under Apache-2.0, with 39 GitHub stars.
Which to pick
- Pick OpenXRechnungToolbox when
- A German organisation needs to view and validate XRechnung files locally without programming.
- Pick ZUGFeRD-Manager when
- A small German business wants to check or produce ZUGFeRD invoices without uploading them anywhere.
Side by side
A desktop and command-line tool that displays and validates XRechnung and Peppol invoices, converts CII to UBL, and calculates Leitweg-ID check digits.
A free desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux that creates and validates ZUGFeRD e-invoices.
The README says development is paused, so newer XRechnung versions may not be supported.
No push since June 2025, and work appears to continue in the Quba viewer instead.
Usable (both)
Desktop app and command line
Desktop app
Java and XSLT
Kotlin and Java
Open source, GPL-3.0 (strong copyleft)
Open source, Apache-2.0 (permissive)
Use inside your business is unrestricted, but anything you distribute that includes it must be released under the same license.
You can build it into a product you sell, as long as you keep its copyright notice.
64 GitHub stars
39 GitHub stars
Established: started 6 years ago, latest release 2024-10-05-3.0.0.
Young: started 23 months ago, latest release v1.3.2.
Other comparisons
More e-invoicing libraries for ZUGFeRD, Factur-X, XRechnung and Peppol
Both sides were judged on 2026-11-03 from each project's README and GitHub data. License, age and popularity lines are worked out directly.