Alternative Guide · Updated July 2026
bnbBills Alternative: Smoobu
bnbBills.de is no longer reachable. If you need guest invoices for your short-term rental, Smoobu includes invoicing as part of its channel manager — at no extra charge.
Smoobu
At a glance
Built-in · No extra cost · Linked to booking data
bnbBills.de
At a glance
Offline since 2025 · No longer reachable
What was bnbBills?
bnbBills.de was a German tool that helped short-term rental hosts automatically generate guest invoices. It pulled booking data from OTAs like Airbnb and Booking.com and produced compliant PDF invoices — useful for hosts registered as businesses who need to issue invoices to corporate guests.
The domain has been unreachable since 2025 (expired SSL certificate, service discontinued). Hosts who relied on it need an alternative.
What you need from an STR invoicing tool
- Automatic pull of booking data (dates, amounts, guest details)
- Sequential invoice numbers (required for German GoBD compliance)
- Your company details: name, address, tax number / VAT ID
- PDF download or email delivery to guest
- Optional: VAT display (for registered businesses)
Smoobu: invoicing included
Smoobu is primarily a channel manager — but it includes a built-in invoicing feature that pulls directly from your booking data. You don't need a separate invoicing tool if you're already using Smoobu for OTA sync.
The feature is called "Invoices" in the Smoobu dashboard. Set up your company details once, and Smoobu generates a numbered PDF invoice for any booking on demand — pre-filled with guest data, stay dates, amount, and your details.
- Sequential invoice numbers (GoBD-compliant)
- PDF download directly from the booking detail
- Custom company and tax details
- Linked to all connected channels (Airbnb, Booking.com, direct bookings)
- 14-day free trial — no credit card required
Comparison: Smoobu vs. bnbBills
| Smoobu | bnbBills | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | ✅ Live and active | ❌ Offline since 2025 |
| Cost | Included in channel manager (no extra charge) | Was a paid standalone subscription |
| Invoice generation | From booking data — no manual data entry | Pulled from OTA connections |
| Sequential numbers | ✅ Automatic, GoBD-compliant | ✅ Automatic |
| PDF export | ✅ Direct from booking detail | ✅ Available |
| Channel manager | ✅ Core product — Airbnb, Booking.com, ~50 channels | ❌ No channel manager — invoices only |
| German interface | ✅ Fully in German | Was available in German |
| Support | Active German-language support team | Discontinued |
Setting up invoicing in Smoobu — step by step
1. Create or log in to your Smoobu account
Go to smoobu.com and start the 14-day free trial. If you already have an account, log in.
2. Add your company details
In Settings, navigate to Accounting → Company Info. Enter your company name (or personal name if you operate privately), address, tax number, and VAT ID if you're VAT-registered.
3. Set your VAT preference
Under Accounting → VAT Settings, choose whether to issue invoices with or without VAT. Most small landlords operating under the German Kleinunternehmerregelung (§ 19 UStG) issue invoices without VAT.
4. Create your first invoice
Open any booking in the dashboard. In the booking detail, find the "Create Invoice" button. Smoobu pre-fills guest data, check-in/check-out dates, and the booking amount. Download as PDF or email directly to the guest.
5. Set invoice prefix and starting number
In Accounting settings, define a prefix (e.g. "INV-2026-") and a starting number. Smoobu increments automatically from there.
What Smoobu invoicing does not cover
Smoobu's invoicing feature covers the core needs of most hosts. There are limits:
- No credit note series — cancellations require manual handling outside Smoobu
- No DATEV export — for accountant handoff you export PDFs manually
- No automatic VAT splitting for mixed bookings (e.g. cleaning fee at a different VAT rate)
- No accounting software integration — you need lexoffice, sevDesk, or similar separately
Frequently asked questions
Am I required to issue invoices to my guests in Germany?
Only for business customers (other companies) are you legally required to issue invoices under § 14 UStG. For private guests, there is no legal obligation — but guests often appreciate receiving one. For corporate bookings with business travellers, invoices are mandatory.
I operate under Kleinunternehmerregelung (§ 19 UStG) — do I show VAT on invoices?
No. As a Kleinunternehmer you do not charge VAT and cannot deduct input tax. You must include the note: "Gemäß § 19 UStG wird keine Umsatzsteuer berechnet" on every invoice. Smoobu supports this setting directly.
What about invoices I already created in bnbBills?
If you downloaded the PDFs, they are legally valid — you don't need to recreate them. You only need an alternative tool for new bookings going forward.
Is Smoobu a complete replacement for bnbBills?
For the core function — automatic invoices from booking data — yes. Smoobu does more (channel manager, calendar, direct bookings) but less on the accounting side (no DATEV export, no double-entry bookkeeping). If you need a full accounting solution, combine Smoobu with lexoffice or sevDesk.
Does the invoicing feature cost extra?
No. Invoice generation is included in all Smoobu plans. You pay for the channel manager subscription only — invoicing comes at no extra charge.
Disclosure: I use Smoobu for my own rental (Seumi in Berlin). The affiliate link below earns me a small commission — no extra cost to you. Information about bnbBills.de is based on the last public access (2025); the service has been offline since then.
No credit card required · Invoicing included