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Peppol is a network, not a program
You do not install Peppol. It is a network on which certified service providers, the access points, deliver invoices in one fixed format, Peppol BIS. You do not register yourself either: such a provider puts you on the network under your Belgian company number, as the guide to Peppol registration shows. The real question is which program talks to an access point, and whether it fits where your invoices come from.
Belgium's Ministry of Finance lists more than 250 solutions, some free, and deliberately recommends none. Use the list to check whether your package takes part, not to pick one. Whether you are already on the network shows in the Peppol check; whether you must be, in is Peppol mandatory in Belgium. Running an ERP? Peppol is usually built in: Odoo is an access point itself and sends and receives in Peppol BIS, and what it costs per user is in Odoo pricing.
Free packages, switching and formats
Is there free Peppol software?
Yes, the Ministry's list includes free packages for low volumes. The government offers no free tool of its own; it chose the market on purpose.
Can I switch package without losing my Peppol address?
Your address is your company number with 0208 in front. On a switch the old provider deregisters you and the new one registers you; plan that day so no invoice falls in between.
Is a PDF with a UBL file attached enough?
A PDF by email does not count as an e-invoice. Another format than Peppol BIS is only allowed if your client agrees; the standard is over Peppol.
What to ask the vendor
| Question for the vendor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is your package on the Belgian Ministry's list? | otherwise it may only send a PDF |
| Can it also receive? | as a VAT-registered business you must receive your suppliers' e-invoices |
| Can your accountant get in, or does everything flow to their package? | booking twice costs more than the subscription |
| What does it cost above a certain number of invoices? | free plans often have a monthly cap |
| Can you export everything if you switch? | your Peppol address stays your company number, your history must move with you |
What retyping costs per year
What retyping costs, per year4 minutes per invoice at 50 euro an hour
- 500 invoices a month20,000 euro
- 200 invoices a month8,000 euro
- 50 invoices a month2,000 euro
Retyping is the most expensive route
Nobody chooses it, yet everyone knows it: invoices made in your own planning tool or webshop, then retyped into a second package to send them over Peppol. At 200 invoices a month that is over thirteen hours of work a month, before counting the mistakes: a wrong VAT rate or a missing line means a credit note and a new invoice. Every 1,000 euro an API integration costs pays back in about six weeks at that volume. Belgium grants a 20 percent investment deduction for such own development since 2025, and small businesses deduct a subscription at 120 percent until 2027; your accountant confirms what applies.
If you still book incoming invoices by hand, have that step processed automatically: an e-invoice is already structured data. Small firms also read do small businesses in Belgium need Peppol for the net cost of a subscription, and companies from abroad the wider picture in e-invoicing in Belgium.