What Is a Peppol Access Point and Do You Need One? A Guide for European SMEs
Peppol access points are now used by over 430 certified providers across Europe. But do you actually need one? This guide explains when a Peppol access point is essential, when it is optional, and which providers are best for SMEs.
The term "Peppol access point" appears in almost every EU e-invoicing article — but it is often poorly explained. This guide is for business owners and operations managers who need to understand whether they need one, and if so, what to look for.
What Is a Peppol Access Point?
A Peppol access point is a certified service provider that connects your business to the Peppol network — the EU's standardised infrastructure for exchanging structured business documents (invoices, orders, delivery notes) between organisations.
Think of it as the equivalent of a postal sorting centre. You hand your invoice to the access point (Corner 2 in the four-corner model). The access point looks up your recipient's registered access point (Corner 3) and delivers the invoice directly.
The four-corner model: 1. Corner 1: You (or your accounting software) 2. Corner 2: Your Peppol access point 3. Corner 3: Your customer's Peppol access point 4. Corner 4: Your customer
When You NEED a Peppol Access Point
Belgium (mandatory from Jan 2026): All Belgian VAT-registered businesses must send and receive B2B invoices via Peppol. A Peppol access point is not optional — it is legally required.
Germany B2G: All invoices to German federal and state government agencies must go via XRechnung through a Peppol-compatible channel.
France (from Sept 2026): The certified PDP platforms that handle French B2B invoicing are largely Peppol-certified — your PDP will provide Peppol connectivity as part of their service.
Cross-border EU invoicing: If you regularly invoice businesses in multiple EU countries, Peppol is the most practical interoperability layer. An Italian supplier can send a Peppol invoice to a German customer without needing separate SDI and XRechnung workflows.
When You Do NOT Need a Separate Peppol Access Point
German B2B only: Germany's domestic B2B mandate does not require Peppol. If you only send ZUGFeRD invoices to German companies by email, you do not need a Peppol access point.
Italian SDI only: Italy's SDI is separate from Peppol. If you only invoice Italian domestic customers, your SDI intermediary handles everything.
Polish KSeF only: The KSeF mandate uses its own platform. Peppol is used alongside KSeF for international transactions, not for domestic Polish B2B.
What SME Access Points Typically Cost
Pricing has fallen significantly as the network has grown:
| Volume | Typical Monthly Cost | Provider Examples |
| <50 invoices/month | €15–€30 | Storecove, Peppol Direct |
| 50–500/month | €30–€100 | Storecove, Pagero, Basware |
| 500+/month | €100–€300+ | Pagero, Tradeshift, Bizbrains |
Many accounting software providers (easybill in Germany, Billit in Belgium, Holded in Spain) include Peppol access point functionality built into their subscription.
Choosing an Access Point: What to Look For
- Certification: Confirm the provider is on the [OpenPeppol certified provider list](https://peppol.org/join/register-as-a-service-provider/)
- Country coverage: Check which countries they support — Belgian, German, French, and Dutch coverage differs between providers
- Format support: Can they send and receive all formats you need (BIS 3.0, ZUGFeRD, Factur-X)?
- ERP/accounting integration: Does the access point integrate with your existing software?
- SLA: What is their uptime guarantee and what are their support hours?
