What a Peppol program actually is
A Peppol program is simply the software you use to send and receive invoices over the Peppol network. The network itself is not a program: it is European infrastructure, a bit like the banking network. You do not plug into it directly, you go through an approved operator known as an access point.
The confusion comes up a lot now that the structured invoice is mandatory between Belgian companies. Plenty of freelancers look for a Peppol program to download, the way accounting packages used to be installed on a PC. In practice almost every current solution runs in the browser, updates itself and keeps your documents online.
So what you are choosing is not an installer file, it is a supplier. And that supplier has to meet three conditions: be connected to the network, produce the right invoice format, and let you receive just as easily as you send.
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Issue invoices and credit notes in the Peppol BIS 3.0 format.
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Route them to the right recipient using their enterprise number.
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Receive supplier invoices somewhere other than a mailbox.
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Keep a timestamped trace of everything sent and received.
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Feed your bookkeeping, otherwise you end up encoding twice.
Peppol does not replace your invoicing software, it sits alongside it. A good program handles both in the same screen, with no bridge for you to configure.
Why the program has to run through an access point
On the network, only operators registered with OpenPeppol can drop off and pick up documents. That is what an access point does. A program that is not one rents the service from someone who is, which is perfectly fine as long as it is stated openly and the price reflects it.
Checking takes two minutes. Ask the vendor for their exact role on the network, the format they produce and the identifier scheme they use for Belgium. The answer you want has three parts: access point, Peppol BIS 3.0, scheme 0208.
A vendor who stays vague, or who calls a PDF sent by e-mail an electronic invoice, is selling something else. A PDF is unstructured: no machine reads it without human help, and it does not meet the Belgian obligation.
Novadesko is a Peppol access point. The page on certified software lists the elements you can verify yourself in the official network directory.
A quick comparison of Peppol programs
The Belgian market splits into five families, and the right pick depends mostly on what you do around invoicing.
If you invoice, encode purchases and track VAT, a management suite saves you three separate subscriptions. If you already run a heavy ERP, a connector will do. If you issue three invoices a year, the free public portal is enough, though do not expect any bookkeeping from it.
The families of Peppol programs in Belgium
| Type of program |
Who it suits |
What to look at |
| Belgian management suite |
Freelancers and SMEs invoicing every week |
Whether bookkeeping and VAT follow, not just the sending |
| Standalone invoicing app |
Simple activity, few expenses to encode |
Receiving purchases, often missing or charged as an option |
| ERP connector |
Companies already running an ERP |
The integration cost and the maintenance contract |
| Free public portal |
Very low volume, invoices to public bodies |
No bookkeeping at all, everything is retyped by hand |
| Module from your accounting firm |
Those who hand the whole thing to their accountant |
How much you see live on your unpaid invoices |
Be careful with per document pricing once volume climbs. At two hundred sends a month, a few cents apiece weighs more than a flat subscription.
Setting up and activating your Peppol program
Installation in the old sense barely exists any more. You create an account, complete your company profile, and the program registers you on the network. Allow an hour the first time, mostly to gather your details: enterprise number, legal mentions, payment terms and logo.
The step that matters is registering your identifier. In Belgium it is your enterprise number preceded by scheme 0208. Once it is published in the directory, any supplier can send you a structured invoice without you having to tell them anything.
One last reflex, often forgotten: bring over your existing customers. The program checks which ones are already listed and puts the rest on e-mail until they make the move.
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Gather your enterprise number, bank details and legal mentions.
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Activate the Peppol identifier under scheme 0208 from the program.
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Send a first real invoice and check the delivery receipt.
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Import your customers to spot the ones already on the network.
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Confirm that incoming invoices really land in your purchases.
At Novadesko the identifier is activated in one click from the dashboard, at no extra cost on the subscription.
What a Peppol program costs
Belgian price lists mix three models: a monthly subscription, a price per document sent, and sometimes a setup fee. On paper, a few cents per unit looks unbeatable. Applied to a hundred invoices a month it becomes the most expensive line in your admin.
Look as well at what never shows on the invoice but costs you time: receiving that is not included, an export to your accountant sold as an option, or support that only answers in English when your question is about Belgian VAT.
The table below gathers the questions to ask before signing. They tell you more than a comparison of headline prices.
The questions to ask before signing
| Question for the vendor |
What a good answer contains |
| Are you a Peppol access point? |
A plain yes, with the name they appear under in the directory |
| Is receiving included? |
Yes, with no document quota and no paid option |
| Do you create my 0208 identifier? |
Yes, from the software, with no form to send back |
| What if my customer is not on the network? |
Automatic fallback to e-mail, with no double encoding |
| Can I export to my accountant? |
The exact format their package uses, at no extra cost |
| What language does support answer in? |
French and Dutch, from a team that knows Belgian VAT |
| What happens to my invoices if I leave? |
A full export of documents and archives, at any time |
The mistakes we see most often
The first: assuming a PDF sent by e-mail still does the job. It keeps its commercial value, but it does not meet the obligation between Belgian companies.
The second: switching on sending and forgetting receiving. Your suppliers have moved to the structured format. If your program does not receive, their invoices land nowhere and your deductible VAT goes up in smoke.
The third: picking a tool that sends beautifully but never talks to your bookkeeping. You save five minutes on sending and lose thirty at the quarter close.
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Mistaking a PDF invoice for a structured one.
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Setting up sending without ever testing incoming purchase invoices.
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Forgetting to check your identifier in the directory after signing up.
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Choosing per document pricing while invoicing every week.
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Overlooking the export to your accountant, which is paid back in rekeying hours.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Peppol program mandatory in Belgium?
What has been mandatory since 1 January 2026 is the structured electronic invoice between Belgian VAT registered companies. So you need a tool connected to the network, but which program you pick is entirely up to you.
Is there a free Peppol program?
Free public portals exist and are handy for a few invoices a year, especially towards public bodies. They offer no bookkeeping, no payment tracking and no organised receiving. As soon as volume rises, the time lost costs more than the subscription avoided.
Do I have to install software on my computer?
In the vast majority of cases, no. Today's programs run in the browser and on mobile, which rules out manual updates and lets you invoice from a building site or a shop floor.
How do I know whether my customer is reachable on Peppol?
The program queries the network directory using the enterprise number. If they are listed, the invoice goes out structured. If not it goes by e-mail, and the switch happens on its own the day they register.
Can I change Peppol program later on?
Yes. Your identifier follows your enterprise number and stays yours. The new supplier simply takes over the directory registration. Above all, check that the old one hands back every document and archive.
Does my accountant need the same program?
No. They work in their own package and pull your data, either through an export in the format they use or by opening your file directly. At Novadesko that access is free for accounting firms.
How long does setup take?
About an hour for a freelancer with their details to hand. Half a day for a company with a product catalogue and a customer list to import.
Does the program handle purchase invoices too?
That is the first thing to check. At Novadesko, invoices arriving over the network land in the purchase journal with the amount, VAT and supplier already read, and the scanner picks up the ones that still come in as PDFs.
Worth a look
Belgian e-invoicing rules and the list of Peppol access points keep moving. This page is updated regularly, but always check your own situation with the FPS Finance or with your accountant.
