German bureaucracy, solved

AI that reads your German official letters.

Photograph any Behördenbrief — from Finanzamt to Ausländerbehörde. Ostrando explains it in plain language, extracts the Widerspruch deadline with the exact quoted source sentence, and drafts a compliant response. In seconds. Free.

Download for Android — Free See how it works
Sign in with Google Photo never leaves your phone Free forever tier Cancel anytime — data stays yours

How it works

From photograph to action in under 50 seconds.

No scanning equipment. No German fluency required. No lawyers.

  1. Photograph the letter

    Open Ostrando and photograph your official letter. Google ML Kit reads the text entirely on your device in real time.

    Personal data — Steuer-ID, IBAN, Aktenzeichen, name, address — is automatically redacted with typed placeholders before anything leaves your phone. The photo itself never reaches a server.

  2. Read the plain-language explanation

    Within seconds, a plain-language verdict fills your screen: who sent the letter, what they want, and what happens if you ignore it.

    The Widerspruch or Einspruch deadline appears with the exact quoted source sentence from the letter — you confirm it (or correct it) before it's saved. Deadlines are never auto-confirmed.

    „Falls Sie mit diesem Bescheid nicht einverstanden sind, können Sie bis zum 16.07.2026 Einspruch einlegen."

  3. Set a reminder and draft your response

    Confirm the deadline and set a free reminder. The vault stores every letter, explanation, and deadline — forever, even if you never upgrade.

    With Ostrando Plus, generate a form-correct Widerspruch, Einspruch, or Fristverlängerung template pre-filled with your case details — export as PDF, follow the send instructions (Einschreiben mit Rückschein), and it's done.

Features

The complete workflow triad — not just an explanation.

Competitors like Totoy and Mika cover only the explanation step. Ostrando ships all three legs: explain, protect, act.

Scan & Explain

Amtsdeutsch made human. Ostrando produces a plain-language verdict, a "why you got this" summary, and an action checklist in German, English, or Polish. Leichte Sprache mode enlarges text and simplifies sentences for seniors and language learners.

  • Multi-page letter scanning
  • Blur detection — retakes never cost a scan
  • On-device PII redaction (Steuer-ID, IBAN, Aktenzeichen)
  • Output language: DE · EN · PL

Deadline Protection

The 4-week Widerspruch window guarded. Ostrando extracts deadlines automatically and shows the exact quoted source sentence for your verification. You confirm — it is never auto-saved.

  • Source-sentence citation for every deadline
  • Explicit Stimmt / Korrigieren confirmation
  • 1 free reminder per deadline, always
  • Plus: 5-step escalating ladder (14 · 7 · 3 · 1 days · morning-of)
  • Plus: Deadline calendar view across all cases

Response Drafting Plus

Template-correct Widerspruch, Einspruch, and Fristverlängerung drafts, pre-filled with your Aktenzeichen and the recipient address extracted from the scan.

  • German primary; per-paragraph Polish translation available
  • PDF export with disclaimer footer
  • Send instructions: Einschreiben mit Rückschein, postmark rules
Vorlage, keine Rechtsberatung. All drafted responses are template-shaped only, in compliance with German Rechtsdienstleistungsgesetz (RDG). For complex disputes, consult a Rechtsanwalt or advice centre.

Letter Vault

Every scanned letter is stored locally with its explanation, deadline, and status. Your case history is yours forever — Ostrando never removes access, even after cancelling a subscription.

  • Status tracking: Action needed · Waiting · Done
  • Tag and filter by sender (Finanzamt, Krankenkasse…)
  • Related-letter linking across one matter
  • Local-first — vault stored on your device, not a cloud server

Your photo never leaves your phone.

Unlike pasting into ChatGPT or a web form, Ostrando runs OCR entirely on-device via Google ML Kit. Steuer-ID, IBAN, Aktenzeichen, name, and address are replaced with typed placeholders before any text is transmitted. Only the anonymised text reaches the analysis API. The GDPR posture is built into the architecture, not the privacy policy.

Diese Daten bleiben auf deinem Gerät.

Pricing

Honest freemium — your documents are never held hostage.

The free tier proves competence and never endangers you. Plus sells work done for you at scale.

Free — forever

€0

 

Get started free
  • 2 scans per month — full explanation + checklist
  • Deadline extraction with source-line citation
  • Explicit confirmation (Stimmt / Korrigieren)
  • 1 free reminder per confirmed deadline
  • Complete letter vault — forever, even after cancel
  • German, English, and Polish output languages
  • Leichte Sprache accessibility mode
  • Sign in with Google
  • Escalating reminder ladder
  • Response drafting & PDF export
  • Deadline calendar view

Ostrando Plus

€5.99/month

or €39.99/year (= €3.33/month)

Get Plus
  • Everything in the free tier
  • Unlimited scans
  • Escalating 5-step reminder ladder (14 · 7 · 3 · 1 days · morning-of)
  • Deadline calendar view across all cases
  • Response drafting: Einspruch · Widerspruch · Fristverlängerung
  • PDF export — pre-filled Aktenzeichen & recipient
  • Send instructions (Einschreiben guidance)
  • Case status board

Sign in with Google — purchase via Google Play. Cancel anytime. Data stays yours after cancel.

Comparison

The only app with the complete workflow.

Totoy (Vienna, €60/yr, 32 municipal clients) and Mika (Berlin, free web tool) cover the explanation step only. Neither ships deadline tracking or response drafting.

Feature Ostrando Totoy Mika
Plain-language explanation ✓ Free ✓ €60/yr ✓ Web only
Automatic deadline extraction ✓ Free ✗ ✗
Escalating reminders (5-step) ✓ Plus ✗ ✗
Widerspruch / Einspruch drafting ✓ Plus ✗ ✗
On-device PII redaction ✓ Not stated ✗
English & Polish output ✓ German/basic EN German only
Mobile app ✓ Android ✓ Web only
Free tier ✓ ✗ ✓
Leichte Sprache mode ✓ Not stated ✗

FAQ

Common questions

What is Ostrando?
Ostrando is a German bureaucracy AI companion app for Android. You photograph any official German letter — from the Finanzamt (tax office), Ausländerbehörde (immigration authority), Krankenkasse (health insurance), or Jobcenter — and Ostrando explains it in plain language, automatically extracts the relevant Widerspruch or Einspruch deadline, and drafts a compliant response template. It is designed for the 12 million foreign residents of Germany and for anyone overwhelmed by Amtsdeutsch.
What is a Widerspruch deadline and why does it matter?
A Widerspruch (formal administrative objection) must be filed within 4 weeks (Frist) of receiving most German administrative decisions. An Einspruch against a Finanzamt decision must also be filed within 4 weeks (§347 Abgabenordnung). Missing this deadline means the decision becomes legally binding — even if it contains errors. Ostrando automatically extracts this deadline from your letter, shows you the exact quoted source sentence for verification, and sends escalating reminders so you never miss it.
Is my personal data safe with Ostrando?
Yes. Your letter photograph never leaves your phone. Ostrando uses on-device OCR (Google ML Kit Text Recognition v2) and automatically redacts personally identifiable information — Steuer-ID, IBAN, Aktenzeichen, name, and address — replacing them with typed placeholders before any text is transmitted. Only the anonymised text reaches the AI analysis API. This is fundamentally different from pasting your letter into ChatGPT or a web-based translation form.
What does Ostrando cost?
Ostrando is free for up to 2 letter scans per month, with full plain-language explanations, automatic deadline extraction with source-line citation, 1 reminder per confirmed deadline, and permanent vault access — no credit card required.

Ostrando Plus unlocks unlimited scans, an escalating 5-step reminder ladder, response drafting (Einspruch · Widerspruch · Fristverlängerung) with PDF export, and a deadline calendar view for €5.99/month or €39.99/year (= €3.33/month). No strikethrough pricing, no countdown timers, no dark patterns.
Which German official letters can Ostrando handle?
Ostrando works with official letters (Behördenbriefe) from all major German authorities:
  • Finanzamt — Steuerbescheid, Einkommensteuerbescheid, Vorauszahlungsbescheid
  • Ausländerbehörde — Aufenthaltstitel, Aufforderung zur Mitwirkung, Duldung
  • Krankenkasse — Beitragsänderung, Bescheid, Leistungsablehnung
  • Jobcenter — Bewilligungsbescheid, Sanktionsbescheid, Aufforderung
  • Rentenversicherung — Rentenbescheid, Kontoklärung
  • Rundfunkbeitrag — Beitragsbescheid, Mahnbescheid
  • Most other Behörden issuing Bescheide or Aufforderungen
Can I get the explanation in English or Polish?
Yes. Ostrando delivers explanations, action checklists, and response draft translations in German, English, or Polish — regardless of the letter's language. The app interface is available in German and English. This means you can photograph a German-language letter and receive the full plain-language explanation in English or Polish, without translating a translation.
Does Ostrando provide legal advice?
No. Ostrando provides template-shaped response drafts and plain-language explanations. It does not provide individualised legal advice, legal representation, or legal reasoning — in full compliance with the German Legal Services Act (Rechtsdienstleistungsgesetz, RDG). Every drafted response carries a permanently visible, non-dismissable disclaimer: „Vorlage, keine Rechtsberatung" (template, not legal advice). For complex disputes, Ostrando directs you to a Rechtsanwalt (lawyer) or a Beratungsstelle (legal advice centre).
What happens to my letters if I cancel my subscription?
Nothing is taken away. After cancelling Ostrando Plus, you permanently keep access to all your scanned letters, all explanations, all confirmed deadlines, and your one free reminder per deadline. Your letter vault is stored locally on your device and is yours forever — Ostrando never holds your documents hostage or deletes data on cancellation.
What is Amtsdeutsch?
Amtsdeutsch is the formal bureaucratic German used in official government communications (Behördenbriefe). It is characterised by long compound words (Einkommensteuerbescheid, Verwaltungsgerichtsordnung), passive constructions, dense legal cross-references, and complex sentence structures. Research indicates that Amtsdeutsch is understood by only around 40% of German adults without external assistance, which is why plain-language reform (Leichte Sprache, Einfache Sprache) is a growing legislative priority in Germany. Ostrando translates Amtsdeutsch into clear, plain language in seconds.
What is the difference between Einspruch and Widerspruch in German law?
An Einspruch (§347 Abgabenordnung, AO) is the formal objection mechanism against decisions by the Finanzamt — specifically against Steuerbescheide (tax assessments). A Widerspruch (§68 Verwaltungsgerichtsordnung, VwGO) is the formal objection against other administrative decisions (Verwaltungsakte) from bodies such as the Ausländerbehörde, Jobcenter, or Krankenkasse.

Both must typically be filed within 4 weeks of the Bekanntgabe (notification date) of the decision. Ostrando automatically identifies which mechanism applies to your letter and generates the correct template draft.

Get started

Stop dreading the letter pile.

Two free scans a month. Full explanation, deadline protection, and vault access — forever. No credit card, no dark patterns.

Download on Google Play

Android 8.0+ · Free · Sign in with Google · Datenschutz zuerst