The short answer
The ten largest software and IT companies headquartered in Germany, ranked by reported number of employees, are SAP, T-Systems, Bechtle, DATEV, Cancom, Vector Informatik, Nemetschek, Allgeier, Celonis and Software AG. SAP is the largest, with about 110,650 employees (2025).
The ten companies at a glance
| # | Company | Headquarters | Founded | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SAP | Walldorf | 1972 | 110,650 (2025) |
| 2 | T-Systems | Frankfurt am Main | 2000 | 28,000 (2020) |
| 3 | Bechtle | Neckarsulm | 1983 | 14,046 (2022) |
| 4 | DATEV | Nuremberg | 1966 | 9,051 (2024) |
| 5 | Cancom | Munich | 1992 | 5,225 (2023) |
| 6 | Vector Informatik | Stuttgart | 1988 | 4,000 (2023, group) |
| 7 | Nemetschek | Munich | 1963 | 4,000 (2024) |
| 8 | Allgeier | Munich | 1977 | 3,329 (2022) |
| 9 | Celonis | Munich | 2011 | 3,000+ |
| 10 | Software AG | Darmstadt | 1969 | 2,000 (2022, full-time equivalent) |
Ranked by the most recent employee count stated on each company’s Wikipedia article or official website, checked 24 October 2026. Years in brackets show when that figure applies; companies without a stated figure are listed last.
The companies in detail
1SAP
WalldorfMakes enterprise software, including the S/4HANA ERP system and the HANA database, and sells cloud software, consulting and managed services to businesses worldwide.
- Headquarters
- Walldorf
- Founded
- 1972
- Employees
- 110,650 (2025)
- Ownership
- Public company
2T-Systems
Frankfurt am MainAn international IT services provider that helps organisations with technology and digital transformation, operating as part of Deutsche Telekom.
- Headquarters
- Frankfurt am Main
- Founded
- 2000
- Employees
- 28,000 (2020)
- Ownership
- Subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom
3Bechtle
NeckarsulmSells IT hardware and software with related IT services, and runs and maintains IT infrastructure for industrial and public-sector customers.
- Headquarters
- Neckarsulm
- Founded
- 1983
- Employees
- 14,046 (2022)
- Ownership
- Public company (AG)
4DATEV
NurembergSupplies software and IT services mainly to tax advisors, auditors and lawyers, including accounting, payroll and tax-processing software.
- Headquarters
- Nuremberg
- Founded
- 1966
- Employees
- 9,051 (2024)
- Ownership
- Cooperative (eG)
5Cancom
MunichAn IT services provider focused on the German-speaking region, offering IT infrastructure, managed services and cloud solutions.
- Headquarters
- Munich
- Founded
- 1992
- Employees
- 5,225 (2023)
- Ownership
- European company (SE)
6Vector Informatik
StuttgartDevelops software tools for networking electronic systems in vehicles, such as CANalyzer and CANoe, used mainly in automotive development.
- Headquarters
- Stuttgart
- Founded
- 1988
- Employees
- 4,000 (2023, group)
- Ownership
- Private company (GmbH)
7Nemetschek
MunichBuilds software for designing, constructing and managing buildings, used mainly by architects, engineers and construction professionals.
- Headquarters
- Munich
- Founded
- 1963
- Employees
- 4,000 (2024)
- Ownership
- Public company (SE)
8Allgeier
MunichParent of a technology group offering software development, integration of business software from vendors such as SAP and Microsoft, and IT staffing.
- Headquarters
- Munich
- Founded
- 1977
- Employees
- 3,329 (2022)
- Ownership
- Public company (SE)
9Celonis
MunichSells cloud software for process mining, helping companies analyse and improve how their operations actually run.
- Headquarters
- Munich
- Founded
- 2011
- Employees
- 3,000+
- Ownership
- Private company
10Software AG
DarmstadtBuilds enterprise software for managing business processes, connecting systems and analysing large volumes of data.
- Headquarters
- Darmstadt
- Founded
- 1969
- Employees
- 2,000 (2022, full-time equivalent)
- Ownership
- Private company, majority-owned by Silver Lake
Also worth knowing
These companies did not make the ranking, for the reason given, but are often mentioned alongside it.
- Personio: Munich-based HR software company founded in 2015, with about 2,000 employees as of June 2024.
- TeamViewer: Göppingen-based maker of remote access software, with 1,586 employees in 2024.
- SUSE: Open-source and enterprise Linux company with operations in Nuremberg; its corporate headquarters is in Luxembourg, so it is not ranked here.
What this list tells us about Germany’s software industry
- Munich is the main hub. 4 of the ten companies on this list are headquartered there, with others in Walldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Neckarsulm.
- A long track record. The oldest company here, Nemetschek, was founded in 1963; the youngest, Celonis, in 2011.
- Founding wave. More companies on this list were founded in the 1960s (3) than in any other decade.
- Ownership mix. 4 of the ten are publicly listed and 2 are subsidiaries of, or majority-owned by, other groups; the rest are independent private companies, cooperatives or state-linked organisations.
Germany at a glance
- Capital
- Berlin
- Official languages
- German
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Population
- 83.5 million (2025 est.)
- GDP per capita (nominal)
- $65,303 (2026 est.)
Economy. Services make up about 72% of GDP and industry about 27%.
Technology. Germany’s high-tech strategy for industry is summarised as Industry 4.0.
Country figures from Wikipedia’s article on Germany, checked 24 October 2026. Estimates are rounded and dated as stated there.
Working with software companies in Germany
- Time zone. Germany uses UTC+01:00 in winter and UTC+02:00 in summer (daylight saving time). Agree overlap hours in writing before a project starts.
- Data protection. The country is part of the European Union or the European Economic Area, so the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies and personal data is handled under the same rules as across the EU and EEA.
- Due diligence. Large companies on this list mostly sell their own products or enterprise services. If you need a development partner for a specific project, ask for case studies, interview the engineers and start with a short paid trial. Our guide on how to choose an IT staff augmentation company includes a free vendor scorecard.
- Budget. Typical 2026 hourly rates by region are in our IT staff augmentation cost and rates guide.
- Extra capacity. If you want developers to join your own team rather than outsource a whole project, our IT Staff Augmentation Company provide dedicated engineers who work in your time zone, tools and processes.
How we built this list
- Candidates. We started from Wikipedia’s list of companies of Germany, the country’s best-known technology firms and companies regularly named in the local and international business press.
- Scope. We kept companies whose main business is software, IT services or a software-based platform, and that are headquartered in Germany. Telecom operators, banks and hardware makers were left out, as were local offices of foreign groups. Companies founded in Germany but now headquartered abroad are listed separately when relevant.
- Verification. For every company we checked headquarters, founding year, ownership, size and whether it is still active against its Wikipedia article or, where none exists, its own official website, on 24 October 2026. Each entry links to the page we checked.
- Ranking. Companies are ranked by their most recently stated number of employees, the most comparable size measure available for public and private firms alike.
- No payments. No company paid or was asked to appear. iCreativez Technologies is itself a software and IT services company, so we do not include or rank ourselves on country lists.
Employee figures come from different years, are sometimes self-reported on company websites and sometimes count a whole group rather than one company, so treat the ranking as a guide to scale rather than an exact league table.
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Software companies in nearby countries
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest software company in Germany?
By reported number of employees, SAP is the largest software and IT company headquartered in Germany, with about 110,650 employees (2025). It makes enterprise software, including the S/4HANA ERP system and the HANA database, and sells cloud software, consulting and managed services to businesses worldwide.
Which city is the main software hub in Germany?
Among the companies on this list, Munich is home to the most: 4 of the ten are headquartered there.
What is the oldest software company in Germany on this list?
Nemetschek, founded in 1963 and headquartered in Munich.
How did you choose the software companies in Germany?
We considered the best-known companies headquartered in Germany whose main business is software or IT services. We verified each one against its Wikipedia article or official website and ranked them by reported number of employees. No company paid to be included.
What is the economy of Germany based on?
Services make up about 72% of GDP and industry about 27%. Germany’s high-tech strategy for industry is summarised as Industry 4.0.
What languages and currency are used for business in Germany?
The official language is German, and the currency is the Euro (EUR).
Can I hire software developers to work with a team in Germany?
Yes. Many businesses combine local partners with remote developers. iCreativez Technologies provides dedicated developers and offshore teams that can work your hours; see our dedicated developers page or contact us.
Sources
All company details were checked on 24 October 2026 against these pages:
- Wikipedia: List of companies of Germany
- SAP: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAP
- T-Systems: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-Systems
- Bechtle: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bechtle
- DATEV: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DATEV
- Cancom: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancom
- Vector Informatik: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_Informatik
- Nemetschek: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemetschek
- Allgeier: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allgeier_SE
- Celonis: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celonis
- Software AG: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_AG
- Wikipedia: Germany (country profile)
If you represent a company on this page and a detail has changed, contact us and we will review it. Related guides: top IT staff augmentation companies 2026 · staff augmentation vs outsourcing vs managed services.