What the app does
From a rough overview to a detailed comparison of individual ways to provide for retirement.
Statutory pension, net
From gross to net: health and care contributions and tax are taken into account, adjusted for inflation if you want.
Needs & pension gap
How much you will need in retirement and how large the gap is, in a scenario matrix by return and pension growth.
Pension points vs ETF
Voluntary contributions into the statutory pension against an ETF, for the same net cost, with break-even.
Private provision
ETF savings plan, private pension, Riester (existing contracts) and the new Altersvorsorgedepot, each with the right German taxation.
Rented property
Rental income after tax and costs, today and in retirement, with depreciation (AfA), loan interest and the value after your holding period.
German rules
Pension points (Entgeltpunkte), pension value, taxable share, flat capital-gains tax and more, with the current figures.
How the app calculates
Traceable, not a black box: the app uses the official rules of the statutory pension and lays its assumptions open.
2026 figures: pension value 42.52 € per point (since July 2026), average earnings 51,944 €, taxable share depending on the year you retire.
From gross to net: health and care contributions and income tax are deducted.
Today or nominal: all results optionally in today's purchasing power, to strip out inflation.
Not a calculator of the Deutsche Rentenversicherung
Rentenlücke is an independent planning tool. Your official Renteninformation is what counts for the pension you have actually earned. Here you use it to run scenarios: retiring earlier or later, salary growth, ETF, buying points or a rented property.
Your data stays with you
Rentenlücke processes no personal data on servers.
Everything you enter stays exclusively local on your device.
No sign-up, no account, no tracking, no ads.
No sharing with third parties. The optional in-app purchase runs solely through Google Play.
Common questions
What is the pension gap?
The difference between what you need to live on in retirement and your expected net pension. The app estimates both and shows you how large the gap is.
How do I calculate my pension gap?
You enter your year of birth, your planned retirement date and your income (or the figures from your Renteninformation). From that the app estimates your net pension and compares it with your needs.
Is the app free?
The basics are free. Advanced features unlock with a one-time in-app purchase, no subscription.
Is my data stored?
No. Everything stays local on your device. No servers, no sign-up, no tracking.
Is this the official pension from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung?
No. Rentenlücke is an independent planning tool, not the DRV. Your official Renteninformation is what counts for the pension you have actually earned; the app helps you run scenarios with it.
How accurate is the estimate?
The statutory pension follows the official formula and is solid with correct inputs. Projections over 20 to 40 years (salary growth, returns, tax, inflation) depend heavily on the assumptions and are deliberately meant as an estimate.
Buy pension points or invest in an ETF?
The app compares both for the same net cost and shows the break-even. They are two different things: points are a lifelong, index-linked pension, an ETF is capital you draw down. The app shows the numbers, the decision stays with you.
Does the app show nominal or present-day values?
Both. You can switch between the nominal amount at retirement and the value in today's purchasing power. For context, today's value is usually more meaningful.
Rentenlücke is an information and calculation tool and does not replace financial, tax or pension advice. All results are non-binding estimates based on your inputs and simplified assumptions.