vatnode vs Vatstack

Vatstack validates the number and stops. vatnode returns everything you need to issue a legally compliant invoice — local VAT name, abbreviation, all rate tiers, currency — in a single API call.

Last updated: April 2026

What you get in one API call

{
  "valid": true,
  "vatId": "FI26364843",
  "countryCode": "FI",
  "countryName": "Finland",
  "companyName": "SUPERCELL OY",
  "companyAddress": "JÄTKÄSAARENLAITURI 2, 00180 HELSINKI",
  "companyRegistrationDate": "2010-05-06",
  "companyForm": "Oy",
  "industryDescription": "Publishing of computer games",
  "registryCode": "2336509",
  "registryCodeName": "Y-tunnus",
  "source": "VIES",
  "checkId": "019d2a8c-5f3a-7d12-a901-bc23de456f78",
  "verifiedAt": "2026-04-16T10:00:00.000Z",
  "consultationNumber": "WAPIAAAAZ27qPadm",
  "countryVat": {
    "vatName": "Arvonlisävero",     // print on Finnish invoices
    "vatAbbr": "ALV",
    "currency": "EUR",
    "standardRate": 25.5,
    "reducedRates": [10, 14],
    "superReducedRate": null,      // included for all 27 countries
    "parkingRate": null,           // included for all 27 countries
    "vatNumberFormat": "FI + 8 digits",
    "vatNumberPattern": "^FI\d{8}$",
    "countryVatUpdatedAt": "2026-04-16"
  }
}

Vatstack does not return vatName, vatAbbr, currency, companyRegistrationDate, companyForm, industryDescription, registryCode, or registryCodeName in the validation response. You maintain a separate lookup table or make a second API call.

Feature Comparison

National registry integrations

When VIES is unavailable or returns no company data, vatnode automatically queries the national business registry. These countries are currently covered:

Vatstack has no equivalent. When VIES is down or returns no data, you get an error or an empty field. The source field in every vatnode response tells you which authority answered — VIES, BZST, PRH, SIREN, and so on.

Granular webhook events

Subscribe to any VAT number and get notified the moment something changes — so your customer records and invoice settings stay accurate without manual re-checking.

Actively maintained

EU VAT rules change — Finland raised its standard rate from 24% to 25.5% in September 2024. Vatstack has not published any VAT rate update logs or changelogs. vatnode syncs rates daily from the European Commission TEDB so you always get the correct rate, automatically.

Built for compliance — not just validation

Every vatnode response includes a checkId (UUID) and a verifiedAt timestamp. These fields are designed to be stored alongside your invoice records — giving you a documented audit trail that links every invoice to the exact validation event that authorised it.

Vatstack returns a valid/invalid flag and company name, but provides no audit metadata. There is no identifier you can attach to an invoice to prove which check was performed, when, and against which authority. If a tax inspector asks for evidence of due diligence at the time of supply, a boolean field is not sufficient.

Tax authorities across the EU increasingly expect documented validation at the point of transaction — not retroactive checking. The checkId and verifiedAt fields, combined with vatnode's national registry fallback, mean you can demonstrate that you queried an authoritative source at the right moment — with a record to prove it.