CHALLENGE

Build vs. buy: API-first e-invoicing to scale globally

Apaleo is an API-first property management platform serving the hospitality industry, across hotels, vacation rentals, serviced apartments, and residential living. The platform handles everything from pricing and operations to accounting, bookkeeping, and invoicing.

As an API-first company, Apaleo faced a decision when key regions started mandating real-time invoice compliance: Should they build the required e-invoicing capabilities in-house or find a partner that matched their technology philosophy?

Jakub Malinski, Product Lead for fiscal and legal requirements, led the evaluation. The stakes were high: Apaleo's clients were expanding into markets with strict e-invoicing mandates, and the platform needed to support them without slowing down.

"It's always a tough choice whether you buy a solution, or you build it yourself. We're legally required to make invoices compliant with local rules, so we needed a solution to help." —Jakub Malinski, Product Manager at Apaleo

The challenge went beyond just launching in new markets. Apaleo needed a solution that could:

• Integrate seamlessly via API without consultants or manual processes
• Support diverse markets beyond their core DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
• Handle complex local requirements without burdening their development team
• Stay current with constantly changing regulations
• Be integrated into their platform for their clients

Legacy solutions and fiscalization partners couldn't meet these needs. Apaleo evaluated 8 different e-invoicing vendors, shortlisted 3, and ultimately selected Fonoa.

SOLUTION

One API, seamless integration, proactive feature development

Apaleo adopted Fonoa's E-Invoicing solution, launching first in Portugal, then expanding to Hungary, Italy, and Malaysia.

"The UI, the APIs, were very user-friendly. The customer support package was really to high standards, so we were able to work together with Fonoa." —Dushan Bosiljanov, Senior Legal Counsel at Apaleo

Three of the factors that set Fonoa apart during the selection process:

Shared technology philosophy: Both companies prioritize automation and API-first architecture over manual processes and consultant-heavy implementations.

"This API helped us to onboard without having to go through all this bureaucratic process. For us, it was just one API call to onboard." —Jakub Malinski

Incredibly responsive support: Fonoa's solution architects provided extensive integration support from day one.

“During implementation, we had crucial support from Fonoa’s solution architects. We had integration calls for the initial kickoff, and then whenever there was a question or problem, we could jump on a call with them." —Jakub Malinski

Proactive feature development: Fonoa built hospitality-specific functionality for Apaleo's needs, including tourism tax for Malaysia, self-billing invoices for Italy, and consumption tax for Croatia.

"Fonoa is very proactive and listens to our feedback. They even implemented specific features that were important due to our industry. We really appreciate that." —Jakub Malinski

OUTCOME

Speedy onboarding and effortless compliance with changing regulations

Since adopting Fonoa, Apaleo has transformed how they deliver compliant invoicing across regulated markets. The platform now supports properties in 4 countries, processing nearly 5,000 invoices per month. Plus, new market launches now take as little as 3 weeks instead of months.

"Using Fonoa as our e-invoicing partner has been a huge benefit. We can focus on our core business, which is hospitality, not tax consultancy." —Jakub Malinski

Key outcomes include:

• 1000 hours saved per year through automated compliance and proactive regulatory monitoring across all markets
• 50% estimated reduction in developer hours by eliminating the need to build an internal solution 
• Ensured long-term collaboration with the expansion of largest client by launching e-invoicing in Malaysia
• One API call to onboard new properties instantly, even in unfamiliar markets—no consultants, manual setup, or travel required
• Automated local complexity like invoice type classification (TD01, TD04) and region-specific fields (Codice Destinatario) that would otherwise require Apaleo’s internal resources

And going live in a new market is only the beginning. The real challenge is staying compliant as regulations constantly evolve. Countries like Hungary update their e-invoicing specifications every 3 months. Fonoa monitors these changes proactively and alerts Apaleo's team before issues arise.

Being compliant is just one part of the job. The next big task is to stay compliant. With Fonoa, we can rely that if something breaking is happening, we’ll know about it.
Jakub Malinski