UBL vs Peppol: what is the difference?

UBL and Peppol are often used as if they mean the same thing, but they are two different parts of electronic invoicing. UBL is the invoice file format; Peppol is the network through which an electronic invoice can be exchanged securely between companies and public bodies.

UBL: the invoice format

UBL (Universal Business Language) is an XML-based standard that defines how invoice data such as supplier, amounts, VAT and invoice lines are structured in a file. Accounting software that supports UBL can read such a file automatically without manual entry.

Peppol: the network the invoice travels through

Peppol (Pan-European Public Procurement Online) is an international network of access points for exchanging electronic documents, including UBL invoices, in a secure and standardized way. Sender and recipient do not need to use the same system.

What this means in practice

If you receive a UBL file by email, for example as an attachment or through SnelUBL, you use the UBL format without using the Peppol network.
If you send or receive invoices through Peppol, the same UBL invoice travels through the Peppol network.
SnelUBL converts your PDF, DOCX or image invoice into a valid UBL file. To send that file through Peppol, you also need a Peppol access point, usually provided by accounting software or a specialist provider.

Practical confusion

"I need to send UBL" and "I need to send via Peppol" are often treated as the same requirement, but they are not. You can have a valid UBL file without using Peppol, and you need a valid UBL file before it can travel through Peppol.

Official sources

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