In 2017 the first Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors were approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in Germany. The mode of action of JAK inhibitors differs from biologicals, as multiple cytokines are inhibited. In comparison with the treatment with biologicals, JAK inhibitors have the advantage of oral application, three of the four currently approved JAK inhibitors were superior to adalimumab in at least some of the endpoints in randomized controlled trials, they have a short half-life and have a particular efficacy in the control of pain. On the other hand, the rate of malignancies and major cardiovascular events was increased in the Oral Surveillance trial in comparison with tofacitinib and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors but not in the CorEvitas registry and not in the phase III approval trials. The clarification of these safety discussions and the evaluation of further registry data will decide the position of JAK inhibitors in the therapeutic algorithm for rheumatoid arthritis.