How is an autónomo's take-home pay calculated?

From what you invoice excluding VAT, subtract your business expenses, the contribution for your band and the year's income tax. VAT and withholding do not count: VAT is not yours and withholding is an advance on income tax.

How much of what an autónomo invoices goes on contributions and income tax?

Invoicing 3.000 € a month with no expenses, contributions and income tax take about 938,10 € a month, 31 % of what is invoiced. The share rises with invoicing, because income tax is progressive.

Do I pay self-employed contributions in a month when I invoice nothing?

Yes. While you are registered you pay the contribution every month. It is based on the income you expect and, once the year's actual income is known, Social Security settles the difference.

How much do I keep in my first year as an autónomo?

A little more than afterwards: with the reduced contribution of 88,64 € a month and invoicing 3.000 € with no expenses, you keep about 2.322,37 € a month. The 7% withholding on your invoices is an advance on income tax, not an extra tax.

Take-home pay calculator · 2026

How much do I keep of what I invoice as an autónomo?

Enter what you invoice each month and we tell you what you keep, with self-employed contributions by band, income tax, VAT and withholding.

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Official 2026 bands
Your year month by month

I invoice per month, excluding VAT

€ / month

The net amount of your invoices for the month, before adding VAT.

Business expenses per month

€ / month

Rent, utilities, software, materials: what is deductible.

Your clients

They withhold 15 % of each invoice towards your income tax.

VAT on your invoices

Monthly statement

Your self-employed payslip

Monthly · 2026

Income

Invoiced this month, excluding VAT3.000,00 €

You also collect 630,00 € of VAT: it is not yours, it goes into form 303.

Deductions

Business expenses− 300,00 €

Self-employed contributionsgeneral table, band 7− 427,21 €

Estimated income tax450,00 € already withheld by your clients− 407,00 €

Total deductions− 1.134,21 €

Net pay1.865,79 €

22.389 € a yearyou keep 62 % of what you invoice

Reaches your account3.180,00 €with VAT and after withholding

Set aside for tax630,00 €VAT and outstanding income tax

See your contribution by band Work out how much to invoice

Estimate for a self-employed individual under the simplified direct method. It does not replace your adviser.

Your year month by month

When money comes in and when it goes out

Every month you receive what you collected and pay your contribution. Every quarter comes VAT and, if nobody withholds, income tax in advance. In June, the annual return settles the year.

Comes inContributionVAT · 303Refund

April

Comes in: 3.180,00 €
Contribution: − 427,21 €
VAT · 303: − 1.890,00 €
Left that month: 862,79 €

Every quarter1.890,00 €1.890,00 € of VAT

In June, the annual returnYou get back 516,00 €

Set aside every month630,00 €To reach every quarter and June without surprises.

The VAT on form 303 is the VAT you collect: if your expenses carry VAT, you deduct it and pay less. With clients who withhold, form 130 is not required if at least 70% of your invoicing is subject to withholding.

2026 tax calendar

Deductible expenses

What each expense really saves you

A deductible expense lowers your taxes, but it is not free: part of it you pay and part stops going to tax and contributions.

If you spend more per month

Your net pay drops 71,50 €, not 100 €

You pay71,50 €

No longer goes to tax and contributions28,50 €

Deduct what you need to work: no expense makes you money.

Record your expenses in Factuarea

2026 table

How much an autónomo earns invoicing €1,500 to €8,000 a month

No expenses, outside the first year and contributing on the minimum base of each band. Tap a row to see its full breakdown.

You keep a month	You keep a year	Contribution	Income tax a month	You keep
1.064,10 €	12.769 €	302,65 €general · band 2	133,25 €	70,9 %
1.389,71 €	16.677 €	380,88 €general · band 5	229,41 €	69,5 %
1.741,20 €	20.894 €	401,47 €general · band 6	357,33 €	69,6 %
2.061,90 €	24.743 €	452,94 €general · band 8	485,16 €	68,7 %
2.709,97 €	32.520 €	504,41 €general · band 10	785,62 €	67,7 %
3.314,03 €	39.768 €	545,59 €general · band 11	1.140,38 €	66,3 %
3.921,01 €	47.052 €	545,59 €general · band 11	1.533,40 €	65,4 %
4.987,04 €	59.844 €	607,35 €general · band 12	2.405,61 €	62,3 %

The method

How your take-home pay is calculated

Take-home pay = invoicing − expenses − contributions − income tax

The contribution comes from your monthly income with the general 7% deduction, paying on the minimum base of its band, or €88.64 in the first year.
Income tax is the year's under the simplified direct method, with the personal allowance and 5% hard-to-justify expenses, spread over twelve months.
VAT and withholding are not part of take-home pay: VAT goes into form 303 and withholding is an advance on income tax settled in the annual return.

Official sources

Figures in force in 2026 · reviewed on 22 September 2026

This is an indicative estimate, not tax advice: use it to know what you can count on, not to file your taxes.

Frequently asked questions

What people ask when working out take-home pay

With no expenses, outside the first year and contributing on the minimum base of their band, they keep about 2.061,90 € a month (24.743 € a year): 69 % of what they invoice. Deductible expenses lower take-home pay, though by less than they cost, because they also reduce income tax.