How much you keep as an autónomo
As an autónomo you pay two things on your income: the cuota de autónomos , which depends on your net business income, and IRPF , which you prepay each quarter with modelo 130 and settle in the renta. With €30,000 of income in Cataluña and no costs, you keep about €20,883 a year.
This section explains each piece: how the cuota is worked out , what net business income is , which expenses you can deduct and what happens when the cuota is adjusted . If you are weighing invoicing against a job, start with autónomo or employee .
For your own numbers, use the calculator or see what you keep in your region .
Articles on Self-employed (autónomos) Adjusting the cuota de autónomos: what if you earn more or less 5 November 2026 · Self-employed (autónomos) How Spanish Social Security adjusts your cuota to your real income, when you get money back and when you have to pay the difference. Autónomo or employee: how much you keep in each case 27 October 2026 · Self-employed (autónomos) We compare the net income of an autónomo and an employee on the same gross amount in Spain in 2026, and explain why the autónomo usually keeps less. Modelo 130: how quarterly IRPF payments work 17 October 2026 · Self-employed (autónomos) What modelo 130 is, who must file it, when it is due and how the quarterly 20% of an autónomo's net business income is worked out. Deductible expenses for autónomos in Spain in 2026 7 October 2026 · Self-employed (autónomos) Which expenses you can deduct as an autónomo, what requirements they must meet, and how they lower both your IRPF and your Social Security cuota. The tarifa plana for new autónomos in 2026 27 September 2026 · Self-employed (autónomos) What the €80-a-month flat rate is, who can apply, how long it lasts and how much you save compared with the regular income-based cuota. What net business income (rendimiento neto) is and why it matters 17 September 2026 · Self-employed (autónomos) Rendimiento neto decides an autónomo's cuota and IRPF in Spain. What it is, how it is worked out and how it differs from computable net income. Cuota de autónomos 2026: brackets and how it is worked out 7 September 2026 · Self-employed (autónomos) How the self-employed Social Security contribution in Spain is worked out in 2026 from your real income, the full bracket table and worked examples. Work out your case Enter your salary, your region and your personal situation and see how much you take home, step by step.
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