On the same gross amount, an employee and an autónomo do not keep the same. The difference is mostly Social Security.
The comparison
With €40,000 a year in Cataluña, no children and no deductible expenses:
- Employee: €29,464 net a year.
- Autónomo: €27,502 net a year.
| Gross per year | Employee, net per year | Employee, per payment (14) | Autónomo, net per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| €20,000 | €16,652 | €1,189 | €14,299 |
| €30,000 | €23,091 | €1,649 | €20,883 |
| €40,000 | €29,464 | €2,105 | €27,502 |
| €50,000 | €35,308 | €2,522 | €33,556 |
| €60,000 | €41,124 | €2,937 | €39,497 |
Why the autónomo keeps less
For employees, the company pays most of Social Security: the worker only contributes 6.5% of their base. An autónomo pays the whole cuota, around 31.5% of their contribution base.
In return, an autónomo can deduct expenses, which narrows the gap when expenses are high.
How much to invoice to match a salary
If you are offered €40,000 gross as an employee, as an autónomo you need to invoice quite a bit more to keep the same. Also count what does not show in the net figure: paid holidays, extra payments, easier access to unemployment benefit, and the share of Social Security the company pays.
Under the net figure, the calculator shows what you would keep on the same amount the other way.
Try your numbers in the calculator or see the table by region for €40,000 gross.