Freelancer vs employee take-home in Germany on €30,000 (2026)
On a gross of €30,000 in Germany, a freelancer keeps the most — €21,811 net, €336 more than the next-best option. Here is the full breakdown at 2026 rates.
| Setup | Net / year | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | €21,811 | 27% |
| Employee | €21,474 | 28% |
| Company | €15,505 | 48% |
Other incomes in Germany
Same income, other countries
Rates: Germany 2026.1-verified, 2026. Income tax uses the enacted §32a EStG 2026 formula (continuous across all zones). Self-employed health/pension insurance is approximated as a single statutory rate up to the health ceiling (private insurance not modelled); Ehegattensplitting and church tax are optional and off by default; the company path is a pure-dividend GmbH whose combined ~29.8% corporate rate assumes an average municipal Hebesatz (~400%), so it varies by location. Figures are estimates from a deterministic engine — not tax advice.