Freelance Take-Home Calculator (Germany, After Tax)
Estimate German freelance (Freiberufler) take-home after a tax set-aside: the rate you need for a target net income, or the net income from a rate.
Estimate only, not tax advice. The set-aside is a single percentage for tax and social contributions - it does not model brackets, VAT, or deductions, which vary by income, region, and circumstances. Confirm with an accountant.
Rate, costs, tax, and take-home
In Germany, an employee (Angestellter) has income tax and social contributions withheld from gross (brutto) pay, while a Freiberufler or sole trader pays income tax and usually funds their own health and pension. The default is a rough average and does not reflect your tax class or Land.
A freelance rate has to cover more than your target income. Business costs come off the top, and tax and social contributions come out of the profit, so the rate you bill is well above the money you keep. This tool works in both directions: the rate needed for a target take-home, or the take-home implied by a rate.
The set-aside percentage is pre-filled with a rough average for the country you pick (2026) and is yours to change. It is a planning estimate, not a tax return.
Country questions
Does the default reflect my tax class?
No. The default is a single average that ignores your Steuerklasse, church tax, and Land. Change the percentage to match your situation.
Track the billable hours behind the rate
Sandtime.io records billable and non-billable time as you work, so your real billable share and rate rest on data, not a guess. Free for unlimited users, without surveillance.