Freelancer break-even calculator: how much must you earn each month?
Most freelancers know what they would like to earn but not what the business needs. Add your monthly costs, the pay you want to take home and your tax rate, and see the revenue you have to bring in.
Monthly fixed costs
Total: €950 a month
A planning aid, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Your figures are calculated in your browser. If you enter your e-mail to see the results, we store it together with the figures you entered.
How it is calculated
- Pay before tax = take-home pay ÷ (1 − tax rate).
- Break-even revenue (zero profit) = fixed costs ÷ (1 − delivery costs as a share of revenue).
- Revenue to pay yourself = (fixed costs + pay before tax) ÷ (1 − delivery share).
- All figures are net of VAT. The tax rate should include income tax and social contributions if you want them covered.
Do this automatically in Frusma
Frusma does this automatically from your real recurring expenses and invoices, and compares it with what you earned this month.
Questions
What counts as fixed costs?
Costs you pay every month whether or not you sell: rent or coworking, software, insurance, your accountant, bank fees, equipment you pay off, and a share of annual costs divided by 12.
What are delivery costs?
Costs that grow with your revenue, such as subcontractors, materials or media spend you pay on behalf of clients. Enter them as a percentage of revenue. If you work alone and have none, leave it at 0%.
Which tax rate should I use?
Use the share of your profit that goes to income tax and social contributions. It differs by country and situation, and with progressive taxes it rises with profit. The tax set-aside calculator suggests starting points for each EU country, and your accountant can give you your real number.
Is this tax advice?
No. It is a planning aid based on the numbers you enter.