Freelance rate in Germany: what to charge once health insurance is counted

In Germany, a residence permit for the self-employed needs local health insurance. Work out how much it adds to your rate. No sign-up.

Three mistakes that pull your income down

1. Insurance outside the budget. The minimum statutory contribution is about €2,700 a year, and that's only the minimum: it grows with income. Put it into your costs before calculating.

2. One tax percentage for all income. The scale is progressive: the more you earn, the higher the rate on the next euro. Run the rate with a few percentages and see how it moves.

3. Missing the small-business VAT exemption. If last year's turnover was up to €25,000 and this year's is up to €100,000, you may leave VAT off. Opting out of the exemption binds you for five years. It decides whether you quote a price with or without VAT.

Insurance is the first line people forget

A residence permit for the self-employed needs German insurance: a foreign policy isn't enough. If you insure voluntarily in the statutory scheme, the minimum contribution in 2026 is €222.80 a month without sick pay (before long-term care insurance).

Tax is on a sliding scale: the tax-free allowance in 2026 is €12,348, then the rate rises from 14% to 42% and 45%. So the tax percentage in the calculator depends on your income.

The facts come from official sites as of October 2026. This isn't tax advice.

What insurance adds to your rate

Say you need €3,000 a month, tax 20% (for the example), margin 50%, 75 hours a month, a fifth unpaid.

The minimum contribution is a floor and grows with income. The 20% tax is for the example: put in your own.

Working out your rate is half the job

The calculator tells you what to charge. The timer shows what you actually get: how many hours you worked today, how many of them are paid, and how much is left until your daily target.

A rate without tracked hours is a promise to yourself that nobody checks.

Five of your numbers, not someone else's median

Going by someone else's rate makes no sense: it's built from someone else's life — another city, another tax, another share of paid hours. Yours comes from five numbers, and all of them are about you.

Common questions

Would the Künstlersozialkasse suit me?

It's a scheme where self-employed artists and publicists earning over €3,900 a year are insured; the insured pays about half the contributions. Whether designers, or people living outside Germany, are covered the official page doesn't say: ask the scheme itself.

What are the conditions for a self-employed residence permit?

You need an economic interest or regional need, financing from your own capital or a loan commitment, and after 45 also retirement provision. In Berlin the fee is €13 plus €56 for the sticker or €100 for the electronic card. Details are on the immigration office's site.

How do I count tax if my income isn't known yet?

Run the rate with a few percentages, say 20%, 30% and 40%, and see the spread. It doesn't replace tax advice: a tax adviser gives the exact figure.

Can I rely on these numbers when I move?

This isn't tax advice. The facts about the country come from official sites and hold as of October 2026; laws change, so check them at the source and ask a local accountant before you decide. In the calculation you keep your own numbers.

Rate, hours and projects in one place

A minute on how it works day to day.

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