What being self-employed (autónomo) costs in your first year

Key rules

• Registration: Registering as an autónomo has no official fee.
• Standard quota: After the reduced period, your quota depends on your net income bracket and the table changes yearly.
• Fixed costs: Quota and adviser fees are due every month, even with no income.
• Insurance: Only some regulated professions must have professional liability insurance.

The short answer

Your first-year outlay is mostly fixed costs that fall due whether or not you invoice anything. Budget for the quota, an adviser, software, any insurance you need, and taxes. Registering itself is free.

The monthly quota

New autónomos pay 80 euros a month for the first 12 months. If your net income stays below the minimum wage, you can get 12 more months at the same rate. This is the quota you pay while the reduced rate lasts.

After that, you move to the standard quota. Since 2023 it depends on your expected net monthly income. There is a table of about 15 income brackets, and the quota rises with each bracket. The table and its amounts are revised every year, so look up your bracket in the current Social Security table. Add that figure to your budget from the month after your reduced period ends.

You may qualify if you are registering for the first time, or if you have not been an autónomo for the previous 2 years (3 years if you already used the reduced rate before). You are not eligible if you owe money to Social Security or the tax office. Economically dependent self-employed workers are also excluded. The decision below helps you see which quota applies to you.

Adviser

Most newcomers hire a gestoría to do their bookkeeping and quarterly tax filings. It charges a monthly fee. The fee depends on your region, how you are taxed, how many invoices you issue and whether payroll is included. Many offer low-cost basic plans for new autónomos, and online gestorías are usually cheaper than traditional ones. Ask for at least three quotes. Tell each one exactly what you need.

A gestoría may also charge extra for handling your registration. You can do it yourself for free.

Software

Simple invoicing can be done with free tools. Paid plans are billed monthly, and the price rises for tiers that add banking, tax filing or several users. Start with a free plan or trial, and pay for more only when you need it.

Insurance

No general insurance is required for freelancers. Professional liability insurance is mandatory for some regulated professions, such as lawyers, architects and engineers. It often comes through your professional association. For a low-risk freelancer, basic cover typically costs from tens to a few hundred euros a year. High-risk professions pay more. Health, accident and income-protection policies are optional.

One-off costs

There is no official fee to register in the tax census or with Social Security. A digital certificate from the national mint (FNMT) is free. A Cl@ve account or a certificate from a private provider may cost something. Membership fees to a professional association apply only where membership is compulsory.

Taxes

Your quarterly tax filings are due even if you earned nothing, and your adviser will usually still charge for them. Plan for tax on your profit, and set money aside from each invoice. Your adviser can tell you how much.

Putting it together

Add up the quota, the adviser fee, software and insurance for every month, including months with no income. The calculator below turns this into a first-year total. The checklist below walks you through the steps.

Choosing between options

Which quota will you pay in your first months as an autónomo?

• Reduced quota for the first 12 months: You are registering for the first time, or you have not been registered in RETA for the previous 2 years (3 years if you already used the reduced quota), and you owe nothing to Social Security or the tax office.

• Standard quota for your income bracket: You are an economically dependent freelancer, you have debts with Social Security or the tax office, or your reduced period has ended.

Start with the reduced quota if you meet the registration gap and have no debts; if any exclusion applies, budget the standard quota from day one.

Timeline and deadlines

• Pay the reduced quota of 80 euros a month: during the first 12 months after you register

Checklist

• Ask at least three gestorías for a monthly quote covering bookkeeping and quarterly filings, and tell each your expected invoice volume.

• Try a free invoicing plan or trial before you pay for a higher tier.

Check the current quota table with Social Security and get fresh quotes from advisers and software providers.

Estimate your first-year self-employment costs

Work it out

What you enter

• Months you pay the reduced quota (months): Count the months from your start date; the reduced quota applies to your first 12 months if you qualify.
• Months you pay the standard quota (months): Count the months of your first year not covered by the reduced quota; enter 0 if the reduced quota covers them all.
• Your standard monthly quota, in euros (EUR): Look up the quota for your expected net monthly income in the current table on the Seguridad Social website.
• Adviser (gestoría) fee per month, in euros (EUR): Ask several gestorías for a written monthly quote for bookkeeping and quarterly filings.
• Invoicing software cost per month, in euros (EUR): Check the price page of the invoicing tool you plan to use; enter 0 for a free plan.

Figures used

• Reduced monthly quota in the first year: 80 EUR (as of 2025; check the current figure before you rely on it)

Worked example (with Months you pay the reduced quota 12 months, Months you pay the standard quota 0 months, Your standard monthly quota, in euros 230 EUR, Adviser (gestoría) fee per month, in euros 50 EUR, Invoicing software cost per month, in euros 10 EUR)

When the sum misleads

• The total covers quota, adviser and software only. Income tax and VAT you owe come on top.
• If your income is expected to change, run the sum again with a different quota bracket.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay a fee to register as an autónomo?

No, registering as an autónomo has no official fee: signing up with the tax agency (AEAT) and with Social Security (RETA) is free. A digital certificate from the FNMT is also free, though a Cl@ve account or a certificate from a private provider may cost. A gestoría may charge if you ask it to handle the registration for you.

Can I get the reduced quota if I was an autónomo before?

Yes, you can get the reduced quota if you have not been registered in RETA for the previous 2 years, or 3 years if you already used it once. You cannot get it if you are an economically dependent freelancer or if you owe money to Social Security or the tax office.

Can I invoice for free with a free tool?

Yes, simple invoicing can be done with free tools, and several providers offer free basic plans or free trials. Paid plans cost more when they add banking, tax filing or several users, so start free and upgrade only if you need those extras.