Guide · 2 October 2026
Freelance or salaried in Greece: what you keep
Which pays more, freelance invoices or a salary?
An employee gets bonuses and paid leave, and pays contributions as a share of the salary. A freelancer pays fixed contributions, loses the tax reduction, and from the 4th year faces deemed income. Compare the net pay of the whole year.
An offer on a μπλοκάκι, the book of service invoices of a freelancer, usually states an amount a month, before VAT. A salary states gross pay. You cannot compare the two amounts directly.
What an employee pays
An employee pays 13.37% in contributions, and the employer another 21.79%. You get 14 salaries, with the bonuses and the holiday allowance, and you have the tax reduction of article 16.
What a freelancer pays
A freelancer pays a fixed contribution each month, from €160.46 in the special category for new entrants up to €685.87. There are no bonuses and no paid leave. The tax has no reduction under article 16.
Deemed income
From the 4th year, tax applies to at least a minimum income, the deemed income. In 2026 it is €12,880, and it rises from the 7th year.
How to compare
Put the freelance offer into the “Freelance” tool and the salary into “Gross to net”. Compare the net pay of the year, not of the month.