About netto-rechnen.de
netto-rechnen.de is an independent, free calculator site for salary, tax and social security in Germany. Every calculator runs in your browser: no account, no storage of your inputs, no paywall.
Who runs the site?
netto-rechnen.de is run privately by a software and platform engineer based in Munich. The site is not owned by a publisher, an insurer or a tax advisory firm, it does not earn referral commissions, and no advertising partner influences the calculator results. Full operator details are in the legal notice (Impressum).
Why does this site exist?
Many German salary calculators are cluttered with ads, hard to read or still use last year's figures, and very few explain the German system in English. netto-rechnen.de answers one question quickly and transparently: how much of your gross salary do you actually keep? Besides the German salary calculator there are more than 20 specialised tools, from benefits in kind and severance pay to part-time salaries, plus guides on tax classes, the income tax table and social security. Every page also exists in German.
How are the results calculated?
Wage tax follows the official 2026 payroll tax algorithm (Programmablaufplan) of the German Federal Ministry of Finance, based on §32a and §39b of the Income Tax Act (EStG), including the pension allowance, the solidarity surcharge, church tax and the special rules for tax classes V and VI. Social security contributions use the 2026 contribution rates and assessment ceilings from the SV-Rechengrößenverordnung. The calculation engine is checked by an automated test suite of several thousand salary scenarios against the ministry's reference calculator, to the cent. Each calculator shows its own "Methodology & sources" note.
Which sources are used?
Only official and primary sources: the Income Tax Act (EStG), the Federal Ministry of Finance's payroll tax algorithm, the Federal Ministry of Labour's social security ordinance, contribution rates published by the GKV-Spitzenverband, pension values from Deutsche Rentenversicherung, and the Federal Statistical Office's earnings statistics for salary comparisons. Each page names the legal basis that applies to it.
How current are the figures?
Tax and social security values are switched to the new year at the turn of the year and adjusted for mid-year changes such as the pension adjustment on 1 July. The current calculation basis is dated 2026-10-02 and is shown in the footer of every page. If you find an error or an outdated figure, please email mbugracil@gmail.com.
What the calculators are not
The results are an estimate based on your inputs and do not replace tax advice or your employer's payslip. Individual factors such as registered tax allowances, company pension contributions or special health insurance tariffs can change your actual net pay. For binding information, consult a tax advisor (Steuerberater) or your payroll department.
Embed a calculator
Blogs, HR portals and community sites can embed the compact gross-to-net calculator for free via iframe. The embed code is on the German homepage.