Autónomo or SL in Spain: what should an entrepreneur choose in 2026

The key difference: who is liable for the debts

An autónomo is an individual doing business in their own name. There is no legal boundary between business money and family money: an autónomo answers for debts, fines and claims with all personal assets, including accounts, the car and, with a few exceptions, the home.

An SL (Sociedad Limitada) is a separate legal entity. Shareholders risk only what they put into the capital: if the company runs up debts, personal assets are generally not touched. The exception is serious misconduct by the administrator (for example, trading while knowingly insolvent), when a court can extend liability to the manager.

Hence a simple rule: the higher the turnover and the more contracts, employees and potential claims, the stronger the case for an SL. For a freelancer with two or three clients the risk is usually lower, and starting as an autónomo makes more sense.

Seguridad Social contributions: what you pay in 2026

Both an autónomo and an SL manager (autónomo societario) pay contributions into the RETA system, based on real income. In 2026 the same 15-bracket scale applies as in 2025: the government froze the increase after negotiations with self-employed associations.

• The minimum contribution is 200 euros per month with net income up to 670 euros.
• The maximum is 590 euros per month with income above 6,000 euros.
• For example, with income of 1,700-1,850 euros per month the contribution is around 310 euros.
• Newcomers can use the tarifa plana - 80 euros per month for the first 12 months (and 12 more if income stays below the SMI minimum wage - 17,094 euros a year in 2026).

You can change bracket up to 6 times a year, and at year end Seguridad Social reconciles the income you declared with tax office data and recalculates the contributions. We covered the full bracket table in our article on autónomo taxes in 2026.

An important nuance for SLs: an autónomo societario pays the same contributions, but their minimum base is usually higher than a first-time freelancer's, and the company's accounting costs come on top. In other words, an SL does not exempt you from RETA - a common misconception.

Taxes: progressive IRPF versus flat IS

An autónomo pays IRPF income tax on a progressive scale: the combined rate (state plus regional) climbs from roughly 19% on small incomes to 47% on income above 300,000 euros. During the year the autónomo pays 20% advance instalments on profit via modelo 130, and the total is settled in the annual Renta return.

An SL pays corporate income tax, the Impuesto de Sociedades (IS). Rates for 2026:

• 25% - the general rate;
• 19% and 21% - micro-companies with turnover up to 1 million euros (19% on the first 50,000 euros of profit, 21% on the rest) under the Ley 7/2024 reform;
• 23% - companies with turnover from 1 to 10 million euros;
• 15% - new companies for their first two profitable years.

But you cannot compare 47% against 25% head-on. The SL's money is not your personal money: to take it out, you pay yourself a salary (taxed under IRPF) or dividends (taxed as savings income at 19-30%). So the real advantage of an SL appears when a significant share of the profit stays in the company and is reinvested.

Comparison table: autónomo versus SL

All figures are 2026 benchmarks; exact numbers depend on the region and type of activity and do change, so verify them against the official sources below before you start.

When to choose autónomo and when to choose an SL

Autónomo is a sensible start if:

• you are a freelancer, consultant or tradesperson with predictable profit up to 40,000-60,000 euros a year;
• you want to test a niche quickly and with no set-up costs;
• you work without partners or major contract risks;
• the tarifa plana and minimal accounting matter to you.

An SL is worth opening if:

• profit is consistently above the 40,000-60,000 euro benchmark and growing;
• you have partners and need to formalise the ownership shares;
• the activity carries risk: construction, imports, transport, hospitality, staff on payroll;
• your clients are companies that find it easier to contract with a legal entity;
• you are planning an investor, a business sale or a Spanish business visa.

A common working scenario is to start as an autónomo and move the grown business into an SL after a year or two. That way you do not pay for a structure you do not need yet, and you switch to IS at the moment it genuinely saves tax.

How Krepko helps

We handle the business launch for you: we run the numbers for your situation to see which is better - autónomo or SL, register the chosen form, complete the alta with the tax office and Seguridad Social, and set up accounting and a bank. Legally significant actions are carried out by licensed professionals - lawyers, gestores, sworn translators.

More about this service on the Business: autónomo and SL page. And if you simply want advice, write to us - we will look into it free of charge.

Sources

• Seguridad Social - RETA contribution simulator based on real income
• BOE - Ley 18/2022 Crea y Crece (SL capital from 1 euro)
• Agencia Tributaria - Impuesto de Sociedades rates