Salary vs dividends calculator
Pick your EU country and profit to compare take-home pay via salary versus dividends, with a full breakdown.
Take-home in Austria
As salary
€13,355.93
22.3 % kept
As dividends
€33,495.00
55.8 % kept
dividends nets you €20,139.07 more here.
Salary route
Dividend route
Simplified model: it uses headline rates and ignores tax-free allowances, progressive-band detail, social-contribution ceilings, local/trade taxes (e.g. German Gewerbesteuer), dividend-tax credits and the exact deductibility of salary — so treat it as a directional comparison, not a filing. Austria: Flat 23% corporate income tax (Körperschaftsteuer) on both retained and distributed profits, reduced from 24% to 23% effective 2024. Minimum CIT for a GmbH is €500/year (5% of €10,000 minimum capital, €125 per full quarter).. Data verified 2026-07-03.
Figures are researched from official/primary sources for 2026 and cross-checked, but tax and company law change often and depend on your circumstances. This is general information, not tax or legal advice — confirm with a qualified accountant or lawyer before acting.
Salary or dividends — which leaves you more?
Company owners across the EU face the same question: is it better to pay yourself a salary or take profits as dividends? The answer depends on your country mix of corporate tax, dividend tax, income tax and social contributions — and it varies a lot. This calculator runs both routes side by side for any EU member state and shows which leaves more in your pocket.
It uses a transparent, simplified model with the headline 2026 rates for each country, so you can see the mechanics: the salary route funds gross pay plus employer social contributions and is then hit by income tax and employee contributions, while the dividend route is taxed first at corporate level and then as a dividend. Because real liability depends on allowances, bands, ceilings and your personal circumstances, treat the result as a directional comparison, not tax advice.
It is a directional estimate using headline rates. It deliberately ignores tax-free allowances, progressive bands, contribution ceilings and local taxes, which can move the real numbers. Use it to see the direction and scale, then confirm with an accountant.
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