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How much of your German salary will actually land in your account? Our free Germany net salary calculator 2026 (in English) turns your gross annual pay into your net (netto) salary in seconds. Pick your tax class (Steuerklasse 1–6), tell us about children and church tax, and see your income tax, solidarity surcharge, church tax and all four social contributions — plus your net pay per year, month, week and day.
How the Germany net salary calculator works
German payroll deducts two very different things: wage tax (Lohnsteuer) and social contributions (Sozialabgaben). The calculator follows the same order your employer’s payroll uses:
- Step 1: it calculates your employee social contributions — pension, unemployment, health and nursing-care — using the 2026 rates and assessment ceilings.
- Step 2: it subtracts those contributions from your gross pay to approximate your taxable income.
- Step 3: it applies the 2026 income-tax tariff to that amount, adjusted for your tax class (including the single-parent relief and married splitting).
- Step 4: it adds the solidarity surcharge (only above the threshold) and church tax if you selected it.
- Step 5: it shows your net salary annually, monthly, weekly and daily, with a donut chart of where every euro goes.
German tax classes 1–6 explained
Your Steuerklasse decides how much wage tax is withheld each month. Choose the one on your payslip:
| Class | Who it is for | How the calculator treats it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Single, divorced or widowed employees | Standard tariff with the €12,348 basic allowance |
| 2 | Single parents | Standard tariff plus the €4,260 single-parent relief |
| 3 | Married, the higher earner | Income splitting: the couple’s tariff applied to half, then doubled |
| 4 | Married, similar earnings | Income splitting, like class 3 |
| 5 | Married, the lower earner | Standard tariff with no basic allowance (higher withholding) |
| 6 | Second or further jobs | Standard tariff with no basic allowance and no other reliefs |
Social contributions in 2026 (employee share)
Roughly a fifth of a German salary goes to social insurance before tax is even calculated. The 2026 employee rates and monthly assessment ceilings (Beitragsbemessungsgrenzen) are:
| Contribution | Employee rate | Ceiling 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Pension insurance (Rentenversicherung) | 9.3% | €101,400 / year |
| Unemployment insurance (Arbeitslosenversicherung) | 1.3% | €101,400 / year |
| Health insurance (Krankenversicherung) | ~8.75% | €66,150 / year |
| Nursing-care insurance (Pflegeversicherung) | 1.8% (2.4% if childless) | €66,150 / year |
The health rate is the 14.6% base plus the average additional contribution, split evenly between you and your employer — about 8.75% each. Childless employees over 23 pay a 0.6% surcharge on nursing-care insurance, which is why the calculator asks about children.
The solidarity surcharge (Solidaritätszuschlag)
Since 2021 almost nobody pays the solidarity surcharge. In 2026 it only kicks in once your annual income tax passes about €19,950 for singles (€39,900 for splitting couples), and even then a mitigation zone softens the entry. Most middle earners will see €0 on this line — the calculator applies the threshold and the mitigation automatically.
Church tax (Kirchensteuer)
If you are registered with a church that collects it, church tax is 8% of your income tax in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, and 9% everywhere else. It is fully deductible as a special expense at assessment, but for monthly payroll it is simply added on top. Switch it on in the calculator if it applies to you — otherwise leave it off.
Worked example: €60,000 salary, tax class 1
Say you earn €60,000, are in tax class 1, have children and pay no church tax:
- Social contributions: pension 9.3% = €5,580.00; unemployment 1.3% = €780.00; health 8.75% = €5,250.00; nursing-care 1.8% = €1,080.00 → €12,690.00
- Taxable income (approx.): €60,000 − €12,690 = €47,310
- Income tax: about €9,434 on the 2026 tariff
- Solidarity surcharge: €0 (tax is below the €19,950 threshold)
- Net salary: €60,000 − €12,690 − €9,434 = about €37,876 a year
- Monthly: about €3,156
Germany net salary FAQs
Which tax class should I choose?
Use the class on your payslip: 1 if you are single, 2 if you are a single parent, 3 or 4 if you are married (3 for the higher earner, 4 if you earn similar amounts), 5 for the lower-earning spouse, and 6 for a second job. The class only changes monthly withholding — your final annual tax bill is set by your tax return.
What is the Grundfreibetrag for 2026?
The basic tax-free allowance (Grundfreibetrag) is about €12,348 for 2026. Income up to that amount is free of income tax, which the calculator builds into the tariff for classes 1–4.
Do I still pay the solidarity surcharge?
Probably not. Since 2021 the surcharge only applies once your income tax exceeds about €19,950 a year (€39,900 for splitting couples). The calculator checks the threshold and applies the mitigation zone automatically.
How much is health insurance in Germany?
Employees pay about 8.75% of gross pay (half of the 14.6% base rate plus the average additional contribution), up to the €66,150 assessment ceiling — a maximum of about €5,788 a year. Your employer matches it.
What is the childless surcharge on nursing-care insurance?
Childless employees over 23 pay an extra 0.6% on top of the 1.8% nursing-care rate — 2.4% in total up to the €66,150 ceiling. The calculator adds it automatically when you select “No” for children.
Is the 13th-month salary (Weihnachtsgeld) taxed differently?
Bonuses and 13th-month pay are taxed as ordinary income, but payroll often withholds at a higher rate in the month they are paid because the progressive tariff spikes. Enter your total annual gross including bonuses for the most accurate yearly figure.
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