Company car or private car? Do the math as a freelancer
Put the (lease) car in the business, with deductible costs but the private use addition? Or keep it private and claim €0.23 per business kilometre? Enter your numbers and see which scenario costs you less.
Include everything: lease or depreciation, fuel or charging, insurance, road tax and maintenance. Leave private empty to use business plus 21% VAT.
Keeping it private is cheaper
€108
is the net difference per month
| Net cost business, per month | €635 |
| Net cost private, per month | €527 |
How this was calculated
| Business: car costs per year | €6,600 |
| Gross addition (€8,700) minus the tax saving of the deduction | +€1,014 |
| Net cost business per year | €7,614 |
| Private: car costs per year | €7,986 |
| Saving from the mileage deduction (15000 km x €0.23) | -€1,666 |
| Net cost private per year | €6,320 |
This calculation is an indication based on the 2026 figures and assumes a freelancer (income tax entrepreneur). The VAT correction for private use and reclaimable VAT on the purchase are not included. No rights can be derived from it; it is not tax advice.
When does which scenario win?
Rule of thumb: many business kilometres and a cheap or electric car favour the business; few business kilometres and an expensive car with a high addition favour keeping it private. The €0.23 allowance per business kilometre is untaxed and adds up quickly at high mileage.
Note: you make the business-or-private choice at purchase and usually cannot simply reverse it later. If in doubt about a large amount, run your situation past an accountant.
Driving privately? Claim your business trips in seconds.
With Finq you log business trips in seconds, including the mileage allowance and billing them to your client.