Our experts will guide you in your choice of domicile.
Our experts will guide you in your choice of domicile.
Unlike an employee, a freelancer is an independent worker who carries out his or her activity autonomously, without being bound by an employment contract with the company for which he or she carries out the assignment. They work on behalf of several customers, often on one-off or short-term assignments.
He is autonomous in managing his own schedule, choosing his customers, and setting his own prices.
There is no legal definition of freelance status: freelancers can operate either as sole proprietorships or as companies(SASU or EURL).
Freelancing offers many advantages, but there are also a few disadvantages to consider before launching your business.
There are several advantages to freelancing:
The freedom offered by this status does, however, have a few drawbacks:
There are no special conditions for becoming a freelancer. You simply need to have an idea in mind, choose a legal status and register your company to be able to exercise your activity legally.
It therefore makes sense to turn to an activity that you already master, or to undergo training to acquire the skills you need to carry out the assignments you'll be asked to do. It can therefore be difficult to start out as a freelancer without experience in your chosen field.
Finally, it's important to check beforehand whether your chosen activity is a regulated one. If so, you'll need to obtain the necessary authorizations.
More and more freelancers are turning to activities requiring a high level of skill. It has to be said that the range of activities that can be carried out as a freelancer is extremely diverse. Here's a list of professions that can be practiced under this status:
There are many activities that are compatible with freelance status. However, some of them are subject to specific regulations and require authorization. Here is a non-exhaustive list of regulated activities:
These professions, known as "regulated activities", are subject to specific conditions of access. Their exercise is governed by legislative or regulatory provisions that are important to know before embarking on your project.
Choosing the right legal status is a crucial step in freelancing. It depends on your activity, your needs and your financial resources. You can set up a freelance business :
It's important to find out about the different legal statuses available to freelancers.
Freelancers need to choose a status that allows them tocarry on their business alone. A sole proprietorship (EI) can be a wise choice, as the formalities involved in setting up a business are less restrictive than those for a company.
A sole proprietorship allows you to run your business under your own name. In other words, it's directly linked to you, the individual. Unlike a company, a sole proprietorship does not involve the creation of a legal entity. As a result, you don't need to draw up articles of association or set up share capital.
It is impossible to create several sole proprietorships (1 sole proprietorship = 1 person), unlike companies.
If you decide to set up a sole proprietorship, you can choose between :
A micro-enterprise is a sole proprietorship with a simplified system. It allows you to benefit from simple, low-cost management, reduced social charges, basic VAT exemption and an advantageous tax system.
To qualify for the micro-enterprise scheme, your annual sales must not exceed (thresholds applicable for 2023, 2024 and 2025):
As a micro-entrepreneur, you can carry out a commercial, craft or liberal activity. However, the micro-entrepreneur scheme is incompatible with agricultural activity.
If you want to run your business alone, you can choose to set up a one-person company, i.e. with just one partner. This can be :
These two types of company are legal entities, separate from you (an individual). They enable you to separate your personal assets from your business assets.
The steps involved in becoming a freelancer vary according to the legal form chosen:
Setting up a micro-business couldn't be easier. Just follow these simple steps:
Once these steps have been completed, you can finally start your business and invoice your customers!
Then, depending on the option you choose, you must declare your sales on a monthly or quarterly basis and pay your social security contributions.
To set up a one-person company (SASU or EURL), there are a number of steps to follow:
Once all these steps have been completed, you'll receive your SIRET number. This will enable you to legally start your freelance activity and invoice your customers.
As the sole master on board, freelancers need a number of key skills to successfully develop their business:
Once you've declared your activity, you need to find your first customers. Getting your first freelance contracts isn't always easy, especially in the face of ever-increasing competition! Yet this step is essential if you want to generate income quickly.
Here are some tips for finding your first assignments:
Once you've landed your first assignment, it's important to think about the rates you're going to charge.
To set your freelance rates, you can use one of two methods:
Freelancers can be paid by the hour or by the day, depending on their activity.
Time-based pricing is most often used for long-term assignments. These projects offer freelancers a degree of stability. They know the duration of the assignment and can make arrangements with the customer. This establishes a relationship of trust with the customer.
This pricing system is based on an average daily rate (ADR). To calculate the AADR, it is essential to take several parameters into account:
Once you've taken all these factors into account, you can evaluate your ARM and estimate the monthly sales you'll generate.
Project-based pricing consists of setting a price for the entire assignment requested by the customer. This pricing method is often used for short-term projects.
It's important to draw up a quote to estimate the time spent on an assignment and the tasks to be carried out.
For assignments requiring in-depth knowledge or higher value-added expertise, you can adjust your rates by increasing the price of your services.
As a freelancer, you must avoid undercharging for your services. The price of your services must be fair and in line with the quality of what you offer.
If your rates are too low, your customers may question the quality of your offer. On the other hand, if your rates are too high, you risk losing your competitive edge.
Having a global view of the competition in your sector enables you to stand out from your competitors by offering unique services, while allowing you to adjust your rates to position yourself effectively in the market.
Before launching your business, it's essential to remember the mistakes to avoid, to optimize the success of your project. Becoming a freelancer is a learning process. Rushing is never the right approach, which is why we recommend that you clearly define your objectives, your target clientele, and your distribution and communication channels before you launch.
Don't underestimate theimportance of marketing and communication to reach your customers more easily. Clearly explain your business objectives, your added value and your unique competitive advantages.
Take care to select your customers carefully so as not to enter into a dead-end business relationship and avoid unpaid bills. It's not advisable to work without signing a contract or paying a deposit.
Finally, don't neglect the many means of prospecting available to you, such as matchmaking platforms. It's important to know how to use these tools correctly, to be proactive and to go out on your own in search of customers.
To optimize the success of your project, you need to organize your workspace, at home or in a co-working space, for example.
Then, develop your brand awareness and online presence in several ways:
Finally, make sure you set your prices correctly, neither too low nor too high, and adjust them as your experience grows.
Becoming a freelancer always involves costs that it's important to anticipate. Costs vary according to the nature of your business and the legal form you choose.
If you choose to set up a micro-business, the formalities are free of charge. On the other hand, if you decide to set up a one-person company(SASU or EURL), you will have to pay a fee.
Here are the main costs involved in setting up a SASU or EURL:
What's more, depending on the nature of your business, becoming a freelancer can involve additional costs : setting up a website, purchasing invoicing software, equipment, etc.
In general, it costs between €225 and €2,500 to set up a company (SASU or EURL).
The freelancing market is growing exponentially. Freelancers enjoy a great deal of freedom in terms of organization, choice of clients and assignments.
Working as a freelancer also means facing many challenges! Increasing numbers of projects, heightened competition and stress management are just some of the challenges that freelancers have to face.
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