You know your gross salary from your employment contract. At the end of the month, a noticeably smaller figure ends up in your account. It is often 10 to 18 per cent less. The calculator above shows you in seconds what is left of your salary, in both directions: from gross to net and from the desired net back to the required gross.
What sets this calculator apart from the others: It tells you honestly which deductions are fixed by law and which may vary depending on the employer. This is where most salary calculators become inaccurate without admitting it.
Let's take an employee, 35 years old, CHF 7,000 monthly salary, no 13th monthly salary, full-time. The table below shows the deductions. The first two are correct to the franc, the bottom two are estimates, your real value may differ. More on why in a moment. The calculator above calculates your salary automatically.
| Deduction | per month | Kind |
|---|---|---|
| AHV/IV/EO (5.3%) | CHF 371 | legally fixed |
| ALV (1.1%) | CHF 77 | legally fixed |
| Pension fund (BVG) | approx. CHF 240 | Employer-dependent |
| NBU (accident) | approx. CHF 98 | Employer-dependent |
| Total deductions | approx. CHF 786 | |
| Net per month | approx. CHF 6'214 | with these assumptions |
Realistically, the net figure in this example is between CHF 6,104 and CHF 6,221, depending on the pension fund and accident premium. This is the honest range rather than a precise single figure.
In Switzerland, your gross salary is increased by five possible Payroll deductions shortened. Two are the same for everyone, three depend on your situation:
AHV/IV/EO is the mandatory social insurance of the first pillar. As an employee, you will pay 5.3 per cent of your gross salary in 2026, with no upper limit. Your employer will pay the same amount again, but you won't see this on your payslip. This rate is fixed by law and is the same for everyone. The calculator above shows how much this amounts to in your salary.
ALV costs you 1.1 per cent, but only up to an annual salary of CHF 148,200. Anything you earn above this is exempt from contributions. The former solidarity levy on high salaries was abolished at the beginning of 2023. Here, too, your employer pays the same percentage.
This is where it gets personalised. The BVG-The amount you can deduct depends on your age, your salary and, above all, your employer's pension plan. The law only stipulates minimum contributions, but many funds require more.
The coordinated salary is decisive: a fixed amount is deducted from your salary (the coordination deduction of CHF 26,460) and the contributions are only calculated on the remainder. The rates increase with age: 7 per cent from 25 to 34, 10 per cent from 35 to 44, 15 per cent from 45 to 54 and 18 per cent from 55. You normally pay half of this.
Because many funds go beyond this minimum, your actual BVG deduction is often higher. This is where two people with the same salary differ the most. Check your case in the calculator above.
If you work more than eight hours a week for the same employer, you are also insured against accidents in your free time. You usually pay this premium alone, typically around 1.4 per cent, depending on the insurer and sector. The exact premium depends on your employer; the calculator shows you the effect on your net income.
Some employers insure your salary in the event of prolonged illness through daily sickness benefits insurance. This is voluntary. If available, your share is deducted, often around 0.7 per cent. You can switch it on and off in the calculator.
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This is the question that hardly any gross-net calculator can answer. You enter the same salary in two tools and get two different net salaries. How can that be?
The answer: AHV and ALV are fixed throughout Switzerland, everyone calculates the same way. But BVG, NBU and KTG are not. They depend on your pension fund, your employer and your sector. For example: with an annual salary of CHF 100,000, the BVG deduction can range from around CHF 268 per month (statutory minimum) to around CHF 500 with a generous plan, depending on the pension fund. Same salary, different fund, several hundred francs difference in the net amount.
Every calculator has to make assumptions here. Most do this in the background with hidden default values and end up showing you a number that looks exact, as if it were certain. We do it differently. Our salary calculator indicates for each item whether it is legally fixed or an estimate. A realistic net is therefore not a single figure, but a range. Anyone who promises you your net income to the nearest decimal point without knowing your pension fund is also estimating, but not telling you.
People moving to Switzerland from Germany or Austria often look in vain for the health insurance contribution. In Switzerland, basic insurance is a private matter. You choose your health insurance fund yourself and pay directly, not through your salary. It does not appear on your statement, but is a fixed item that you have to budget for separately.
For employees with a Swiss passport or C residence permit, no taxes are deducted from your salary. You receive your net salary and pay the tax later via your tax return. Tax is deducted directly for taxpayers subject to withholding tax (no C permit, cross-border commuters). The rate depends on the canton, tariff code, number of children and religious denomination, not on the municipality of residence.
Not every trigger is your destiny. Let's sort it out: AHV, IV, EO and ALV cannot be influenced, are fixed by law and are the same for everyone. The BVG can be partially influenced by the choice of employer and their pension plan. You can influence your tax burden.
The last point is where you have the most leverage: pillar 3a. What you pay in can be deducted in full from your taxable income. In 2026, this amounts to up to CHF 7,258 if you are a member of a pension fund. Depending on your income and place of residence, you can save several hundred to over a thousand francs in taxes per year. Our guide shows which provider is worthwhile Pillar 3a comparison.
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There are up to five deductions between gross and net in Switzerland. AHV/IV/EO (5.3%) and ALV (1.1%) are fixed by law and the same for everyone. BVG, NBU and KTG depend on your employer and are precisely the reason why your real net can differ from any flat-rate calculation. The gross net calculator Switzerland above gives you a reliable range and tells you honestly which figure is certain and which is an estimate. The biggest leverage you have is not in your salary, but in your tax via pillar 3a.
The statutory fixed amount is 5.3% (AHV/IV/EO) plus 1.1% (ALV) up to an annual salary of CHF 148,200. In addition, there are variable deductions for pension fund, NBU and possibly KTG. Depending on age and pension plan, a total of roughly 10 to 18 per cent is deducted.
The biggest chunk is usually the pension fund, whose contribution increases with age (from 7% at 25 to 18% from 55). Plus AHV, IV, EO and ALV. Tax is added directly for those subject to withholding tax.
Because the pension fund depends on the employer. With the same annual salary, the BVG deduction can differ by several hundred francs per month, depending on the pension plan. This is the most common reason for different net salaries with the same gross salary.
Because BVG, NBU and KTG are not fixed throughout Switzerland. Every calculator makes an estimate here. Our calculator shows these items openly as an estimate, your real payslip knows the exact values of your fund.
No. In Switzerland, you pay the health insurance premium yourself and directly to your health insurance fund. It is not included on your payslip.
Yes, the calculator above can work both ways. Handy if you have a desired net and want to know what gross you have to negotiate.
Eric is the founder of Schwiizerfranke.com and certified IAF wealth advisor. Since 2019, he has been helping Swiss citizens to organise their finances comprehensibly, independently and efficiently.
📌 Note: This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute personalised investment advice.
