Overview

What is Peil?

Peil is a financial orientation tool for Dutch freelancers (ZZP'ers) — not bookkeeping software, not an invoicing package in the traditional sense, but a compass. It helps you answer the question that matters most: what do I actually keep per hour?

Where traditional accounting tools tell you what has happened, Peil shows you where you stand and what to expect. It calculates your net effective hourly rate (NER), tracks how you're pacing against your own target, and gives you a clear picture of your financial horizon.

The core concept: NER as your reference point

The net effective hourly rate (NER) is the central idea in Peil. It answers the question: of every euro I invoice, what actually remains after tax, reserves, and fixed costs are paid?

A rate of €90 per hour sounds solid — but once you account for your tax reserve, disability insurance premium, pension savings, and fixed business costs, your NER might land around €42. That's the number that determines your actual standard of living and financial security. Read more in NER explained.

What you can do with Peil

• Track hours — Log billable hours per client and project. Distinguish between billable work and internal time (admin, business development, etc.). Only billable hours count toward your NER.
• Create and send invoices — Build professional invoices, send them directly from Peil with a PDF attachment, and track payment status.
• Explore scenarios in the Financial Lab — What happens if you raise your rate? How many hours do you need to hit your sustainable income target? The waterfall, runway, and equivalence calculator give you instant answers.
• Monitor your tax reserve — Peil automatically estimates your income tax and accounts for disability insurance, pension, and fixed costs. You always see what you can spend versus what needs to stay reserved.
• Export your data — Export clients, time entries, invoices, and a PDF archive as CSV or ZIP for your accountant or your own records.

Getting started

After signing up, you go through a short four-step onboarding:

1. Rate — What do you charge per hour?
2. Hours — How many hours per week and per year are you billable?
3. Fixed costs — What are your monthly business expenses?
4. AOV — What do you pay for disability insurance (arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzekering)?

Based on those four inputs, Peil immediately calculates your NER and shows you a first read on your financial position. From there you add hours and invoices to sharpen the picture over time.

Sign up for free to get started.

Further reading