🇫🇮 The Quulio Guide to Real Self-Employment in Finland

No Middlemen. No Guesswork. Just Ownership. 

🌟 Foreword: Why Finland, Why Now? 

To many, Finland seems remote—a land of pine forests, cautious small talk, and winters longer than they should be. But for us, it’s a land of rare opportunity. 

At Quulio, we believe that the future of work belongs to independent people—those who want control, clarity, and the ability to grow without being boxed in. Finland makes that possible: it’s one of the only countries where you can run your own business as a solo operator with minimal friction, transparent systems, and world-class infrastructure. 

This guide is not a pitch. It’s a blueprint. Written for those who want more than light entrepreneurship, who don’t want to depend on platforms that own their data, brand, or income. With Quulio, you own your business—fully and legally. You don’t need to “fake” being an entrepreneur. You are one. 

🔧 What This Guide Covers 

• ✅ How to legally operate as a real entrepreneur (not just invoice through someone else) 

• ✅ How to set up your bank, tax card, and business ID the right way 

• ✅ What to expect from Kela, TE-toimisto, Vero 

• ✅ How Quulio supports you: business tools, project management, invoicing, calendar, AI assistant, coworking—and no middlemen 

• ✅ How to grow your income and avoid bureaucracy traps 

🛠️ Step 1: Set Up the Foundation 

1. Finnish Bank Account 

You’ll need a Finnish bank account to authenticate your identity, use official digital services, and get paid. It’s not a barrier—it’s the key. Pro Tip: Open your account at Holvi, it is fast and easy. Other alternative option is S-Pankki.  

2. Tax Card (Verokortti) 

Get your tax card from Vero.fi. You’ll need: 

• Your residence permit 

• Your Finnish address 

• Your Finnish bank account 

• Your estimated income 

This determines how much tax gets deducted from your earnings. You can always update it later. 

👤 Step 2: Register as a Real Entrepreneur 

You can start with either: 

• Toiminimi (Private Trader) – not recommended since you become personally liable for the company debts 

• Osakeyhtiö (Limited Company) – best for self-employed in Finland for long-term success 

With Quulio, we help you register your own business in under 10 minutes—no extra fees, no third-party platform ownership. 

Why not invoicing services? Because invoicing-only platforms like UKKO.fi own the client relationship, charge hidden margins, and limit your growth. Quulio gives you your own tools—without taking a cut of your brand. 

🤝 Step 3: Engage with the Authorities the Smart Way 

✅ Vero (Tax) 

Your friend—not your enemy. Everything is online. You can see all income, benefits, and taxes in MyTax. 

✅ Kela (Social Insurance) 

Register to get access to: 

• Public healthcare 

• Parental and housing benefits 

• Sickness and integration support 

You'll need: 

• A registered address 

• Residence permit 

• Bank account 

  
  

✅ TE-Toimisto (Employment Services) 

Even as a self-employed person, register here to: 

• Join integration programs 

• Qualify for startup grants 

• Get official approval for part-time entrepreneurship during unemployment or parental leave 

Warning: Always tell them you’re starting a “yritystoiminta” (business activity)—not freelancing. It matters. 

💼 Step 4: Use Quulio as Your Business Command Center 

Unlike traditional invoicing services, Quulio is a micro-ERP built for one person: you. 

Here’s what you get: 

• ✅ Create and manage your own business (no need for outside platforms) 

• ✅ Send invoices, manage calendar, book coworking spaces 

• ✅ Sync Gmail and communicate with clients from one place 

• ✅ AI-powered assistant to find you jobs and help you work smarter 

• ✅ Analytics to track growth and time usage 

• ✅ Contracts, templates, and client profiles built-in 

You are the business. Quulio is your command center—not your employer. 

💸 Step 5: Understand YEL and Health Contributions 

If you earn more than €9010.28 annually, you need YEL insurance. It builds your: 

• Future pension 

• Unemployment coverage 

• Sickness benefits 

Quulio will remind you when it’s time, and we’ll help you compare options (e.g., Varma, Elo). You don’t need to buy it through us—we believe in transparency. 

If you're earning less, you don’t pay YEL or health insurance contributions. That means more net income in your early stages. 

🔁 Step 6: Build, Grow, Repeat 

Use Quulio to: 

• Track clients and recurring work 

• Forecast your income 

• Build your digital brand 

• Get matched to job opportunities without giving up control 

• Stay legal, compliant, and in charge 

Feature	Quulio	OP Yrittäjä	Traditional Accounting Firm
Real Business Ownership (Toiminimi / Oy)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Registration Service Included	✅ Yes, instant	✅ Yes, through OP’s platform	❌ No, usually guided manually
Monthly Fixed Cost	🚀 Free to start, then low fixed fee	💰 ~30–50€/mo	💰 80–250€/mo +
Platform Commission from Income	❌ 0%	❌ 0%	❌ 0%
Bookkeeping	✅ Built-in, fully automated	✅ Basic bookkeeping	✅ Manual or semi-automated
Integrated Calendar & Project Tools	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
AI Assistant for Job Matching & Admin	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Client Communication (e.g., Gmail sync)	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Coworking Space Booking	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Contract Templates & Client Management	✅ Yes	❌ Limited	❌ Usually external tools needed
User Experience	🚀 Mobile-first, real-time	🟡 App + online bank integration	🔴 Often email + Excel-based
Customer Support	✅ Digital chat + personal	🟢 Bank advisor (business hours)	🟡 Email/call – response varies
Startup Grant & TE-Kela Guidance	✅ Clear instructions & pre-filled docs	🟡 General advice	🟡 Depends on the accountant
Training & Learning Center	✅ Blog + AI answers + templates	✅ Entrepreneur blog	❌ Usually none
Designed for One-Person Businesses	✅ 100% focus	🟡 Shared with OP’s other clients	❌ Not optimized for solopreneurs
Scalability (Freelance to Oy)	✅ Seamless switch	✅ Possible via OP tools	🟡 Requires contract changes
Focus	💼 Digital-native solopreneurs	💳 Bank-linked entrepreneurs	📊 Manual monthly bookkeeping

🚀 Final Words 

Finland rewards the bold. The system is complex, yes—but it’s fair and transparent once you understand it. Quulio exists to cut through that complexity and give you real tools, real ownership, and the freedom to be a real entrepreneur. 

This isn’t light entrepreneurship.  This is your business, your way.