Small business and bookkeeping in the Netherlands: the numbers
How many entrepreneurs does the Netherlands have, how many are closing down, and how digital is their bookkeeping really? Every number on this page comes straight from Statistics Netherlands (CBS StatLine), with its population, period and source table next to it so you can quote it correctly.
Last checked: 2026-09-21 · Download all figures (CSV)
Key figures
1.20m
Self-employed without staff (main job)
employed labour force aged 15–75 (survey) · 2025 · final · CBS 85278NED
13%
Self-employed paying for cloud accounting software
self-employed, industries C-N and Q · 2025 · provisional · CBS 86122NED
2,433,985
businesses
all businesses in the Netherlands · as of 1 July 2026 · provisional · CBS 81588NED
The number of self-employed fell for the first time
In 2025 the Netherlands had 1.20 million self-employed people without staff (zzp) as their main job: the first decline since the CBS series began in 2013, down from 1.26 million in 2024.
Mind which number you use. This is the survey measure (employed labour force aged 15–75). Counting everyone with income as a zzp via registers, including side jobs, CBS arrives at 1.95 million for 2024 (provisional).
Source: CBS StatLine 85278NED · bankformats.com/statistics
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| Self-employed | |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 894 |
| 2014 | 916 |
| 2015 | 936 |
| 2016 | 960 |
| 2017 | 986 |
| 2018 | 999 |
| 2019 | 1,019 |
| 2020 | 1,054 |
| 2021 | 1,078 |
| 2022 | 1,176 |
| 2023 | 1,230 |
| 2024 | 1,262 |
| 2025 | 1,200 |
A country of one-person businesses
As of 1 July 2026 the Netherlands had 2,433,985 businesses. 82.7% of them had one working person; just 0.15% have 250 or more.
The number of private limited companies (bv) rose from 457,630 to 528,725 in two years. A one-person business is not the same as a self-employed person: many holding companies also count as a business.
- 1 person82.7% (2,012,670)
- 2 to 1014.4% (349,730)
- 10 to 502.3% (55,730)
- 50 to 2500.50% (12,110)
- 250 or more0.15% (3,745)
Source: CBS StatLine 81588NED · bankformats.com/statistics
Show as table
| Share (count) | |
|---|---|
| 1 person | 82.7% (2,012,670) |
| 2 to 10 | 14.4% (349,730) |
| 10 to 50 | 2.3% (55,730) |
| 50 to 250 | 0.50% (12,110) |
| 250 or more | 0.15% (3,745) |
More business closures than ever recorded
In 2025, 174,185 businesses were closed: the highest number since the series began in 2007. Foundings fell to 197,355, 22% below the 2023 peak.
The balance of foundings minus closures was 23,170, the lowest in the series. This is not a bankruptcy wave: declared bankruptcies actually fell in 2025, to 4,105. Most businesses close down of their own accord.
- Foundings
- Closures
Source: CBS StatLine 83148NED, 83149NED · bankformats.com/statistics
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| Foundings | Closures | |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 176,250 | 84,830 |
| 2008 | 165,505 | 94,150 |
| 2009 | 188,455 | 110,080 |
| 2010 | 161,230 | 98,310 |
| 2011 | 166,765 | 106,660 |
| 2012 | 156,110 | 127,050 |
| 2013 | 156,110 | 114,355 |
| 2014 | 159,300 | 95,595 |
| 2015 | 162,955 | 95,155 |
| 2016 | 166,820 | 111,320 |
| 2017 | 168,225 | 91,280 |
| 2018 | 184,140 | 101,280 |
| 2019 | 207,505 | 109,530 |
| 2020 | 208,550 | 133,130 |
| 2021 | 231,850 | 85,310 |
| 2022 | 240,185 | 143,015 |
| 2023 | 254,595 | 115,015 |
| 2024 | 228,555 | 161,015 |
| 2025 | 197,355 | 174,185 |
How digital is bookkeeping really?
Only 13% of the self-employed paid for cloud accounting software in 2025, against 71% of businesses with 250 or more people. The smaller the business, the more often bookkeeping happens outside a cloud package: in Excel, desktop software, through an accountant or on paper. CBS does not measure that separately.
Invoicing is less digital than often assumed too. Of businesses with 2 or more people, 23% sent machine-processable e-invoices (such as UBL); 79% sent invoices as PDF or e-mail and 48% still on paper (several forms possible). And while 18% of these businesses use AI, only 3% use it for bookkeeping or financial control.
- Self-employed (zzp)13%
- 2 to 10 people25%
- 10 to 5051%
- 50 to 25061%
- 250 or more71%
Source: CBS StatLine 86122NED · bankformats.com/statistics
Show as table
| % | |
|---|---|
| Self-employed (zzp) | 13% |
| 2 to 10 people | 25% |
| 10 to 50 | 51% |
| 50 to 250 | 61% |
| 250 or more | 71% |
23%
Businesses sending e-invoices (machine-processable)
businesses with 2+ people, invoices to businesses and government · 2023 survey · CBS 85733NED
48%
Businesses (also) sending paper invoices
businesses with 2+ people, invoices to businesses and government · 2023 survey · CBS 85733NED
3%
Businesses using AI for bookkeeping or financial control
businesses with 2+ people · 2025 · CBS 86117NED
The accounting sector itself
The accountancy, bookkeeping and tax advice industry (SBI 692) had 37,200 businesses on 1 July 2026, 30,635 of them with one working person.
The sector turned over €15.6 billion in 2024, 35% more than in 2019 (€11.6 billion). That is nominal: not adjusted for inflation or for price increases in the services themselves.
Source: CBS StatLine 81156ned · bankformats.com/statistics
Show as table
| Net revenue | |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 9,895 |
| 2010 | 9,624 |
| 2011 | 9,726 |
| 2012 | 9,636 |
| 2013 | 9,389 |
| 2014 | 9,205 |
| 2015 | 9,261 |
| 2016 | 9,640 |
| 2017 | 10,124 |
| 2018 | 10,537 |
| 2019 | 11,551 |
| 2020 | 11,982 |
| 2021 | 12,218 |
| 2022 | 13,314 |
| 2023 | 14,613 |
| 2024 | 15,644 |
How to read these numbers
"13% of the self-employed" is about paid cloud software only
CBS asks about accounting software as a paid cloud service. Desktop packages, free tools and Excel do not count, and there is no CBS figure for accounting software in general. Never write "13% of the self-employed use accounting software".
There are two counts of the self-employed
The survey (1.20 million in 2025) counts people for whom it is their main job. The registers (1.95 million in 2024) count everyone with income as a zzp, including side jobs. Always say which one you mean.
A business is not a person
One-person businesses are business units, including many holding companies. They are not a measure of the number of self-employed people.
Series breaks
CBS improved the weighting of its ICT survey in 2025, so declines between 2024 and 2025 should not be read as real declines. E-invoicing figures were a share of invoices up to 2020 and a share of businesses in 2023, so those years are not comparable. In 2025 CBS also removed wrongly registered solar-panel owners from the business register, which depresses the stock of sole proprietorships; we therefore give no trend for it. That clean-up was not counted as closures, so the closure record stands.
Provisional figures can still change
Figures for 2025 and 2026 are largely provisional and CBS may revise them. We update this page when that happens.
Free to reuse
You may reuse all figures and charts on this page, including commercially, with attribution and a link to this page (CC BY 4.0). The underlying data comes from CBS, which also publishes its figures under CC BY 4.0.
Cite as
BankFormats (2026). Small business and bookkeeping in the Netherlands: the numbers. Based on CBS StatLine. https://www.bankformats.com/statistics
Method and sources
All figures were retrieved from the CBS open-data API (StatLine) and checked, figure by figure, against the definition and parent group in the table. We compute nothing beyond simple sums and shares (e.g. 82.7% = 2,012,670 of 2,433,985), which are traceable in the text.
ICT figures for the self-employed and by size class cover industries C-N and Q (excluding agriculture, education and culture).
- CBS 85278NED — Werkzame beroepsbevolking; positie in de werkkring
- CBS 85077NED — Zelfstandigen; persoonskenmerken en bedrijfstak (SBI 2008)
- CBS 81588NED — Bedrijven; bedrijfsgrootte en rechtsvorm
- CBS 83148NED — Bedrijven; oprichtingen, bedrijfsgrootte, rechtsvorm, bedrijfstak
- CBS 83149NED — Bedrijven; opheffingen, bedrijfsgrootte, rechtsvorm, bedrijfstak
- CBS 82242NED — Faillissementen; type gefailleerde
- CBS 86122NED — ICT-gebruik bij zzp'ers en bedrijven; bedrijfsgrootte, 2025
- CBS 86117NED — ICT-gebruik bij kleine bedrijven; bedrijfsgrootte, 2025
- CBS 85733NED — E-facturatie bij bedrijven; bedrijfsgrootte, 2023
- CBS 81156ned — Zakelijke dienstverlening; financiën
Last checked: 2026-09-21
Frequently asked questions
How many self-employed people are there in the Netherlands?
In 2025 there were 1.20 million self-employed without staff as their main job (CBS survey, ages 15–75). Including side jobs, CBS register data gives 1.95 million (2024, provisional).
How many businesses are there in the Netherlands?
As of 1 July 2026 the Netherlands had 2,433,985 businesses (CBS, provisional). 82.7% of them had one working person.
How many businesses closed in 2025?
174,185 businesses were closed in 2025, the highest number since the CBS series began in 2007 (provisional). Declared bankruptcies numbered 4,105.
How many self-employed people use accounting software?
CBS only measures paid cloud accounting software: 13% of the self-employed used it in 2025. It does not measure desktop software, free tools or Excel.
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