Learn freelancing from scratch Romania

Freelancing in Romania in 2025 presents enormous possibilities. More people are choosing to freelancing because of the convenience and freedom it offers. This guide is for anyone willing to freelance in Romania, from fresh graduates to professionals switching their careers and other individuals who want to earn from their skills. It provides detailed steps to

get started.

Key Takeaways

• Legal Structure: The most popular legal framework for freelancers in Romania is the sole trader, known as PFA (Persoană Fizică Autorizată).

• Tax Obligations: Taxes are due on the 25th of May each year, and freelancers are required to report their earnings and pay taxes.

• VAT Registration: Registration for VAT is mandatory if your income exceeds 300,000 RON annually.

• Digital Nomad Visa: Romania provides a nomad visa for remote job holders, giving them the opportunity to relocate to the country and work for up to a year.

• Income Potential: Freelancers specializing in IT and marketing can earn anywhere from €1,500 to 4,500 per month, based on their previous work experience and specialization.

Getting Started: Learning Freelancing from Scratch in Romania

Are you looking to start freelancing in Romania? That’s Perplexing! Whether you have recently completed school, stuck in an unexciting 9 to 5 job, or just want to a career that gives you maximum freedom; learning freelancing from scratch in Romania is doable – even in 2025. All you need is a roadmap, and that’s precisely what will outline here.

I will guide you from the rudimentary legal aspects to ensuring that your portfolio guarantees you clients, and that your rates are more than enough to cover your expenses.

Understand the Freelancing Landscape in Romania

You may perceive the legal requirements for freelancing in Romania as an obstacle instead of an enabler. In Romania, PFA (Persoană Fizică Autorizată) is the preferred term and describes an Authorized Physical Person.

So, why is it PFA:

You should be 18 years or more.

Documentation highlighting skills in the field you are going for is necessary i.e. diploma, certification, relevant work experience will work.

An ANAF (Agenția Națională de Administrare Fiscală), Romania tax authority will issue a fiscal identification number which is mandatory.

In the end, the registration with the National Trade Register Office (ONRC) is required in order to function officially as a PFA.

Setting up your personal financial account (PFA) may appear difficult at first, but many freelancers complete the setup within a matter of days. Some even contract the work to legal services or accountants for a small fee, making the registration process more efficient.

Tip: Don’t procrastinate. Legalize your freelance operations as soon as possible. This allows for smooth payment reception, client interaction, and professional credibility from the first day.

Choose Your Niche

Freelancing is about specialization and doing one thing superbly rather than attempting to manage everything.

When I was starting out as a freelancer, I was involved in graphic design, proofreading, and everything in between. The real turning point was when I shifted my focus to one niche, which is digital content writing.

You’ll want to ask yourself a few questions:

• Which activities hold my interest?
• What knowledge and experience do I possess?
• Is there a demand for this type of work?
• If required, can I quickly learn to improve my skills?

Some of the top paying freelance niches emerging within Romania include:

IT & Software Development

Custom app, website development, and tech support services are some of the many services offered by Romanian IT freelancers that are in huge demand internally and externally.

Digital Marketing

If you provide services such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay Per Click (PPC) adverts, social media and influencer marketing management, you are bound to be contacted by many businesses needing assistance with online growth.

Design & Multimedia

With the development of site like Behance and Dribbble, creative roles from designing logos to animations and even UX/UI are some of the most powerful freelancing opportunities.

Writing & Translation

There are many freelancing and local companies who are looking for someone fluent in English, Romanian and German to take up writing or translation jobs.

My suggestion would be to go for an area that combines your skills with what is currently in demand and pays well.

Build a Portfolio

A prospective client will first, foremost ask, “Is there proof to confirm I can accomplish this job?”. With a portfolio, the answer to that question is irrevocably “yes”.

Even without paid work, if you’re starting from ground zero, building a portfolio is easy.

Here’s how:

• Create mock projects. Draft a marketing plan for a fictitious business and construct a brand including a logo. Write blog articles about popular subjects. These goals can be accomplished.

• Offer free or discounted services. Assisting a local business or a non-profit organization is an excellent way to obtain hands-on experience and genuine feedback.

• Use platforms like Upwork or Fiverr. There is considerable competition, but crafting just one or two great gigs is enough to establish credibility.

Writers can be found on Medium, designers on Behance, and those in tech are on GitHub, which is a goldmine.

A good habit to develop is to request a testimonial after every project, big or small. Starting out, social proof is everything.

Set Your Rates

Ah, the question that every newcomer dreads: How much should I charge?

You are not on your own. Pricing your work is daunting when starting out. But here is the most important point: Do not sell yourself short. Relatively high pricing earns you much more respect from consumers.

Let’s clarify this:

• Fresher Romanian freelancers might charge from $5 to $15/hour.

• Fresher Romanian freelancers might charge from $20–$35/hour range.

• Technical experts (like software development or very specialized SEO) easily earn above $50/hour.

According to the latest global freelancing research, Romania now sits in 10th place as one of the cheapest freelancers in the world, with an average charge of $113.21 per project.

What do you base that on?

Consider these:

• How much time does it take to do this task?
• What advantage does it provide the client?
• How do competitors price it?

Use this information to decide whether you want to get paid by the hour, or by the project.

Manage Your Finances

It is often said that money makes the world go round, but managing it might be trickier than earning it. Seemingly, to stay afloat either in your professional or personal life, you need to make the right financial decisions:

Invoice Like a Pro

Creating invoices has been simplified with templates available on Word or other applications like Wave and Zoho. Make sure to add relevant details:

• Client name and address

• Description of work

• Amount due

• Your PFA details

• Payment deadline

 Save for Taxes

Taxes hauled out is not monitored effectively with full-time employees, unlike freelancers who are responsible for heaping out taxes like:

• Wage tax: 10%
• Pension Taxes: 25%
• Renewal Tax: 10% – Add Set Minimum Income.
• Value-Active-Tax: Only obligatory by certain business people.

Keeping this in mind, ensuring to build a 30% mark up on every paid invoice helps ease the burden.

Consider Insurance

Legal and Tax Considerations for Freelancers in Romania

Building Your Freelance Career

1. Networking and Client Acquisition

Constructing a network is crucial for acquiring clients. The strategies are:

• Partake in conferences and other networking events
• Participate in relevant groups on online platforms.
• Use social media for representing your work and creating connections with businesses.

2. Continuous Learning and Skill Development

Staying up to date is vital in an ever-changing freelance field. Make sure to invest in:

• Skill-focused courses offered by numerous platforms.
• Trustworthy certifications.
• Assessment of your services from clients.

3. Work-Life Balance

The increase of flexibility that comes with freelancing also comes with other priorities; all these factors ought to be balanced:

• Regular work time should be set to ensure optimal productivity is experienced.
• Improve productivity by taking breaks to clear the mind.
• Obtain a work area dedicated solely for work purposes.

My Opinion