Comparison
Comparing: autonomia360 vs the Excel spreadsheet
Let's be honest: Excel has kept the books of more freelancers than any software on the market, and if you invoice very little it may be enough. This page is about knowing where the line is — and about a change in the rules that moves it: VeriFactu.
autonomia360 is in private beta · launching 2027
This comparison reflects the launch product (version 1.0). We say so upfront: a comparison is only useful if it's honest.
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The spreadsheet is flexible, free (or nearly) and yours. Its problems aren't about capacity but about everything else: nobody warns you about deadlines, nobody checks the sums, receipts end up in loose folders, and invoicing rules are heading towards software with verifiable records (VeriFactu) — something a spreadsheet cannot provide.
The essentials
Which one suits you?
When it's time to make the jump
- If you lose an afternoon (or two) every quarter squaring invoices and expenses.
- If VeriFactu is going to force you to invoice with software: better one that also sorts out your taxes.
- If you don't know what you'll pay next quarter until your accountant tells you.
- If you want to deduct everything you can: categorised expenses with receipts attached are deductions that don't slip away.
When Excel may still be enough
- If you issue very few invoices and your accountant handles all your taxes: your sheet is just a working record.
- If your activity is exempt from the e-invoicing obligations on the way and you keep on top of your deadlines.
- As a companion: we export to Excel/CSV ourselves whenever you want to analyse the numbers on your own.
What Excel does well
No monthly fee, complete control and no learning curve if you already know it. For a freelancer with a handful of invoices a month and an accountant handling the taxes, a well-organised sheet has worked for years. We're not going to pretend otherwise.
Where it starts costing you money
The cost of Excel isn't the licence: it's the hours you spend every quarter pulling invoices together, the formula errors nobody checks, the deductions you miss because your expenses aren't categorised, and the surcharges when a deadline slips past you. All of it invisible until it lands.
VeriFactu changes the rules
The anti-fraud rules require invoicing to leave verifiable, tamper-proof records. An invoice made from an Excel template doesn't produce those records. With the obligation approaching for freelancers, the question is no longer whether to stop invoicing from a spreadsheet, but when and with which software.
What we propose
That the jump isn't to 'another invoicing program' but to a platform where invoicing meets VeriFactu, expenses read themselves (OCR), forms are calculated in real time and a certified tax advisor reviews and files them. And in all honesty: we're in private beta and launch in 2027 — you can join the waiting list today.
The key difference
VeriFactu will require invoicing with verifiable software. Better one that sorts out your taxes too.
Features
autonomia360 vs an Excel spreadsheet
Monthly cost
autonomia360
€15–70/month depending on the plan
Excel
€0 (plus your time every quarter)
VeriFactu compliance
autonomia360
Yes, verifiable records built in
Excel
No: a spreadsheet doesn't produce verifiable records
Form calculation (303, 130…)
autonomia360
Automatic and in real time, reviewed by an advisor
Excel
Your own formulas, unchecked
Tax deadlines
autonomia360
Calendar and automatic alerts
Excel
You have to remember them
Expenses and receipts
autonomia360
OCR: photo or PDF, recorded and categorised
Excel
Folders and manual typing
Mistakes
autonomia360
Validation and review by a certified tax advisor
Excel
No safety net: an error in a cell reaches the tax agency
Excel costs €0 a month; autonomia360 starts at €15. The honest sum includes your time: lose four hours a quarter at €25 an hour and the 'free' spreadsheet costs more than our entry plan — before any surcharges or missed deductions. Run the numbers yourself with our hourly rate calculator.
Verdict
Our honest verdict
Our honest verdict: if you invoice very little and your accountant handles everything, your Excel sheet can hold out a while longer. You don't need to pay us for that to be true.
That said: once VeriFactu forces you to invoice with software, or once you put a price on those quarter-end afternoons, the jump makes sense — and better to a platform that also sorts out your taxes with a certified tax advisor than to 'another invoicing program'.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is Excel illegal for freelancers?
No. You can keep your records however you like, as long as you meet your obligations. What VeriFactu changes is invoicing: invoicing software will have to produce verifiable records, and an Excel template doesn't. Check the current deadlines with the Spanish Tax Agency (AEAT) — they keep moving.
Can I import my Excel history?
Yes: Excel/CSV import exists precisely for that, so you don't start from scratch.
What if I just want something free?
While we're pre-launch, our calculators and tools are free and need no sign-up. To invoice under VeriFactu you'll need software — whichever you choose — and that costs money.
How long does it take to leave the spreadsheet behind?
Import your history from Excel/CSV, fill in your tax details during onboarding, and you can issue your first invoice the same day.
Do I lose my way of analysing the numbers?
No: export ledgers, invoices and reports to Excel/CSV whenever you like. Carry on with your own analysis; the difference is that the source data is validated and has receipts attached.
Is Excel enough for the official ledgers?
The AEAT accepts ledgers kept in a spreadsheet (there's even an official format), but you build and check them yourself. In autonomia360 they are generated automatically from your invoices and expenses.
What if I only invoice one or two clients?
Excel may hold out a while longer — we say so in the comparison itself. The warning is VeriFactu: to invoice you'll need software with verifiable records, however little you invoice.
When does VeriFactu start applying to freelancers?
The deadlines have kept shifting, so check the current dates on the AEAT website. What doesn't change: the obligation is coming, and an Excel template can't meet it.
What do I gain besides complying with the rules?
Watching VAT and personal income tax (IRPF) build up in real time, a calendar with alerts, receipt OCR, and a certified tax advisor who reviews and files your forms from the Pro plan.
Is there a minimum contract with autonomia360?
No. The plans (€15, €30 and €70/month excluding VAT) are monthly: change plan or cancel whenever you like, and paying annually gets you a discount.
Decide at your own pace
Join the waitlist and try autonomia360 when the beta opens. No strings attached.