Poland’s freelancer market is booming.
Whether you’re a web developer in Warsaw, a designer in Kraków, or a consultant working with international clients, running a one-person business (JDG – jednoosobowa działalność gospodarcza) in Poland can be exciting.
And equally challenging.
Invoicing, accounting and compliance with Polish tax laws levy plenty of admin work onto local freelancers. But there is an answer! Two in fact.
Xolo and ifirma.pl both offer tools for freelancers to succeed (and reduce their workload). However these two differ in their business models, automation and overall scalability. Today we’ll explore them both.
Choosing a platform vs traditional accounting software
Depending on your individual needs, and how they grow over time, the choice between a freelance platform and traditional accounting software may be clear.
Xolo: Freelancer platform
Xolo operates as a full-service platform for freelancers and solopreneurs. With Xolo Leap, you get company formation, ongoing compliance, accounting, and tax support in one place. Xolo Go even allows you to issue invoices without having a registered company — perfect for testing freelancing or working with international clients.
ifirma.pl: Traditional accounting software
ifirma.pl is an online accounting software designed for JDGs (sole proprietorships). It automates bookkeeping tasks and gives you tools to issue invoices and manage your Polish business, but you remain the legal entity responsible for tax compliance and ZUS (social security) obligations.
💡 For freelancers just getting started, and for those who plan on growing their business over time, Xolo Go and Xolo Leap are a full-suite of tools that offer freelance a lot.
Invoicing
Every freelance career starts with an invoice.
How you send that invoice differs greatly –– often from region to region –– based on the service(s) you choose to use. But do you need to set up a company first? The answer is “No!”
Xolo: Invoice without a company (or with)!
Issue invoices in English or Polish, with full VAT compliance. Xolo Go makes it possible to invoice international clients without a company, while Xolo Leap integrates invoicing with accounting and taxes, so everything is tracked automatically.
ifirma.pl: VAT invoicing tool with reporting integration
Offers invoicing in Polish, supports VAT and non-VAT invoices, recurring invoices, and integration with JPK_V7 files (the Polish standard for VAT reporting).
💡 For cross-border freelancers, Xolo’s international invoicing is a strong advantage. For local Polish clients, ifirma.pl’s tools are more tailored to domestic requirements.
Accounting & taxes
Canonically the heaviest burden a freelancer bears, not directly related to their core work. Accounting and taxation/reporting can make or break a freelancer –– depending on whether they can maximise returns or get hit with late fees or fines.
Thankfully, Xolo and ifirma.pl are designed to assist you in two different ways.
Xolo
Handles accounting and tax compliance automatically. With Leap, Xolo’s accountants prepare your tax reports and ensure compliance with Polish or EU regulations. Freelancers don’t need to track tax codes manually.
ifirma.pl
Provides software for self-service bookkeeping. The system helps you prepare PIT, VAT, and ZUS declarations, but you are responsible for filing them correctly (unless you pay extra for their accounting service package).
💡 Xolo does your accounting for you; ifirma.pl gives you the tools to do it yourself.
Ease of account creation and use
Barriers to entry for a service don’t fly well today –– it’s important that users can quickly access and easily use the products being offered.
Xolo
Minimal effort. Leap users can register their business online with Xolo’s guidance. Go users don’t even need a business setup to start invoicing. From there on out, the user experience is designed for simplicity.
ifirma.pl
Requires you to have a JDG already. You need to handle the initial registration with CEIDG (Central Registration and Information on Business) yourself, then integrate ifirma.pl with your tax and ZUS reporting.
💡 New to freelancing? Xolo will help you get started from ground zero (if you need it). ifirma.pl will integrate smoothly if you already set up a JDG.
Growing alongside your freelance business (scalability)
Most freelancers grow as their opportunities become greater. More clients means more time at work, and your business may grow out of sole-proprietorship into a licensed company before you know it –– congrats if you reach this awesome pinnacle.
Starting with a service you won’t have to change over from, regardless, may be your best choice.
Xolo: Designed to grow as you do
Scales with you. Start with Go (no company), then move to Leap (full business), with international tax support and compliance for cross-border income.
ifirma.pl: Built for those already established
Good for early and mid-stage JDG owners, but less suited for scaling internationally — especially if you want to expand beyond Poland.
💡 Ensure you choose a service that can hit the ground running and keep up with your pace!
Comparison table: Xolo vs ifirma.pl
|
Feature |
Xolo |
ifirma.pl |
|
Business model |
All-in-one platform (Go & Leap) |
Online accounting software |
|
Invoicing |
International, English/Polish, VAT-ready |
Domestic-focused, VAT/JPK support |
|
Accounting & taxes |
Done-for-you by Xolo accountants |
DIY with optional paid accounting |
|
Setup effort |
No setup (Go) or simple setup (Leap) |
Requires existing JDG |
|
Target users |
Freelancers, solopreneurs, digital nomads |
Polish JDG owners |
|
Scalability |
Scales internationally |
Best for local-only freelancers |
Which service is best for freelancers in Poland?
Depending on how you want to run your business, the choices are likely to be clear.
Scalability and ease-of-use would likely land you with Xolo Go and Xolo Leap.
We’d choose Xolo if you:
- Want to test freelancing before registering a business
- Work with international clients
- Prefer a done-for-you approach to accounting and taxes.
And we’d choose ifirma.pl if you:
- Already run a JDG in Poland
- Are comfortable with DIY bookkeeping
- Work mainly with local Polish clients.
Both Xolo and ifirma.pl help Polish freelancers manage their businesses, but the right choice depends on your goals. If you want international reach and minimal admin, Xolo is the better option. If you’re already set up with a JDG and want low-cost automation, ifirma.pl delivers.
Simplify your freelance journey today!
Try Xolo and experience invoicing and accounting made easy