Incubator for UX/UI designers
Design interfaces and run user research on a B2B basis — without a sole proprietorship, without ZUS, with PIT of just 6%
How does the incubator for UX/UI designers work?
As a UX/UI designer you create interface designs, run user research, build wireframes and prototypes, and develop design systems for software houses, start-ups and digital agencies. Your value lies in design thinking and in the solutions you deliver — not in stacks of official paperwork. The FDK incubator removes all the red tape by taking over the legal, tax and accounting side of your freelance work.
You operate under the banner of the Firma Dla Każdego Foundation, using its NIP and REGON numbers. You issue VAT invoices both to Polish agencies and software houses and to foreign clients — start-ups in London, companies in Berlin or platforms in the USA. Whether you are running a design sprint for a start-up or building a design system for a corporation, FDK handles all the accounting. You design, we take care of the rest.
This is a particularly advantageous solution for designers working with several clients at once, operating through platforms such as Upwork, Toptal or Dribbble, or running projects on an ongoing retainer basis. Having no ZUS contributions saves you over 1 600 zł a month, and the preferential 6% PIT instead of the standard 12% lump-sum tax (PKWiU 62.0 or 74.10 — depending on the classification) means real money on every invoice you issue.
The benefits of the FDK incubator for a UX/UI designer
Everything you need to run your freelance design business — without setting up a sole proprietorship.
No ZUS every month
Forget about ZUS contributions of over 1 600 zł a month. You work under the Foundation's legal personality — ZUS contributions do not apply to you.
PIT of just 6%
Instead of the 12% lump-sum tax (PKWiU 62.0 or 74.10 for a sole proprietorship) you pay income tax of 6%. That is half the tax burden on every invoice you issue for a design project.
VAT invoices straight away
Issue invoices for design sprints, interface designs, prototypes, user research, design systems and UX audits — for both Polish and foreign clients.
Foreign clients and platforms
Account for income from Upwork, Toptal, Dribbble, 99designs and other platforms. Full invoicing support in EUR, USD and GBP for software houses and start-ups all over the world.
Full accounting within the subscription
Bookkeeping, tax returns, invoice archiving — all for a fixed monthly subscription fee. No unexpected costs.
No sole proprietorship registration
No visits to government offices, no CEIDG, no revenue ledger. Start invoicing your UX/UI projects within a few days of signing the contract with FDK.
How working with FDK proceeds
From first contact to issuing your first invoice for a design project — just a few days and 4 simple steps.
Contact and an initial conversation
Write to us or give us a call. Tell us about your work — what design projects you deliver, which clients you work with and what tools you use.
A free consultation
We discuss the details of working together, establish the right PKWiU classification for your design services and calculate your savings.
Signing the contract
We sign the cooperation agreement remotely. You receive the invoicing details (NIP, REGON, bank account number) and access to the invoicing system.
You start on your projects
You issue your first invoice for a UX/UI project, a design sprint or user research. FDK takes care of the rest — taxes, accounting and tax returns.
A comparison of the ways a UX/UI designer can be taxed
An example calculation for revenue of 14 000 zł gross per month. See how much money actually stays in your pocket under each option.
| Cost item | UoP Employment contract |
Sole proprietorship Lump-sum tax 12% |
Limited company Estonian CIT |
FDK Incubator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross revenue | 14 000 zł | 14 000 zł | 14 000 zł | 14 000 zł |
| ZUS (social security contributions) | ~1 385 zł (employee) |
1 825 zł (full ZUS) |
~1 825 zł (company director) |
0 zł |
| Health insurance contribution | ~630 zł | ~1 096 zł (9% of income) |
~560 zł | 0 zł |
| Income tax | ~2 800 zł (12–32%) |
1 680 zł (lump-sum tax 12%) |
~1 400 zł (Estonian CIT) |
840 zł (6%) |
| Accounting / subscription | — | ~400 zł | ~700 zł | 400 zł |
| Total costs | ~4 815 zł | ~5 001 zł | ~4 485 zł | 1 240 zł |
| Net amount "in hand" | ~9 185 zł | ~8 999 zł | ~9 515 zł | ~12 760 zł |
| Company registration | Required (by the employer) | YES — CEIDG | YES — KRS | NO |
| Invoices for foreign clients | NO | YES | YES | YES |
| Flexibility of income | A fixed salary | Good | Good | Complete freedom |
The advantages of FDK for a UX/UI designer
UX/UI design is an industry with unusual accounting needs. Projects may be one-off (a design sprint, a UX audit) or long-term (a retainer, a design system), the clients are agencies, software houses and start-ups from all over the world, and every assignment may have its own legal specifics — from copyright to tool licences. FDK fits this way of working perfectly.
Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch — we invoice for all of it
Whether you work in Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch or Framer, FDK handles invoices for interface designs, wireframes, interactive prototypes, design systems and source files. We account for designs of responsive web interfaces, mobile applications and content management systems.
Software houses and start-ups — the ideal clients
Software houses regularly take on external designers for their clients' projects. Start-ups look for UX/UI designers at the early stages of building a product. FDK lets you work with these organisations on a B2B basis without any obstacles, and without having to set up your own company.
User research and usability testing
Do you run user interviews, analyse heatmaps, carry out A/B tests and usability testing sessions? FDK invoices user research services as separate line items — whether they accompany a UI design project or are delivered as a standalone assignment.
Foreign clients without complications
Do you have a client in Germany, the UK or the USA? We issue export invoices in foreign currencies, taking the EU VAT procedure (reverse charge) into account. We handle payments received through Wise, PayPal, Stripe and Payoneer.
Retainers and one-off projects
FDK supports both models: one-off projects (e.g. a design sprint for 10 000 zł with a single invoice) and ongoing retainers (e.g. monthly cooperation with a software house for 8 000 zł/month invoiced on a recurring basis). You can combine both models across different assignments.
Frequently asked questions — a UX/UI designer in the FDK incubator
Ready to design without the red tape?
Join the UX/UI designers who run their freelance business through the FDK incubator. No ZUS, 6% PIT, full invoicing and accounting support included in the subscription. Figma, Adobe XD, design systems — all without a sole proprietorship.
Get in touch with us
Contact details
📞 +48 575 594 500 (PL)
🎧 +48 794 731 000 (EN/UA/RU)
✉️ b2b@firmadlakazdego.pl (for Contractors)
Address
Fundacja Firma Dla Każdego
ul. Lwowska 17/4
00-660 Warszawa