The 2026 tax reform brought clarity to the administration of bike benefits, making it more transparent than ever. In this article, we break down the costs and the practical impact of taxation—plain and simple.
Predictable Costs – No Surprises
As an employer, you will always know exactly what you are paying for the service. The cost structure at Vapaus is kept very straightforward:
Service Fee: Only €12.90 / month / bike (VAT 0%).
Everything Included: This price covers everything from portal access and management to automated reporting and expert customer support.
Light Balance Sheet: Since bikes are acquired through a leasing model, no capital is tied up in your company’s balance sheet.
Taxation in a Nutshell
The Vapaus Admin Portal reports make life easier for payroll by automatically categorizing contracts into two groups:
Contracts agreed before April 24, 2025: These remain tax-exempt until the end of the contract term (up to a maximum of 5 years). The employer continues to save on social security contributions for these agreements.
New contracts (April 24, 2025, or later): These are treated as a taxable fringe benefit as of January 1, 2026.
Cost Efficiency and Neutrality
Even though the employer pays the service fee, the bike benefit is a very cost-effective solution for the company. When an employee covers the monthly bike installment in the agreed manner (for example, as a compensation collected from the employee), the employer's final cost is typically just the service fee, while administration remains light thanks to automation.
The final impact of statutory social security contributions depends on your chosen implementation method (benefit as part of salary vs. on top of salary) and how it is reported to the incomes register. We recommend following your organization's specific payroll practices and the up-to-date guidance at vero.fi.