More and more Spanish influencers are taking up residence in Andorra, attracted by lower tax rates than in Spain. The small Pyrenean principality, with a maximum rate of 10% in personal income tax, has become a tax shelter for YouTubers, streamers and content creators who seek to keep a large part of their income instead of allocating it to paying taxes in our country. Some have also begun to invest in physical businesses, from gyms to cafes, to expand their brand beyond the networks.
Among them, Abril Cols and Andrea Garte stand out, who have told their followers what their jump into the business world has been like. In a video published on their networks, the two creators recount the obstacles they have faced to build their project: a space that combines a cafeteria and a Pilates center in the heart of Andorra. “We thought that with 100,000 euros we had it, but mistake, the host has been epic,” they acknowledge.
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At the beginning of the video, the influencers admit several mistakes that, according to what they say, skyrocketed the cost of their business, such as rushing with the opening and choosing a completely raw location: “It all started with enthusiasm and haste. Error number one. Error number two, taking a bare location,” they confess with a laugh, “in construction and decoration alone we went three times as far as expected.”
And they begin to break down the numbers: 40,000 euros in interior design, 15,000 in the kitchen, 8,000 in a payment machine, 4,000 in the bathroom, 6,000 in painting, 70,000 in electricity, 30,000 in materials, 70,000 in pallets, 8,000 for the engineer, 4,000 for the architect and 25,000 in “lost rent without being able to open” and 6,000 on the ground. “Opening a business is not easy, it is expensive, it is hard and every detail costs crazy,” he summarizes, insisting that despite everything it has been “brutally rewarding.” The final budget exceeds 300,000 euros.
The other side of influencers’ ‘hard work’
Behind the discourse of sacrifice, the figures show a very different reality. Investing more than 300,000 euros in a commercial establishment is within the reach of very few young Spaniards, even those who work marathon days of “18 hours a day” as they claim to have. The video, which has gone viral, has once again put on the table the extent to which influencers can talk about effort when they start from a privileged position.
Abril Cols and Andrea Garte are part of a new generation of digital creators who have taken their online success to physical businesses in Andorra, where taxes are lower. A profitable, but also controversial, model that mixes media exposure, personal branding and a level of investment within the reach of few.
Furthermore, it is convenient to place this case in a regulatory context that is changing. The Influencers Law approved by the Government of Spain In April 2024, it defines “users of special relevance”, that is, influencers with great reach or income, and imposes obligations on them such as clearly identifying sponsored content, properly labeling posts and complying with advertising regulations aimed at minors.
For creators who reside in Spain and manage businesses with impact, this regulation introduces a new framework of transparency and control that could change the dynamics of “influencer entrepreneurship” as we see them today. Many creators They see these rules as excessive control and choose to go to Andorra, where taxes and regulation are more lax.
Networks divided between criticism and admiration
On networks, the debate broke out largely over money. Many users criticized the fact that they invested so much in a rented premises and doubted that the project would be profitable. Others pointed out exaggerated expenses and directly accused them of having been deceived. There were also those who questioned his story of “we work 18 hours a day” and recalled that in Andorra they can invest thanks to what they save in taxes. Some professionals in the sector assured that prices are inflated and that there are much cheaper options.
Even so, not everything was criticism. Many followers praise their transparency, celebrate the design of the establishment and wish them luck. There are those who see the project as an inspiration and those who believe that it will work due to the strength of their community. In short, opinions are divided: some see excessive spending, and others, a brave bet that can become another brand success.