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Use the Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
Your hourly rate needs to cover target income, business costs, unpaid admin time, holidays and quiet weeks.
How much should I charge per hour?
Estimate a freelance hourly rate from income target, expenses, billable hours and working weeks.
Assumptions to check
- Billable hours are lower than total working hours.
- Expenses should be recovered through pricing.
- Taxes are not calculated unless you include them in the income target or expense buffer.
Quick checklist
- Set annual personal income target.
- Add business expenses.
- Estimate working weeks.
- Estimate realistic billable hours per week.
- Compare the rate with market reality and project value.
Common mistakes
- Dividing salary target by 52 x 40.
- Forgetting admin, marketing and unpaid calls.
- Charging one rate for every type of work even when value differs.
Why freelance rates need a different formula
Employees are paid for many hours that freelancers cannot bill directly. Admin, proposals, bookkeeping and gaps between projects still need to be covered. That is why billable hours matter more than total working hours.
How to use the estimate
Use the calculator to find a floor, not a perfect price. If the result is far above what clients will pay, you may need higher-value services, fewer unpaid hours or a different package structure.
What to calculate next
Use the invoice calculator to check tax, discount and subtotal math before sending work to a client.