Freelancer Rate Calculator
Stop guessing. Calculate your minimum viable rate based on real numbers, then add a margin for profit.
1. Income Target
2. Annual Business Expenses
3. Available Hours
Your Rates
Breakdown
How this is calculated
Most freelancers undercharge because they calculate rates from their old salary divided by 2,080 hours. That ignores the costs of self-employment and the reality that not every hour is billable.
This calculator uses a bottom-up approach:
rate = (income + expenses) / billable_hours * (1 + margin).
It accounts for taxes, insurance, tools, non-billable time (sales,
admin, learning), and adds a profit margin so you're not just
breaking even.
The default 65% billable ratio assumes roughly 26 hours of actual client work per 40-hour week. The rest goes to finding clients, invoicing, emails, skill development, and the occasional stare out the window. Adjust this based on your reality.
Day and weekly rates are straight multiples of the hourly rate. For project pricing, estimate hours honestly, multiply by your hourly rate, then add 15-25% for scope creep. You will thank yourself later.
