Freelancer rates

Price freelance work with confidence: hourly rate from income goals and billable hours, fixed project quotes with expense and buffer lines, consulting day rates from salary targets and utilization, and retainer pricing with client discounts. Built for independent contractors and agencies — estimates gross rates before taxes, platform fees, and benefits.

The number that surprises new freelancers is utilisation. A full-time year contains roughly 2,000 working hours, but very few independents bill anywhere near that once sales calls, admin, invoicing, and unpaid revisions are counted; planning around 50 to 60 percent billable time is far more realistic than assuming a full week of client work. Your rate also has to absorb costs an employer would otherwise cover — self-employment tax, health insurance, equipment, software, pension contributions, and unpaid holiday and sick days. Start from the annual income you need, divide by hours you will genuinely bill, then add those overheads before quoting. These tools estimate gross rates only; set aside tax separately as payments arrive.