Freelance rate calculator
Freelance Rate Calculator: the rate you need to charge
Enter the income you want, your costs, your tax rate and your time off. The Freelance Rate Calculator shows the hourly, day and monthly retainer rates you need, and where every dollar goes.
Freelance Rate Calculator
How Freelance Rate Calculator works
Four steps from the income you want to the rate you quote.
Start from your take-home goal
The yearly income you want to keep after tax and business costs.
Gross it up for tax
Freelance Rate Calculator divides your goal by what is left after tax, then adds your business costs.
Count your real working time
Weeks off come out of the year, then billable hours a week give your hours you can invoice.
Divide to get your rates
Revenue needed divided by billable hours gives hourly, times eight gives a day rate, divided by twelve gives a monthly retainer.
Questions
Why are billable hours lower than my working hours?
Admin, sales, invoicing and learning do not get billed. Billable hours are usually fewer than hours worked. Use the hours you can realistically invoice.
How is the tax rate used?
Freelance Rate Calculator treats it as the share of your earnings after costs that goes to tax, then works out the earnings needed to leave your take-home goal. Use a blended rate that includes income tax and self-employment contributions.
What counts as business costs?
Software, equipment, insurance, accounting, workspace, marketing and anything else you pay to run the business each year. Enter the yearly total.
How is the day rate worked out?
The day rate is the hourly rate times eight hours. If you rarely bill a full day, quote by the hour or use the monthly retainer instead.
Is my data saved?
No. The numbers you type stay in the calculator on your screen and are not stored.
Know your number before you quote, then stick to it.
Run the calculator again whenever your costs, time off or goals change.
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