Freelance Rate Calculator
Calculate your freelance hourly rate backwards from a target income: working days, chargeable hours and overhead — says the real number.
About this tool
Work backwards from the income you want: target salary, billable days, billable hours per day and overhead — this calculator returns the hourly rate that actually gets you there.
Most new freelancers copy an employee’s hourly math and end up underpaid: the real number accounts for unpaid admin time and self-employment costs. Land on the rate once, and every quote becomes easy.
FAQ
Why is my freelance rate higher than a salary?
Freelancers pay their own taxes, insurance, software and slow weeks. The overhead factor (often 25-40%) covers it.
How many hours are billable?
Realistically 4-6 of 8 working hours; the rest is admin, proposals and meetings. 200 billable days is a typical upper bound.
How do I price a project?
Estimate hours x your rate, but fixed-price or value-based pricing usually outperforms hourly as you gain track record.