Many freelancers struggle with pricing. This calculator takes the guesswork out of your rates by reverse-engineering your desired annual income, accounting for business expenses, self-employment taxes, and non-billable time like vacations and admin work.
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Freelance Rate Calculator
Determine how much you should charge per hour or day to reach your desired annual income after taxes and expenses.
Income Goals
Work Schedule
Formula
* Tip: Your "Billable Hours" shouldn't be 40. Include time for admin, marketing, and the "Freelance Tax" of self-employment.
Your Minimum Rates
Recommended Hourly Rate
$115.56
Day Rate (8h)
$924
Monthly Target
$11,556
Annual Gross Required$138,667
Total Billable Hours/Year1200 hrs
Rate Insight
To reach your goal, you need to bill 1200 hours per year. This assumes you work 48 weeks with 4 weeks off for vacation and sick leave.
Freelancer Tip
Don't forget about taxes (self-employment tax), overhead costs (software, equipment), and the fact that you likely won't be billable for 40 hours a week. A common rule of thumb is to take your desired annual salary, divide by 2080 (work hours in a year), and then multiply by 2-3x to get your hourly rate. However, a more detailed calculation like this one is safer.
Price Your Services with Confidence
Calculate the hourly or daily rate you need to charge to meet your financial goals as a freelancer. Pro business tools by FusioFiles.
1
Income Goal
Specify your desired annual take-home pay (net income).
2
Business Costs
List your monthly expenses for software, hardware, insurance, and marketing.
3
Time Allocation
Enter your planned vacation weeks and average billable hours per week.
Key Features
Net Income Goal
Start with the amount you actually want to take home after everything else is paid.
Tax & Expense Planning
Automatically factor in your estimated tax bracket and recurring business costs.
Realistic Billable Hours
Calculate rates based on actual client-facing hours, not just a 40-hour work week.
Frequently Asked Questions
As a freelancer, your rate must cover costs that employers usually pay, such as taxes, health insurance, equipment, and unbillable admin time.
Most full-time freelancers find that 20-30 hours per week is a realistic limit for billable client work.
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