Freelance Rate Calculator
What should you actually charge per hour? Enter your target, your real working time, and your costs — get a rate that covers them.
Most freelancers set their rate by copying someone else’s number, then wonder why the month feels tight. This freelance rate calculator works backwards from the income you want to take home. It adds your business expenses, adjusts for the tax you will actually pay, adds a small profit buffer for slow months and non-billable work, and divides the total by the hours you can realistically bill. The result is a sustainable hourly rate, a day rate based on your weekly hours, and a project price range you can quote without undercharging. Use it when you raise rates, switch from employment to freelancing, or quote a larger project and need a number you can defend. If you change your available hours, expenses, or tax rate, the result updates immediately, so you can test a few scenarios before you commit to a new rate. It runs entirely in your browser — nothing you enter is stored.
Your numbers
Your suggested rates
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How to use the result
- Use the hourly rate as your floor for small, hourly work — not as a discount starting point.
- Use the project range for fixed-price quotes. Price inside the range based on complexity, urgency, and revision rounds.
- If the hourly rate feels high compared with your market, do not just cut it — check weeks/hours first. Fewer billable hours always means a higher rate is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my rate higher than I expected?
Because the calculator includes expenses, tax, non-billable time, and holidays. A rate that ignores those costs looks lower but leaves you short at year-end.
Should I charge the day rate or the hourly rate?
Use hourly for short tasks and day rate for full-day bookings. The day rate here is hourly × (your weekly hours ÷ 5), so it stays consistent with your schedule.
How often should I recalculate?
Recalculate when your target income, tax situation, expenses, or available hours change — at least once a year, and whenever you raise rates.