Stop guessing your freelance rate. Enter your numbers below and get the exact hourly, daily, and project rate you need.
Most freelancers set their rates by guessing or copying what others charge. The problem is that your rate needs to account for much more than just your desired income. Self-employment taxes typically run 25-35% of your earnings. Business expenses like software, equipment, and marketing add up. And the hours you spend on admin, marketing, and client acquisition are hours you cannot bill for.
This calculator uses the standard freelance pricing formula: (Desired Income + Expenses + Taxes + Profit Buffer) divided by your actual billable hours per year. Most freelancers can only bill about 60-70% of their working hours — the rest goes to running the business. By factoring all of this in, you get the minimum rate you need to charge to actually hit your income goals.
The calculator gives you three numbers: your hourly rate for time-based work, your day rate for project-based billing, and your weekly rate for retainer clients. Use these as your floor — not your ceiling. If most prospects say yes immediately, your rates are probably too low.