Freelance Rate Calculator
The hourly and day rate you need from income, costs, time off and billable share.
About this tool
Enter the take-home income you want, your yearly business costs, a tax and contributions percentage, weeks of holiday and sick time, hours per week, the share that is billable, and a buffer. The tool returns the hourly and day rate you need, the billable hours you actually have, and the yearly and monthly revenue target.
Why the rate is higher than you think
New freelancers under-price by taking their old salary and dividing by 2,080 hours. The arithmetic here shows why that fails: after four weeks' holiday and two weeks' sick you have 46 weeks; of a 40-hour week only 50โ65% is billable once you count prospecting, proposals, admin and invoicing; you now pay both sides of social contributions and all your own costs; and you need a buffer for the quiet quarter. Divide a grossed-up income by the hours that remain and the rate lands at two to three times the employed hourly figure โ which is what experienced freelancers charge, and why clients who blink at it are comparing with the wrong number. The tool gives you the floor; the market and your positioning set the ceiling. General information, not tax or financial advice โ tax rates and deductible costs are specific to where you are. Price the work with the quotation generator, bill it with the invoice generator, track hours with the time tracker, and compare with employment through the salary converter.
Frequently asked questions
What billable percentage should I assume?
60% is a fair starting point for an established freelancer; 40โ50% while building a client base. Track it with the time tracker for a month and use the real figure.
Should I charge hourly or daily?
Day rates suit project work and signal seniority; hourly suits small tasks. The tool gives both from the same inputs โ the day rate is hourly ร your billable hours per day.
What tax percentage do I enter?
Your combined income tax and self-employment contributions rate on the marginal income, which depends on your country and bracket. An accountant's estimate beats a guess.
Is this the rate I should quote?
It is the minimum that meets your goals. Quote at or above it; if the market will not pay it, the inputs (costs, hours, income) are what to revisit.