What should you charge as a freelancer?
Start from the income you want to take home. We add taxes, expenses, holidays and unpaid admin time, then tell you the hourly, daily and project rate that gets you there.
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| Billable share | Hourly |
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Quote a fixed project: add a 15% buffer for scope creep. For a 40-hour project that is –.
Calculators for your profession
Choose your trade and country to start from numbers and tax notes that fit.
Guides
Practical walk-throughs on pricing, quoting, invoicing and getting paid.
How to Calculate Your Freelance Hourly Rate, Step by Step
A five-step method to turn the income you want into an hourly and day rate, including tax, costs, time off and unpaid admin hours.
Read the guideHow to Quote a Fixed-Price Project Without Losing Money
Estimate hours by task, add a buffer, apply your hourly rate and protect the price with scope and change rules. Includes a worked example.
Read the guideHow Much Should a Freelancer Set Aside for Tax?
A simple system to reserve tax money from every invoice, with a worked example and what to check with your tax authority.
Read the guideFreelance Payment Terms: Deposits, Due Dates and Late Payments
How to set deposits, invoice due dates and a late-payment process so you get paid on time, with wording ideas for your proposals.
Read the guideWhat a Freelance Contract Should Include
A plain-English checklist of the clauses most freelance contracts need: scope, payment, revisions, ownership, cancellation and liability.
Read the guideHow to Write a Freelance Invoice That Gets Paid
What to put on a freelance invoice, how to number it and how to avoid the mistakes that delay payment.
Read the guideFreelance Insurance Explained: What Cover to Consider
A plain guide to the types of insurance freelancers commonly consider, such as professional liability, public liability and equipment cover.
Read the guideGetting Paid by International Clients: Fees, Exchange Rates and Tax
How freelancers can compare ways to receive foreign payments, avoid hidden exchange-rate margins and keep invoices clean.
Read the guideHow the rate is calculated
Revenue needed = take-home income ÷ (1 − tax rate) + business costs. Billable hours = weekly hours × weeks worked × billable share. Hourly rate = revenue needed ÷ billable hours.
Why not just divide a salary by 2,080 hours?
An employee is paid for holidays, admin and downtime. A freelancer is not. Those hours still need to be covered by the hours you do bill.
Is the tax rate accurate?
No. It is a single flat estimate, because rules differ by country and income. Check with an accountant before you set prices.