What should you charge
as a freelancer?
Most freelancers set their rate by dividing a target salary by 2,080 hours. That ignores taxes, insurance, unpaid time off, and non-billable work. This calculator shows your real number.
Your Profession
Your Target Income
Your Time
Rest is admin, sales, marketing
You should charge at least
$102/hr
to take home $80,000/year after taxes, insurance, and expenses
The naive calculation says $39/hr — here's why that's wrong
Dividing $80,000 by 2,080 hours (40hr/week x 52 weeks) ignores: self-employment tax (15.3%), health insurance ($6,000/yr), retirement ($6,000/yr), vacation (3 weeks unpaid), sick days (5 unpaid), holidays (10 unpaid), and non-billable time (30% of your hours). That's a $63/hr difference — 164% more than the naive number.
Hourly
$102
Daily (8hr)
$811
Weekly
$4,055
Monthly
$10,879
Full Breakdown
Convert to Project Pricing
Suggested Project Quote
Suggested Payment Milestones
Deposit (30%)
$1,520
Due at project start
Midpoint (40%)
$2,027
Due at halfway mark
Final (30%)
$1,520
Due at delivery
Why the naive hourly math is wrong
Employees get benefits that freelancers have to pay for themselves. When you go freelance, you lose:
- Employer-paid FICA (7.65%) — you now pay both halves: 15.3% self-employment tax
- Health insurance — employer plans average $7,900/year for individuals; you pay 100%
- Paid time off — vacation, sick days, and holidays are now unpaid
- Retirement match— no more 401(k) match, and you're responsible for your own contributions
- Non-billable time — invoicing, marketing, sales, admin, and learning typically consume 20-40% of your hours
How to use this calculator
Target take-home income — the annual amount you want to deposit into your personal bank account after all business costs and taxes. Think of this as your equivalent W-2 salary.
Billable time percentage — the most impactful and most underestimated variable. New freelancers often bill only 50-60% of their time. Established freelancers with steady clients might reach 75-80%. If you're spending significant time on sales and marketing, lower this number.
The result is your minimum rate — you should charge at or above this number. Charging below it means you're effectively earning less than your target income.
Explore rates by role
Pick a card. Each one has benchmarks for the role, plus a specialized calculator where the math gets specific.
Hourly to Salary
Convert freelance rates to salary equivalents accounting for taxes, benefits, and PTO.
See ratesWeb Developer
Rates by experience level, tech stack, and project type. From junior to senior.
See ratesGraphic Designer
Pricing for brand, UI/UX, illustration, and print. Per-project benchmarks.
See ratesCopywriter
Per-word, per-project, and hourly rates for blog posts, landing pages, and sales copy.
See ratesProject Pricing
Convert hourly rates to project quotes with buffers, margins, and milestone payments.
See ratesVirtual Assistant
Hourly, retainer, and package pricing for general admin, executive, and specialized VAs.
See ratesSocial Media
Monthly retainer and hourly pricing for content, strategy, and paid ads.
See ratesVideo Editor
Per-finished-minute, per-project, and hourly rates for YouTube, shorts, podcasts, and ads.
See ratesSEO Consultant
Audit, project, and retainer pricing for technical, content, links, and local SEO.
See ratesPhotographer
Hourly, day rate, and per-shoot pricing for wedding, portrait, commercial, and event work.
See ratesBook Editor
Per-word and per-hour rates for developmental, line, copy editing, and proofreading.
See ratesIllustrator
Editorial, book, commercial, and advertising illustration pricing with licensing tiers.
See ratesTranslator
Per-word and per-hour rates by language pair, subject specialty, and certification.
See ratesVoice-Over Artist
Per-finished-minute, per-spot, and PFH rates with usage rights and buyout tiers.
See ratesUX Designer
Hourly and per-project rates for audits, app design, design systems, and accessibility work.
See ratesBookkeeper
Hourly, monthly per-client, and per-transaction pricing with certification premiums.
See ratesProofreader
Per-word and per-hour rates with the ladder against copyediting and line editing.
See ratesGrant Writer
Hourly, flat-fee per proposal, and retainer pricing — plus why commission-on-award is off the table.
See ratesTranscriptionist
Per-audio-minute rates by specialty, verbatim and multi-speaker surcharges, rush fees.
See ratesGuides & pricing articles
Deeper reads on how rates work, what separates tiers, and how to move yours up.
Rates by Experience Level
Junior, mid-career, and senior rate ranges across every major role — and what separates the tiers.
How to Raise Your Rates
When to raise, how much, what to say. Scripts for new and existing clients plus a 90-day plan.
Writing Rates Per Word
Per-word pricing tables by niche, experience, and content length — with sample quotes.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a freelancer charge per hour?
Your rate depends on your target income, expenses, taxes, and billable hours. Most freelancers need to charge 40-60% more than an equivalent hourly wage to cover self-employment tax, benefits, and non-billable time.
What is a good freelance rate for a developer?
Freelance web developers typically charge $75-$200/hour depending on experience and specialization. Junior developers may start at $50-$75, while specialized developers (AI/ML, blockchain) can charge $200+.
Should I charge hourly or project-based?
Hourly works well for ongoing or undefined work. Project-based pricing works better for well-scoped deliverables and lets you earn more as you get faster. Many freelancers use a mix of both.
How do I raise my freelance rates?
Raise rates for new clients first. For existing clients, give 30-60 days notice and frame it as a market adjustment. Aim to raise rates 10-20% annually. The best time is when you're fully booked.
What expenses should freelancers track?
Track home office costs, equipment, software subscriptions, internet, phone, mileage, professional development, health insurance, and retirement contributions. These reduce your taxable income.