Freelance Rate Calculator

Calculate hourly and project rates for freelancing.

How to Do It Manually

Freelance rates are calculated based on desired annual income, billable hours, and overhead. Use: annual income goal ÷ billable hours per year.

Hourly Rate = desired annual income / (billable hours per year) = desired income / (weeks/year × billable hours/week)
  1. Determine desired annual income.
  2. Estimate billable hours per week (usually 20–30 of 40 available).
  3. Multiply by weeks worked per year (50 weeks = 2 weeks vacation).
  4. Divide annual income by total billable hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I charge?

Research your industry. Junior freelancers: $25–50/hr, Mid-level: $50–100/hr, Experts: $100–300+/hr.

Should I charge per hour or per project?

Hourly is simpler and fairer for variable scope. Project-based is better for fixed, well-defined work.