Freelance Rate Calculator
Estimate a sustainable freelance hourly rate, day rate, revenue target, and project quote from your own assumptions.
Estimate a sustainable minimum rate from the income you want to keep, business costs, non-billable time, and a user-entered tax reserve. No values leave your browser.
| Planning value | Result |
|---|---|
| Annual revenue target | $134,933 |
| Annual billable hours | 1,150 |
| Rate formula | Revenue target divided by billable hours |
How to use Freelance Rate Calculator
Best for
- Turning an annual take-home goal into a sustainable freelance hourly rate.
- Accounting for business expenses, non-billable weeks, and a user-entered tax reserve.
- Converting a rate into a day rate and a project quote with contingency.
Steps
- Enter the annual income you want to keep, annual business expenses, and your tax reserve.
- Set realistic billable weeks and billable hours instead of dividing by every working hour.
- Review the hourly and day rates, then add project hours and contingency for a quote estimate.
Notes
- The calculator does not look up tax rates, market rates, or local legal requirements.
- Use the result as a sustainable floor, then consider scope, demand, experience, payment risk, and client value before quoting.
- All inputs and calculations stay in your browser.
FAQ
How do I calculate a freelance hourly rate?
Add your take-home goal and annual expenses, gross the amount up for your tax reserve, add a safety buffer, then divide by realistic annual billable hours.
Why use billable hours instead of total working hours?
Freelancers also spend time on sales, admin, bookkeeping, learning, and time off. Using only realistic billable hours helps avoid setting a rate that cannot support the annual target.
Is the calculated rate what I should charge every client?
Not necessarily. Treat it as a planning floor. Project risk, urgency, scope, demand, experience, and client value can justify a different quote.
Does the calculator know my tax rate?
No. You enter a reserve percentage. The tool does not provide tax advice or maintain jurisdiction-specific tax tables.