Freelancer Rate Calculator
Stop guessing your rate. Enter your income goal, expenses, tax rate, and how much you can realistically work — and get the hourly rate that actually covers everything, including holidays.
Your Results
Hourly rate to charge
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Daily rate (8-hour day)
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Weekly target
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Monthly target (gross)
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Total billable hours
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How to use this calculator
- Enter the income you want to take home, per year or per month.
- Be honest about billable hours — admin and marketing time is not billable.
- Add your weeks off and yearly business expenses.
- Enter your expected tax rate so the result covers tax too.
- Click Calculate and use the hourly rate as your minimum, not your target.
Rule of thumb: If the result shocks you, it is probably right. Employees forget that their employer pays taxes, equipment, and paid holidays. Freelancers have to price all of that in.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my freelance hourly rate?
Add your target income and annual business expenses, gross the total up for taxes, then divide by the number of hours you can actually bill in a year (weekly billable hours times billable weeks).
Why is my freelance rate higher than my old salary's hourly rate?
Because freelancers pay their own taxes, expenses, and unpaid time off, and not every work hour is billable. A freelance rate of 1.5x to 2x your old hourly pay is normal.
What counts as billable hours?
Only the hours clients pay for. Admin, marketing, learning, and chasing invoices are real work but usually not billable, which is why most freelancers bill 20–30 hours a week, not 40.