Freelance Rate Calculator
Work back from the income you need, benefits, expenses and billable hours to a minimum hourly rate.
Free · No sign-up · Your inputs stay in your browser
Your numbers
Work back from the life you need
Your projection
Charge at least $110 an hour
Revenue needed a year
$126,833
Day rate (8 hours)
$882
Monthly revenue
$10,569
Billable hours are the scarce input. Admin, sales and unpaid gaps between clients mean 25 billable hours can be a full week's work.
About this tool
Method, assumptions, practical next steps, and limits.
Price from the life you need
Freelancers often set rates by converting an old salary to an hourly figure, which leaves out benefits, expenses and unbilled time. Working backward includes all three.
How the calculation works
Revenue needed = (take-home income + benefits) ÷ (1 − tax rate) + expenses
Hourly rate = revenue ÷ (billable hours per week × working weeks)
Needing $75,000 of take-home income plus $12,000 of benefits at a 28% all-in tax rate requires $120,833 before tax. Add $6,000 of expenses and revenue must be $126,833. At 25 billable hours for 46 weeks, that is $110 an hour or $882 a day.
Use it as a floor
This is the least you can charge to meet the target. Market rates, your experience and the value to the client decide what you can charge above it.
