What should you charge
as a freelancer?

Enter your income goal, expenses, and working hours to find out exactly what hourly rate you need to charge to hit your target.

Desired annual income

What you want to take home after expenses

Annual business expenses

Software, equipment, subscriptions, etc.

Billable hours per week

Hours you can actually bill clients (not total hours worked)

Weeks off per year

Vacation, holidays, and sick days

Include self-employment tax buffer

Adds ~15% to cover US self-employment taxes

Fill in your details above to calculate your rate

Freelance rate tips

💡This is your minimum rate — always start higher to leave room for negotiation.

📈Raise your rate by 10–15% every year. As your skills and reputation grow, so should your income.

🧾Track billable hours carefully. Most freelancers overestimate how many hours they can actually bill.

🏖️Always account for unpaid time: admin, marketing, and time between clients — typically 30–40% of your total hours.

💰Set aside 25–30% of every payment for taxes if you're in the US. The self-employment tax alone is ~15%.