Freelancer Hourly Rate Calculator
Estimate a target hourly and project rate by combining the income you want, yearly business expenses, and how many hours you can bill. Add a project scope to translate the rate into a suggested quote.
How to use this tool
- Desired annual take-home payEnter the net income you want to pay yourself each year after covering business expenses.
- Estimated annual business expensesAdd recurring costs like software, insurance, rent, and equipment.
- Billable hours per weekEstimate how many hours you can actually invoice each week, not total working hours.
- Unpaid weeks off each yearAccount for holidays, vacations, or downtime when you will not bill clients.
- Profit cushion (%)Add a markup to cover admin time and unexpected scope. Increase it if you want more buffer.
- Self-employment tax & benefits reserve (%)Set aside a percentage of revenue for taxes, health insurance, and retirement savings.
- Estimated project hours (optional)If quoting a specific job, enter the total hours you expect the project to take.
- Project expenses (optional)Add pass-through costs for subcontractors, travel, or materials tied to that project.
Press Calculate rate to see your break-even hourly rate, suggested markup, and a project quote if provided. Reset clears everything.
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