Freelance Rate Calculator

Free

Work backwards from your monthly income goal to find the hourly, daily, and retainer rate you should be charging.

Monthly income target ($)

Working days per month

Billable hours per day

Tax (%)

Monthly business expenses ($)

Profit buffer (%)

Suggested hourly rate$76.19/hr

Suggested daily rate$380.94/day

Suggested monthly retainer$7618.75/mo

Minimum safe rate$64.76/hr

Premium rate$99.04/hr

Guide & FAQ

This calculator works backward from the income you actually want to take home, so the rate you charge covers your taxes, expenses, and unbillable time instead of just sounding about right.

How to use it

1
Enter your real income target
Start with the take-home pay you need each month, not a number that sounds impressive. Everything else builds on this.
2
Account for the hours you can actually bill
Set working days and billable hours per day honestly. Most freelancers bill far fewer hours than they work once admin, sales, and breaks are removed.
3
Layer in tax, expenses, and a buffer
Add your tax percentage, monthly business costs, and a profit buffer so the final rate reflects what you keep, not what you invoice.

Tips that make a difference

Bill no more than 60 to 70 percent of your working hours. Selling, admin, and revisions eat the rest.
Treat the "minimum safe rate" as a floor you walk away below, not a starting offer.
Recalculate every time your expenses or income goal change, not once a year.

Frequently asked questions

How many billable hours should I assume?

For most solo freelancers, 4 to 6 billable hours a day is realistic. The rest of the working day goes to sales, admin, email, and breaks, which your rate still has to cover.

Should I include tax in my rate?

Yes. Your rate should be calculated so that after setting aside tax, you still hit your income target. This tool grosses your number up so the take-home figure is what you keep.

Why is my calculated rate higher than what others charge?

Public rates are often quoted before tax, expenses, and unbillable time. A rate that covers all three almost always looks higher than a number someone names casually online.

Your recommended rate is $76.19/hr

Save it to a free FreelancerKit account and pull it into every future proposal and invoice automatically.

Use rates in a proposal