Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
Enter your income goal, expenses, and available hours. Get the minimum rate you need to charge to actually hit your number.
What you want to actually keep after taxes and expenses.
Software, equipment, accounting, self-employment tax (~15%), etc.
Hours you can actually bill clients. Most freelancers bill 20–30 hrs/week.
Vacation, holidays, sick days. 4 weeks is a common baseline.
Your minimum hourly rate
How it works
- 1. Enter your target income, business expenses, and how many hours a week you can actually bill.
- 2. Set your weeks off — unpaid time reduces your annual billable hours and raises your required rate.
- 3. Toggle benefits if you're replacing a salaried job with health insurance and retirement contributions.
Common questions
- How do I calculate my freelance hourly rate?
- Add your desired income, business expenses, and benefits costs. Divide by total billable hours per year. That's your floor — charge below it and you'll fall short.
- What counts as a business expense?
- Software, equipment, home office, professional development, accounting fees, and self-employment taxes (roughly 15.3% of net income). Most freelancers underestimate this number.
- What's a realistic billable hours estimate?
- Most full-time freelancers bill 20–30 hours per week. Admin, sales, and non-billable work take the rest. Starting out? Use 15–20 to be safe.
- Should I add benefits to my rate?
- Yes, if you're replacing a job with employer benefits. Health insurance and retirement contributions add 20–30% on top of base salary. The toggle above adds 25% as a starting estimate.