The Freelance Rate Calculator
Pick the money you want to be left with at the end of the year. This works backwards through tax, costs and the days you will not be billing, and tells you what to charge.
What you want, and what it costs
2 · The days you actually bill
Everything is worked out in your browser. No figure is sent anywhere.
Working for yourself
How to set a freelance day rate
- Enter the income you want to be left with, and roughly what tax takes.
- Enter your yearly business costs.
- Say how much of the year you actually bill, then read the day rate.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the rate higher than a salary divided by 220?
Because an employee is paid for holidays, sickness and every hour of admin, and their employer pays for the desk, the software, the insurance and half the social contributions. A freelance rate has to cover all of that out of the days you actually bill.
What is a realistic billable share?
Very few people bill every working day. Somewhere between 60 and 80 percent is common once quoting, admin, marketing and learning are counted. The lower you set it, the higher the rate has to be.
Should I quote a day rate or an hourly rate?
Both are shown. A day rate suits work booked in whole days; an hourly rate suits short pieces. What matters is that either one, times the days you really bill, reaches the revenue figure.
Does it know my country's taxes?
No. You type the percentage that tax and contributions take of your profit. The income tax and salary calculators carry dated rules for six countries if you want a figure to put in.
More free tools: Invoices · Loan · Savings · Percentage · Discount · Margin · VAT · Income tax · Salary · Late payment · Debt payoff · Affordability · Break-even