Freelance Rate Calculator
Most freelancers undercharge because they forget taxes, expenses, and unpaid time. This calculator shows your true minimum rate and what you should actually charge.
Your Goals
Your Time
Taxes & Profit
Your Rates
Where Your Money Goes
Rate Comparison
Entry Level
New freelancers
$50-75/hrMid-Level
2-5 years experience
$100-150/hrSenior
5+ years, specialized
$150-250/hrExpert
Top of field
$250-500+/hrHow This Works
The freelancer math problem: If you want $100K take-home, you can't just charge $100K. You need to cover taxes (~30%), business expenses, and build a profit buffer for slow months and growth.
Billable hours reality: You won't bill 40 hours a week. Between admin, marketing, sales calls, and context switching, 25-30 billable hours is realistic. Some weeks you'll have no billable work at all.
The profit margin: This isn't greed—it's survival. You need buffer for equipment failures, slow seasons, rate increases, and eventually hiring help. 20% is conservative.