Freelance Rate Calculator

Because a rate that sounds fine in your head rarely survives expenses and tax. Starting from the money you actually need to live, then adding back the costs of running a business, gives you a floor you can defend — not a number you picked because it felt round.

It depends on where you are and how much you earn, but most self-employed people set aside somewhere between 25% and 35% to cover income tax plus self-employment / social contributions. Use the higher end if you are unsure — it is far easier to refund yourself a surplus than to find a shortfall at filing time.

Far fewer than the hours you work. Sales calls, proposals, invoicing, email, and finding the next client are all unpaid. A sustainable target for most solo freelancers is 20–30 billable hours a week. If you plug in 40, the calculator will warn you — and your real rate is almost certainly higher than it shows.

It is the difference between surviving and building something. A buffer covers the quiet months, the client who pays late, the laptop that dies, and the holiday you should actually take. Even 10–20% on top turns a break-even rate into one that lets you save.