Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
Determine your minimum viable hourly rate based on your desired salary, business expenses, billable hours, and time off. Never underprice yourself again.
Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
Turn your desired salary into a realistic hourly billing rate
Required Hourly Rate
$65.97
$95,000 ÷ 1440 billable hours
How to Use This Rate
- This is your minimum viable rate — the floor, not the ceiling
- Add 15–30% to cover taxes, healthcare, and retirement (since freelancers pay self-employment tax)
- Consider raising your rate for specialized skills, urgent timelines, or premium clients
- Many freelancers find that only 50–70% of their work hours are actually billable
- Formula: Rate = (Salary + Expenses) ÷ ((52 − Vacation) × Hours/Week)
Most freelancers should charge 1.5–2× their calculated rate to account for taxes, benefits, and unbillable time. Use this as your starting point, then adjust up based on your experience and market demand.
Pricing Yourself as a Freelancer
One of the biggest challenges freelancers face is setting rates that cover their costs, desired income, and still remain competitive. This calculator uses a bottom-up approach to find your minimum viable rate.
Salary Target
Your desired take-home
What you want to earn annually
Expenses
Software, insurance, tools
Annual business operating costs
Billable Time
(52 − vacation) × hours/week
Actual hours you can invoice
Free Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator — convert your desired annual salary into a realistic billing rate. Account for business expenses, billable hours per week, and vacation time. Perfect for freelancers, independent contractors, consultants, and gig workers setting their rates for the first time.