Freelance Rate Calculator
Estimate a sustainable freelance hourly and day rate from income goals and billable capacity.
Enter your values
Use the fields below, then select Calculate. Your result appears immediately on this page.
How to use the Freelance Rate Calculator
Estimate a sustainable billable rate from desired annual income, business expenses, an optional adjustment, working weeks, weekly hours and the percentage of time that is actually billable.
Formula / calculation logic
Required revenue = (Desired income + Expenses) × (1 + Adjustment %). Billable hours = Weeks × Hours/week × Billable %. Hourly rate = Revenue ÷ Billable hours.
Worked example
With 60,000 desired income, 6,000 expenses, a 15% adjustment and 60% billable time across 48 × 40 working hours, the required hourly rate is a little above 65.
Important notes
Taxes and business costs vary. The adjustment field is only an estimate; use professional/local guidance for tax obligations.
Frequently asked questions
Why use billable percentage?
Freelancers often spend part of their work time on admin, sales and unpaid tasks.
Is this a tax recommendation?
No. Tax treatment varies by jurisdiction and business structure.