How do I calculate my hourly rate?

Divide your desired annual income plus business expenses by your estimated annual billable hours.

What are billable hours?

Billable hours are the hours you spend working directly for paying clients.

Should I include taxes?

Yes. Freelancers should account for taxes when determining their target hourly rate.

Why is my hourly rate higher than my salary equivalent?

Freelancers must cover taxes, insurance, equipment, vacation time, and business expenses themselves.

Should I charge hourly or per project?

It depends on your services. Project pricing often rewards efficiency, while hourly pricing is useful for ongoing work.

How many billable hours should I expect?

Many freelancers average 20 to 30 billable hours per week after accounting for marketing and administration.

Should I increase my rates over time?

Yes. Regular rate reviews help account for experience, demand, and inflation.

Can I use this calculator for consulting?

Yes. Consultants, contractors, and freelancers can all use it.

What expenses should I include?

Consider software, equipment, insurance, taxes, office costs, marketing, and professional development.

Does experience affect my rate?

Yes. Specialists with proven expertise can often command significantly higher rates.

Business Tool

Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator

Input your desired annual salary, overhead expenses, and billable hours to calculate your ideal hourly rate.

Your targets

Desired annual salary ($)

Annual overhead expenses ($)

Billable hours per week

Weeks off per year

Tax rate (%)

Your ideal rate

Charge at least

$74/hr

Monthly target

$8,854

Weekly target

$2,214

Billable hours/yr

1,440

Annual tax

$21,250

How to use this calculator

1
Enter your desired income
Input the annual income you want to earn from freelancing.
2
Add your business expenses
Include software, equipment, insurance, and other costs of doing business.
3
Set your billable hours
Estimate how many hours per week you can realistically bill clients for.
4
Review your ideal hourly rate
See the minimum rate you need to charge to hit your income goal.

Frequently asked questions about Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator

How do I calculate my hourly rate?: Divide your desired annual income plus business expenses by your estimated annual billable hours.
What are billable hours?: Billable hours are the hours you spend working directly for paying clients.
Should I include taxes?: Yes. Freelancers should account for taxes when determining their target hourly rate.
Why is my hourly rate higher than my salary equivalent?: Freelancers must cover taxes, insurance, equipment, vacation time, and business expenses themselves.
Should I charge hourly or per project?: It depends on your services. Project pricing often rewards efficiency, while hourly pricing is useful for ongoing work.
How many billable hours should I expect?: Many freelancers average 20 to 30 billable hours per week after accounting for marketing and administration.
Should I increase my rates over time?: Yes. Regular rate reviews help account for experience, demand, and inflation.
Can I use this calculator for consulting?: Yes. Consultants, contractors, and freelancers can all use it.
What expenses should I include?: Consider software, equipment, insurance, taxes, office costs, marketing, and professional development.
Does experience affect my rate?: Yes. Specialists with proven expertise can often command significantly higher rates.

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Embed this calculator on your site

Copy and paste this code into your website's HTML (WordPress, Webflow, custom HTML, etc.) to display this calculator.

<!-- CalculateAway Widget -->
<div class="calculateaway-embed" data-tool="freelance-rate" style="width: 100%; max-width: 800px; margin: 0 auto;"></div>
<script src="https://calculateaway.com/api/widget" async></script>