Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator

The yearly income you want left for yourself — the freelance equivalent of a salary, after business costs but before personal income tax.

Everything running the business costs per year: software, insurance, accounting, hardware, employer-side taxes. The rate must earn this back before you see any income yourself.

Hours per week you can actually invoice. Admin, marketing and email are unbillable — most freelancers bill only 50–60% of their working time.

Vacation, holidays and sick weeks — weeks with no billing at all. Employees get these paid; a freelancer must price them into the rate.

A safety margin added on top for dry spells, late payers and underestimated projects. 10–20% is common.