# Free freelance rate calculator

> Free freelance rate calculator. Enter the income you want, your business costs, tax and billable hours to find the hourly and day rate that covers them.

Free tool by Reuily · Updated 2026-10-15

Canonical: https://reuily.com/tools/freelance-rate-calculator

Find the hourly and day rate that pays your income, your costs and your tax.

The interactive tool is at https://reuily.com/tools/freelance-rate-calculator. To do it yourself:

1. Profit before tax = the income you want ÷ (1 − your tax rate).
2. Revenue needed = profit before tax + yearly business costs.
3. Hourly rate = revenue needed ÷ (billable hours per week × working weeks per year).

## How to use the freelance rate calculator

1. **Enter the income you want to take home** in a year, after tax.
2. **Add your yearly business costs.** Software, equipment, insurance, accounting and anything else the business pays for.
3. **Enter your tax rate** as a percentage of profit.
4. **Enter your billable hours and working weeks.** Count only time you can charge a client for.

## How to work out your freelance rate

Start from the income you want and work backwards:

> Hourly rate = (income ÷ (1 − tax rate) + business costs) ÷ billable hours a year

For example, to take home $70,000 with a 25% tax rate, you need $93,333 of profit before tax. Add $6,000 of costs and your target is **$99,333 a year**. At 25 billable hours a week for 46 weeks, that is 1,150 hours, so your rate is about **$86.38 an hour**, or about $432 a day.

## Why billable hours matter most

Most freelancers can't bill every hour they work. Finding clients, writing proposals, invoicing and admin all take time. Many end up billing 20 to 30 hours in a 40 hour week. If you divide by 40 hours, your rate comes out too low and the year ends short.

## Turning an hourly rate into a project price

- **Estimate the hours, then add a buffer.** Projects grow, and a 15% to 20% buffer covers the extra rounds of changes.
- **Agree the scope in writing.** A clear brief stops a fixed price from turning into unpaid work.
- **Ask the right questions before you quote.** Budget, deadline and what is included tell you whether the project fits.

## Frequently asked questions

### How many billable hours should I plan for?

Many freelancers bill 20 to 30 hours a week. Track your time for a month to find your own number, then use it here.

### How many working weeks are there in a year?

There are 52 weeks, but holidays, public holidays and sick days usually leave 44 to 48. Using 52 makes your rate too low.

### Should I charge by the hour or by the project?

Your hourly rate is the floor either way. Many freelancers quote by the project and use the hourly rate to check the price covers the time it takes.

### Does this include tax?

Yes. Enter the income you want after tax and your tax rate, and the calculator works out the revenue you need before tax.

### Is my data saved?

No. The calculator runs in your browser, and the numbers you enter are not sent anywhere or saved.

## Templates that go with it

- [Quote Request Form](https://reuily.com/templates/quote-request-form): Collects the service, budget, deadline and details you need to price a job.
- [Client Intake Form](https://reuily.com/templates/client-intake-form): Goals, stakeholders and deadlines from a new client before kickoff.
- [Project Intake Form](https://reuily.com/templates/project-intake-form): Turns a request into a brief with goals, urgency and success criteria.
- [Web Design Questionnaire](https://reuily.com/templates/web-design-questionnaire): Pages, examples, budget and deadline before you write the proposal.