What should you charge?

Most freelancers undercharge because they divide their income goal by 40 hours × 52 weeks. RateWise includes taxes, expenses, time off and the hours you can't bill, then gives you a rate that actually pays your bills.

Your numbers

Currency Take-home income goal / year Business expenses / month (software, gear, insurance, coworking) Tax rate Weeks off / year (holiday, sick, public holidays) Working hours / week Share of hours that are billable Profit / savings buffer

Minimum hourly rate–

Day rate (8h)–

Week rate–

Revenue needed / yr–

Billable hours / yr–

Monthly retainer (20h)–

Naive rate (÷2080h)–

Quick project quote

Estimated hours Scope-creep buffer

Quote this project at–

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FAQ

How do I calculate my freelance hourly rate?

Add your income goal, taxes, business expenses and a profit buffer to get the revenue you need. Then divide by the hours you can actually bill: working weeks × weekly hours × billable share. Most freelancers bill only 50–70% of the hours they work.

What's a good billable percentage?

Sales, admin, invoicing, learning and emails take up a lot of time. 60–70% is realistic for established freelancers. 40–50% is common in your first year.

Should I charge hourly or per project?

Use your hourly rate as the floor, then quote per project with a scope buffer. Fixed prices reward you for getting faster, and clients like knowing the cost up front.