Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator

About this tool

Works backward from what you actually want to earn to the hourly rate you need to charge — accounting for the fact that freelancers don't bill 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, and have their own business expenses to cover on top of take-home pay.

Everything is calculated locally in your browser — nothing you enter is sent anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

Why isn't "billable hours per week" the same as hours worked?

Freelancers spend real time on unbillable work too — admin, marketing, invoicing, finding clients — so billable hours are usually meaningfully less than total hours worked. Be realistic here rather than assuming every work hour is billable.

What should I include in "annual business expenses"?

Software subscriptions, equipment, insurance, a portion of your workspace, accounting/legal fees, self-employment taxes not otherwise accounted for — anything the business itself has to pay for that a traditional employee wouldn't.

What's the "profit/buffer margin" for?

A cushion above your bare-minimum number, covering slow months, rate negotiation room, unpaid time off, and unexpected costs — freelancers without one often end up effectively earning less than their stated target once reality doesn't match a perfectly booked calendar.