What Is This Tool?
The Freelance Project Rate Calculator finds the minimum hourly, day and project rate you need to reach a take-home income goal after business expenses and taxes.
What Can You Do With It?
Set your first freelance rate. Quote a fixed-price project from estimated hours. Check whether your current rate meets your income goal.
How Does It Work?
Yearly revenue needed = (desired take-home + expenses) ÷ (1 − tax %). Hourly rate = revenue needed ÷ (billable hours per week × working weeks). Day rate = hourly × 8. Project rate = hourly × project hours.
Key Benefits
Accounts for unpaid time by using billable hours only. Includes taxes and expenses that new freelancers often forget. Instant results with no sign-up.
Limitations and Important Notes
Uses one flat tax rate; real tax depends on your country and brackets. The result is a minimum. Market rates for your skills may be higher.
Privacy and Security
The numbers you enter in the Freelance Project Rate Calculator (desired yearly take-home, yearly business expenses, tax rate and so on) are calculated in your browser. They are not sent to or saved on Usekit servers, and they disappear when you close the page.
Real-World Example
Inputs: Desired yearly take-home = 70,000; Yearly business expenses = 8,000; Tax rate = 25; Billable hours per week = 25; Working weeks per year = 46; Project hours = 40. Results: Minimum hourly rate = $90.43; Day rate (8 h) = $723.48; Project rate = $3,617.39; Yearly revenue needed = $104,000.00.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many billable hours should I use?
Many freelancers bill 20–30 hours a week because admin, sales and learning are unpaid.
Should I charge the exact result?
Treat it as your floor. Add a margin for slow months and experience.
Why are working weeks less than 52?
Holidays, sick days and gaps between projects reduce the weeks you can bill.
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How to use this tool
- Replace the sample values with your own numbers.
- Adjust any options; the results update as you type.
- Read your results and any notes shown below the inputs.