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Business
Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
Calculate your ideal freelance hourly rate based on your desired annual income, expenses, billable hours, and profit margin. Know your worth.
52 weeks − vacation − holidays − admin time
Non-billable admin, sales, etc. already excluded
Frequently asked
questions
As a freelancer you pay your own taxes (including both halves of self-employment tax), health insurance, retirement contributions, equipment, software, and other business costs. You also have non-billable time spent on admin, marketing, and business development — so your billable hours are fewer than a full working year.
Most freelancers find that 50–70% of their working time is billable. The rest goes to admin, sales, invoicing, professional development, and business tasks. This calculator uses billable weeks per year to capture this.
Yes — a 20–30% profit margin gives you a buffer for slow periods, unexpected expenses, and business growth. Profit is not the same as salary; it funds your business's future.