Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator

Most freelancers undercharge because they price off a salary, not reality. Enter your income target, costs and how many hours you can actually bill — this gives you the hourly rate you genuinely need.

Need more than the free basics? Once you've set your rate, the boring part is the business behind it — formation, banking and bookkeeping. A service like doola sets up and runs that side so you can bill.

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Why your rate should be higher than you think

A salaried employee bills ~40 hours but a freelancer rarely does — admin, sales, holidays and gaps eat in. If you can bill 25 hours a week for 46 weeks, that's your real capacity, not 2,080 hours. Add your business costs (software, taxes, insurance) on top of the income you want to keep. Divide by real billable hours, and the honest rate appears — usually well above a salary-equivalent.

Frequently asked questions

How do I set my freelance rate?

Take the income you want plus your business costs, then divide by the hours you can realistically bill (not 40/week). This calculator does that maths for you.

Why can't I just use my old salary?

A salary assumes paid holidays, benefits and 40 billable hours. As a freelancer you cover all of that yourself and bill far fewer hours, so your rate must be higher.

What counts as a business cost?

Software, taxes, insurance, equipment, accounting and any tools you pay for. A service like doola can handle formation, banking and bookkeeping.

This tool is free and runs entirely in your browser. The link above is an affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you, and it never changes our honest take.