Freelance Rate & Project Quote Calculator
Calculate your true freelance hourly rate: input desired net salary, business expenses, time off, and tax rate. Get your break-even rate, recommended rate with buffer, instant project quotes, and a downloadable rate justification summary.
How to use
- 1Enter your desired annual net salary and monthly business expenses
- 2Fill in vacation days, sick days, and non-billable hour percentage
- 3Enter your estimated tax rate
- 4Click "Calculate" to see your minimum and recommended hourly rate
- 5Use the "Project Estimator" to get instant quotes for specific projects
- 6Export a pricing summary to justify your rates to clients
Frequently Asked Questions — Freelance Rate & Project Quote Calculator
How is the minimum hourly rate calculated?+
We calculate your Total Gross Needed (desired net salary ÷ (1 - tax rate) + annual expenses), then divide by your True Billable Hours (working days minus vacation, sick days, and non-billable time). This gives your exact break-even rate.
What's the recommended rate buffer for?+
The 20% buffer covers revision rounds, scope creep, late payments, and inflation. It's the difference between surviving and thriving as a freelancer. Many senior consultants add 30-40% on top of their minimum rate.
How does the full-time salary comparison work?+
Employers typically add 25-40% on top of your salary for benefits, office space, equipment, HR, etc. So if you're freelancing at $100/hr and work ~2000 hours/year, that's $200k gross — equivalent to roughly $130-160k full-time employment package.