Freelance Rate Calculator

How to Calculate Your Freelance Rate

Determining your freelance rate can be tricky. It's not just about what you were paid as an employee. As a freelancer, you have overhead costs (health insurance, software subscriptions, office space) and unpaid admin time (invoicing, marketing).

Why charge more than your salary?

• Taxes: You pay self-employment tax (social security/medicare) on top of income tax.
• Unpaid Time: You don't get paid for vacation, sick days, or time spent finding new clients.
• Expenses: You cover your own hardware, software licenses, internet, and utilities.

The 2-3x Rule of Thumb

Many experts suggest charging 2-3x your salaried hourly wage to account for these extra costs and risks. Use our calculator to find the exact number based on your financial goals.