Prolancer
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Freelance Rate Calculator

Income goal in, hourly/day/project floor out.

Income target

Business costs (annual)

Total overhead:

Hours, region, and role

How to set a freelance rate that doesn't leave money on the table

Most freelancers price by gut feel — they glance at what a peer charges, knock 10% off to "win the work," and quietly absorb the difference for years. This free freelance rate calculator works backwards from the number that actually matters: the income you need to take home. You enter your target salary, your real business overhead, the taxes you set aside, and the genuinely billable hours in your week — and it returns the hourly, day, and project-floor rates that clear all of it.

The gap between a "market rate" and a sustainable rate is where most solo careers stall. If you bill 40 hours a week on paper but only 22 are billable after admin, sales, and revisions, a rate built on 40 hours underprices you by nearly half. The calculator makes that invisible leakage visible.

What the calculator accounts for

Target take-home income, fixed and variable overhead (software, equipment, insurance, workspace), self-employment tax set-aside, paid time off, and a realistic billable-hour ratio. It then benchmarks the result against typical ranges for your role and region so you know whether you're under, at, or above market.

Why a floor, not just a number

The output is a floor — the rate below which a project costs you money. You can and should charge more for high-value or high-risk work. But you should never knowingly go below the floor, and most freelancers have no idea where theirs is.

Frequently asked questions

Is this rate calculator really free?

Yes — no signup, no watermark, no credit card. Create an account only if you want to save and re-download rate cards.

How many billable hours should I assume?

Most full-time freelancers realistically bill 50–65% of their working hours once admin, sales, and revisions are removed. The calculator defaults conservatively and lets you adjust.

Does it handle taxes?

It includes a tax set-aside input so your rate covers self-employment tax. It is a planning tool, not tax advice — confirm specifics with your accountant.