Freelance Rate Calculator
Overview
Convert your desired salary to a freelance hourly rate. Accounts for overhead costs, taxes, and profit margin.
Key Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Calculator ID | freelance-rate |
| Category | Business |
| Vertical | Business & Finance |
| App route | /verticals/business/freelance-rate |
| API endpoint | /api/public/calculate?id=freelance-rate |
Inputs
| Input ID | Label | Type | Required | Default | Constraints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
currency | Currency | select | Yes | USD | - |
desiredSalary | Desired Annual Income | currency | Yes | 80000 | min 0 |
billableHoursPerWeek | Billable Hours per Week | number | Yes | 30 | min 1, max 80 |
weeksWorked | Weeks Worked per Year | number | Yes | 48 | min 1, max 52 |
overheadPercent | Overhead Costs (%) | number | Yes | 30 | min 0, max 60, step 1 |
profitMargin | Profit Margin (%) | number | Yes | 15 | min 0, max 50, step 1 |
taxRate | Self-Employment Tax Rate (%) | number | Yes | 30 | min 0, max 50, step 1 |
How to Use
- Enter Desired Income — Input your target annual take-home salary
- Set Billable Hours — Estimate realistic billable hours per week (25-35 typical)
- Add Overhead Costs — Include insurance, software, equipment (20-40%)
- Set Profit Margin — Add 10-20% for business growth and cushion
- Account for Taxes — Include self-employment tax (15.3%) and income tax
Result Surfaces
| Output | Display Type | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Computed results | result-card | - |
Related Calculators
FAQ
Why is my freelance rate higher than my salaried hourly rate?
Freelancers pay for their own health insurance, retirement, equipment, software, and self-employment taxes (15.3%). They also have unbillable hours for admin, marketing, and client acquisition. A $100k salary typically requires $150-200/hour freelance rate.
What is the 1.5x rule?
The 1.5x rule suggests multiplying your salaried hourly rate by 1.5-2x. However, this often underestimates true costs. A precise calculator accounts for actual overhead (20-40%), profit margin (10-20%), and self-employment taxes (30-35%).
How many billable hours should I estimate?
Out of 40 hours/week, only 25-35 are typically billable. The rest is spent on admin work, invoicing, marketing, learning, and client acquisition. New freelancers should start with 25 hours/week, experienced ones can reach 35.
Evidence
src/lib/calculators/registry.ts(metadata)src/lib/calculators/page-registry.ts(page/HowTo metadata)src/lib/calculators/business/freelance-rate.ts(calculator config)
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