Calculator

Freelance Rate Calculator

Work backwards from your target take-home to a profitable hourly, daily, and monthly rate.

Target take-home income ($/yr)Effective tax rate (%)Self-employment + income taxAnnual business expenses ($)Software, insurance, equipment, accountantVacation / unbillable weeks per yearBillable hours per weekRealistic — pros average 20-25Equivalent employee salary ($)For benchmark comparison

Hourly rate

$137

Daily rate

$1093

8-hour day

Monthly revenue

$13,657

Pre-tax target

Required annual revenue

$163,889

Freelance vs employee — monthly comparison

Employee column includes an estimated 25% benefits load (health, retirement match, paid leave).

You need to bill 1,200 hours/year at $137/hr to hit your target. If that feels high, raise your rate before raising your hours.