How much should I charge?
Of course, I can’t answer that question for you. How much you bill your clients depends on the service you provide, your skill level, experience, and many other factors.
- Who likes working for free?
- Being underpaid for the services and value you deliver?
- Being a slave to the grind?
Hell, no – that’s why you’re here.
You deserve to earn a fair freelance fee for work done well.
You deserve to live the life you’ve come this far to get. The trick is figuring out how to price your services appropriately so that you can pay your expenses, pay yourself and put profit back into your business.
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This freelance rates calculator will help you work out what that looks like.
Let’s look at things differently: How much do you want to earn?
Instead of focusing on how much to charge, work back from how much you want to earn. This helps ensure that every client and every project is helping you achieve your monthly income goals.
The first step is to come up with a realistic desired salary per month. Add in your monthly expenses and savings goals, tax, plus some buffer. Then work out how much you would like to earn and multiply that figure by 12 to reach an annual figure.
Monthly expenses
Depending on your business, these could include:
- Home-office expenses like internet, rent, levies, rates and utilities.
- Office equipment, furniture and supplies.
- Technology tools, website hosting and service subscriptions.
- Salaries and other employee costs.
- Subcontractor fees.
- Advertising and marketing.
- Business insurance.
- Any licence fees or certifications.
- Legal and accounting fees.
- Professional memberships.
- Travel costs and vehicle mileage.
- Taxes.
- … any other expenses relevant to your business.
PS. Remember to keep proof of all these expenses.
Use this calculator to work out your minimum hourly rate
How does that look to you?
Remember, this rate represents the lowest hourly rate you can charge while still running a profitable, successful freelance business. It’s not necessarily the rate you’ll always use to price your services, but it does help guide your pricing model.
I hope that was helpful! Please feel free to ask me any questions in the comments.
Other helpful resources to help your freelance business boom
Need more help learning how to price your services?
In my book, Freelance Like a Boss, I go into more detail about how to price your services and take control of your freelance finances (and life!).
Ready to build a successful, sustainable freelance business?
This book is your go-to guide!
The calculator is a lovely tool, thank you
Glad it helps!