Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
Work backward from your desired annual income to find the hourly rate you need to charge as a freelancer, accounting for unbillable time.
Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
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View on AmazonHow the Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator works
- Choose whether you're calculating an invoice total or a target hourly rate.
- Enter your tracked hours (or your desired annual income).
- Enter your rate (or your expected billable hours per week and working weeks per year).
- Read the result and round according to your firm's billing policy.
Formula / logic
Invoice total = Billable hours × hourly rate. Target rate = Desired annual income ÷ (billable hours per week × working weeks per year).
Worked example
10 hours at $75/hr = $750. Or: $80,000 desired income ÷ (25 billable hrs/week × 48 weeks) ≈ $66.67/hr target rate.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my target rate higher than my old salary ÷ hours?
Freelancers must cover their own taxes, benefits, and non-billable admin time, so the effective rate needs to be higher than a simple salary-to-hourly conversion.
Should I round billable hours up or down?
Most firms round to the nearest 6 or 15 minutes rather than always rounding up — check your firm's policy before invoicing a client.
Why is my target hourly rate higher than expected?
Freelance rates need to cover non-billable admin time, taxes, and benefits that an employer would otherwise cover, so the effective rate is usually higher than salary ÷ hours.
Is the Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator free to use?
Yes — every calculator on this site is free, with no sign-up or download required.
Does the Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator work on mobile?
Yes, the layout and calculator both adapt to phone and tablet screens.