.calc-wrapper {
max-width: 800px;
margin: 0 auto;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
color: #333;
line-height: 1.6;
}
.calc-box {
background: #f9f9f9;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 8px;
padding: 30px;
margin-bottom: 40px;
box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}
.calc-title {
text-align: center;
color: #2c3e50;
margin-bottom: 25px;
font-size: 24px;
font-weight: 700;
}
.input-group {
margin-bottom: 20px;
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
}
.input-row {
display: flex;
gap: 20px;
flex-wrap: wrap;
}
.col-half {
flex: 1;
min-width: 250px;
}
label {
display: block;
margin-bottom: 8px;
font-weight: 600;
font-size: 14px;
color: #555;
}
input[type="number"] {
width: 100%;
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 16px;
box-sizing: border-box;
transition: border-color 0.3s;
}
input[type="number"]:focus {
border-color: #0073aa;
outline: none;
}
.btn-calc {
width: 100%;
padding: 15px;
background-color: #0073aa;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.3s;
margin-top: 10px;
}
.btn-calc:hover {
background-color: #005177;
}
.results-box {
margin-top: 30px;
padding: 20px;
background-color: #fff;
border-left: 5px solid #0073aa;
display: none;
}
.result-row {
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
align-items: center;
border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;
padding: 10px 0;
}
.result-row:last-child {
border-bottom: none;
}
.result-label {
font-size: 16px;
color: #666;
}
.result-value {
font-size: 20px;
font-weight: 800;
color: #2c3e50;
}
.final-rate {
font-size: 32px;
color: #0073aa;
}
.error-msg {
color: #d63638;
text-align: center;
margin-top: 10px;
display: none;
}
.content-section h2 {
color: #2c3e50;
margin-top: 40px;
border-bottom: 2px solid #0073aa;
padding-bottom: 10px;
}
.content-section h3 {
color: #444;
margin-top: 30px;
}
.content-section ul {
background: #f0f7fb;
padding: 20px 20px 20px 40px;
border-radius: 5px;
}
.content-section li {
margin-bottom: 10px;
}
function calculateFreelanceRate() {
// Get input values
var targetSalary = document.getElementById('targetSalary').value;
var annualExpenses = document.getElementById('annualExpenses').value;
var billableHours = document.getElementById('billableHours').value;
var weeksOff = document.getElementById('weeksOff').value;
var taxRate = document.getElementById('taxRate').value;
// UI Elements
var resultBox = document.getElementById('results-display');
var errorMsg = document.getElementById('error-message');
// Parse values
var salary = parseFloat(targetSalary);
var expenses = parseFloat(annualExpenses);
var hoursPerWeek = parseFloat(billableHours);
var vacation = parseFloat(weeksOff);
var taxPercent = parseFloat(taxRate);
// Validation
if (isNaN(salary) || isNaN(expenses) || isNaN(hoursPerWeek) || isNaN(vacation) || isNaN(taxPercent)) {
errorMsg.style.display = 'block';
resultBox.style.display = 'none';
return;
}
if (salary < 0 || expenses < 0 || hoursPerWeek <= 0 || vacation < 0 || taxPercent < 0) {
errorMsg.style.display = 'block';
resultBox.style.display = 'none';
return;
}
// Reset error
errorMsg.style.display = 'none';
// 1. Calculate Gross Revenue Needed
// Formula: (Net Income + Expenses) / (1 – (TaxRate / 100))
// Example: Need 80k + 10k exp. Tax 25%.
// Need 90k net after tax. 90k / 0.75 = 120k Gross.
var totalCashNeeded = salary + expenses;
var taxFactor = 1 – (taxPercent / 100);
// Prevent division by zero or negative if tax is 100% (unlikely but possible edge case)
if (taxFactor <= 0) {
taxFactor = 0.01;
}
var grossRevenue = totalCashNeeded / taxFactor;
// 2. Calculate Total Billable Hours
var workingWeeks = 52 – vacation;
if (workingWeeks 0) {
hourlyRate = grossRevenue / annualBillableHours;
} else {
hourlyRate = 0; // Avoid infinity if hours are 0
}
// Formatting Function
var currencyFormat = new Intl.NumberFormat('en-US', {
style: 'currency',
currency: 'USD',
minimumFractionDigits: 2,
maximumFractionDigits: 2
});
// Update DOM
document.getElementById('gross-revenue').innerHTML = currencyFormat.format(grossRevenue);
document.getElementById('total-hours').innerHTML = annualBillableHours.toLocaleString('en-US', {maximumFractionDigits: 0});
document.getElementById('hourly-rate').innerHTML = currencyFormat.format(hourlyRate);
// Show results
resultBox.style.display = 'block';
}
Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields.
Gross Revenue Needed:
–
Total Billable Hours/Year:
–
Minimum Hourly Rate:
–
How to Calculate Your True Freelance Rate
One of the most common mistakes new freelancers make is attempting to replicate their salaried hourly wage directly. If you earned $40/hour at your day job, charging $40/hour as a freelancer will likely result in a significant pay cut. This Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator helps you account for the hidden costs of self-employment to ensure your business remains profitable.
Why You Cannot Just Divide Salary by 2,080
In a traditional employment setting (40 hours a week for 52 weeks), you work roughly 2,080 hours a year. However, your employer pays for payroll taxes, health insurance, software licenses, office rent, and paid time off. As a freelancer, you must cover all these costs yourself.
Furthermore, you cannot bill for every hour you work. Administrative tasks, marketing, invoicing, and professional development are "non-billable" hours that must be subsidized by your billable client work.
Key Factors in Your Rate
- Desired Net Income: The "take-home" pay you need to support your lifestyle.
- Business Expenses: Costs such as website hosting, software subscriptions (Adobe, Office, etc.), hardware, accounting fees, and coworking space rent.
- Billable Hours: Realistically, most freelancers only bill 60-75% of their working time. If you work 40 hours, you might only bill 25-30 hours.
- Taxes: Self-employment tax covers both the employer and employee portion of Social Security and Medicare, plus income tax. This often totals 25-30% or more.
How This Calculation Works
This calculator uses a reverse-engineering approach:
- It first adds your desired net income and business expenses.
- It adjusts this total to account for taxes (Gross Revenue = Net Need / (1 – Tax Rate)).
- It calculates your total available working weeks (52 weeks minus vacation and sick time).
- It determines your total annual billable hours based on your weekly input.
- Finally, it divides your Gross Revenue Needed by Total Billable Hours to give you your Minimum Hourly Rate.
Use this figure as your baseline (or "floor") price. Depending on your market value, niche expertise, and demand, you should aim to charge above this number to generate profit for business growth.