#freelance-rate-calculator-wrapper {
font-family: 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
max-width: 800px;
margin: 0 auto;
color: #333;
line-height: 1.6;
}
.calc-box {
background: #f8f9fa;
border: 1px solid #e9ecef;
border-radius: 8px;
padding: 30px;
box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
margin-bottom: 40px;
}
.calc-title {
text-align: center;
color: #2c3e50;
margin-bottom: 25px;
font-size: 28px;
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;
}
.input-group label {
font-weight: 600;
margin-bottom: 8px;
color: #495057;
font-size: 14px;
}
.input-group input {
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #ced4da;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 16px;
transition: border-color 0.15s ease-in-out;
}
.input-group input:focus {
border-color: #007bff;
outline: none;
box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(0,123,255,0.1);
}
.calc-btn {
width: 100%;
background-color: #007bff;
color: white;
border: none;
padding: 15px;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: bold;
border-radius: 4px;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.2s;
margin-top: 10px;
}
.calc-btn:hover {
background-color: #0056b3;
}
.results-area {
margin-top: 30px;
background: #fff;
border: 1px solid #dee2e6;
border-radius: 6px;
padding: 20px;
display: none;
}
.result-item {
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
align-items: center;
padding: 12px 0;
border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;
}
.result-item:last-child {
border-bottom: none;
}
.result-label {
color: #6c757d;
font-weight: 500;
}
.result-value {
font-size: 20px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #2c3e50;
}
.result-highlight {
background-color: #e8f4ff;
padding: 15px;
border-radius: 6px;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
}
.result-highlight .result-value {
font-size: 32px;
color: #007bff;
display: block;
}
.result-highlight .result-label {
font-size: 16px;
text-transform: uppercase;
letter-spacing: 1px;
}
.seo-content h2 {
color: #2c3e50;
margin-top: 40px;
font-size: 24px;
}
.seo-content h3 {
color: #495057;
margin-top: 25px;
font-size: 20px;
}
.seo-content p {
margin-bottom: 15px;
color: #555;
}
.seo-content ul {
margin-bottom: 20px;
padding-left: 20px;
}
.seo-content li {
margin-bottom: 10px;
color: #555;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.input-row {
flex-direction: column;
gap: 0;
}
.col-half {
min-width: 100%;
}
}
function calculateRate() {
// Get input values
var annualGoal = parseFloat(document.getElementById("annualGoal").value);
var monthlyExpenses = parseFloat(document.getElementById("monthlyExpenses").value);
var taxRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("taxRate").value);
var weeksOff = parseFloat(document.getElementById("weeksOff").value);
var billableHours = parseFloat(document.getElementById("billableHours").value);
var daysPerWeek = parseFloat(document.getElementById("daysPerWeek").value);
// Validation logic
if (isNaN(annualGoal) || annualGoal < 0) annualGoal = 0;
if (isNaN(monthlyExpenses) || monthlyExpenses < 0) monthlyExpenses = 0;
if (isNaN(taxRate) || taxRate < 0) taxRate = 0;
if (isNaN(weeksOff) || weeksOff < 0) weeksOff = 0;
if (isNaN(billableHours) || billableHours <= 0) billableHours = 1;
if (isNaN(daysPerWeek) || daysPerWeek = 1) {
alert("Tax rate must be less than 100%");
return;
} else {
grossRevenue = netNeed / (1 – taxDecimal);
}
var totalTaxes = grossRevenue – netNeed;
// Calculate total billable hours
var totalWeeks = 52 – weeksOff;
var totalWorkDays = totalWeeks * daysPerWeek;
var annualBillableHours = totalWorkDays * billableHours;
// Calculate Hourly Rate
var hourlyRate = 0;
if (annualBillableHours > 0) {
hourlyRate = grossRevenue / annualBillableHours;
}
// Update DOM
document.getElementById("finalRate").innerHTML = "$" + hourlyRate.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("grossRevenue").innerHTML = "$" + grossRevenue.toFixed(2).replace(/\B(?=(\d{3})+(?!\d))/g, ",");
document.getElementById("totalExpenses").innerHTML = "$" + annualExpenses.toFixed(2).replace(/\B(?=(\d{3})+(?!\d))/g, ",");
document.getElementById("totalTaxes").innerHTML = "$" + totalTaxes.toFixed(2).replace(/\B(?=(\d{3})+(?!\d))/g, ",");
document.getElementById("totalHours").innerHTML = Math.round(annualBillableHours).toLocaleString();
// Show results
document.getElementById("resultContainer").style.display = "block";
}
How to Calculate Your Freelance Hourly Rate
Determining the correct hourly rate is one of the most critical challenges for freelancers, consultants, and independent contractors. Unlike a salaried employee, your hourly rate must cover not just your take-home pay, but also your business overhead, taxes, and unpaid time off. This Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator helps you reverse-engineer your rate based on your lifestyle and financial goals.
Why You Cannot Just "Pick a Number"
Many new freelancers make the mistake of simply dividing their previous annual salary by 2,080 (the standard number of work hours in a year). This calculation is fundamentally flawed for three reasons:
- Taxes: Employers pay a portion of payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare). As a freelancer, you are responsible for the full amount (Self-Employment Tax), plus income tax.
- Billable vs. Non-Billable Hours: You cannot bill for every hour you sit at your desk. Marketing, invoicing, learning new skills, and finding clients are unbillable tasks. If you work 8 hours a day, you might only be billable for 5.
- Overhead: You are now responsible for your own health insurance, software subscriptions, hardware, and office space costs.
The Formula for Pricing Your Services
To find your "Minimum Viable Rate," you must calculate your Gross Annual Requirement and divide it by your Total Billable Capacity.
1. Calculate Gross Revenue Needed:
(Desired Net Income + Annual Business Expenses) / (1 – Tax Rate %)
2. Calculate Billable Capacity:
(52 Weeks – Weeks of Vacation/Sick) × Days worked per week × Billable hours per day
What is a Good Profit Margin?
The calculator above provides your break-even rate to meet your specific financial goals. However, successful businesses charge a premium on top of this base rate. This is your profit margin. It is recommended to add 10-20% to the calculated figure to account for:
- Business growth and reinvestment.
- Lean periods where clients are scarce.
- Unexpected expenses or tax hikes.
Use this tool as a baseline. If the market rate for your skills is higher than the result shown, you should always charge the market rate to avoid undervaluing your services.