Most freelancers set their rate by copying someone else’s. This free calculator works backwards from the life you actually want: your take-home goal, your real expenses, your taxes and the hours you can honestly bill — and gives you the hourly rate that makes the math work.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my calculated rate higher than I expected? Because it includes the things a salary quietly covers: taxes, software, unpaid admin time and weeks off. A $60,000 take-home goal honestly needs roughly $85–95 per billable hour at 25 billable hours a week.

How many hours can I really bill? For most freelancers, 20–30 hours a week. The rest goes to finding clients, admin and revisions — work nobody pays for directly.

Once I know my rate, what next? Pick the invoicing tool that gets you paid with the least fee loss — start with our guide to the best invoicing software for freelancers with international clients.