Freelance Rate Calculator
Updated on 22 Oct 2026 · Checked by Aotob
To take home $70,000 a year you need to charge $92 an hour.
That is $738 a day over 1,170 billable hours a year.
Your hourly rate
$92an hour
Only 65% of your working hours are billed; the rest is admin, sales and gaps. That is why freelance rates look high next to a salary.
Show the working
Bill = 70,000 ÷ (1 − 30%) + 8,000 = 108,000
Hours = (52 − 7) × 40 × 65% = 1,170
Rate = 92.31
Rate by billable share
| Billable | Hourly | Daily |
|---|---|---|
| 40% | 150 | 1,200 |
| 50% | 120 | 960 |
| 60% | 100 | 800 |
| 70% | 86 | 686 |
| 80% | 75 | 600 |
Questions people ask
Why is a freelance rate higher than a salary’s hourly rate?
You pay your own tax, pension, equipment and software, take unpaid holidays, and spend time on sales and admin you can’t bill.
What share of time is billable?
Often 50% to 75%. New freelancers usually bill less while they find clients.
Should I charge by the hour or the project?
Projects reward you for working fast. Work out your hourly rate first, then price projects from it with a buffer.
Updated 22 Oct 2026Source: Standard business accounting formulasChecked by AotobTax rate is a rough share of profit. Not tax advice.Report an issue