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Hourly rate calculator
The rate you need is higher than the naive maths suggests. Enter your target income, costs, and the hours you can realistically bill.
£
£
h/wk
Minimum hourly rate
£48
You need to bill £51,000
Billable hours a year 1,056
Working:
Why your real rate is higher than you think
The trap is assuming you bill 37.5 hours a week, 52 weeks a year. In reality, admin, sales, holidays and gaps eat most of that. A realistic figure is often 20 to 25 billable hours a week, over roughly 46 working weeks. Divide by that, and your true rate is a lot higher than the naive number.
This is your floor. Once you know it, quote fixed project prices based on value, using the rate only to check you are not underwater. More in how to price freelance work, or work in days with the day rate calculator.