tooloctopus.

Freelance rate calculator

Required hourly rate = (annual pay target + annual costs) ÷ billable hours.

On your device · No account
Privacy details

Freelance rate calculator processes your input in this browser. Inputs and results are excluded from analytics. Recent tools save tool names, visit counts and last-visit times. Saved tools store only their names. Draft saving is optional and stays on this device; delete saved text with the draft controls. Loading text from a URL is optional and contacts that server; its URL and your IP address are visible to the server. An optional “Use in” action keeps a handoff in this tab. The next tool removes it on arrival and ignores it if more than a minute has passed.

Copy link includes the inputs you choose to share in the address. Anyone with that link can reopen them. Files and generated results are excluded. Password and key tools share settings only.

More inputs and assumptions

Answer

…

Required hourly rate = (annual pay target + annual costs) ÷ billable hours.

More results
Precision and calculation record
Rounding changes displayed numbers, not the calculation. Text, fractions, matrices and CSV schedules keep their own formatting. Automatic keeps up to 12 significant digits, with money shown to cents where applicable.
Step-by-step calculation
Inputs are substituted below. Each line evaluates the next operation; intermediate values are displayed to 12 significant digits while the calculation uses full precision.
    Saved scenario
    Save the current answer, then change an input to compare. This clears when you leave.
    Formula and assumptions
    Only paid billable hours belong in the denominator. Include your own tax reserve in the target if needed; no tax rate is inferred.
    Automatic precision shows numbers to 12 significant digits. Thousands separators such as 1,000 are accepted; use a dot for decimals.
    Scratch calculator
    Use +, −, ×, ÷, parentheses and %. A percentage is divided by 100. This does not change the main tool.
    Reset reloads the tool with its starting values and releases open files and device controls. Saved drafts stay on this device until you delete them.
    Links include your inputs and settings. Anyone with the link can see them, so leave out private text. Files and generated results are left out; random draws run again.
    Keyboard shortcuts
    Updated 
    Using Freelance rate calculator
    Required hourly rate = (annual pay target + annual costs) ÷ billable hours.
    Only paid billable hours belong in the denominator. Include your own tax reserve in the target if needed; no tax rate is inferred.
    Next: Meeting cost calculator
    A worked example
    With annual pay target = 60000, annual business costs = 12000, billable hours per year = 1200, the required hourly rate is 60.
    Next: Annual income calculator
    Before you use the result
    Only paid billable hours belong in the denominator. Include your own tax reserve in the target if needed; no tax rate is inferred.
    Example results for annual pay target
    These examples use Annual business costs: 12000; Billable hours per year: 1200. They are reference calculations, not recommended settings.
    Annual pay targetRequired hourly rate
    3000035
    6000060
    120000110
    Cite this page
    ToolOctopus. “Freelance rate calculator.” Updated 2026-09-26. https://tooloctopus.com/freelance-rate-calculator.
    Add an access date if your instructions require one.
    Citation formatting uses citeproc-js by Frank Bennett and Citation Style Language styles. Licence and source code.
    Find a tool
    Search by task. Use ↓ and ↑ to choose, Enter to open.