Freelance day rate calculator
Enter your target take-home, billable days and expenses to see the day and hourly rate you actually need to charge.
What you need to charge
Only about 60–75% of your working days are usually billable — the rest go to admin, sales and downtime. Set billable days realistically so the rate actually covers a full year.
Indicative estimate based on your inputs. Actual tax, social contributions and expenses vary by country and legal form — treat the buffer as a rough allowance, not advice.
How to price your freelance day rate
Your day rate is not your salary divided by working days. Before anything reaches your pocket, gross revenue has to cover income tax and social contributions, your business expenses, and the reality that only part of the year is actually billable. This calculator works backwards from the take-home you want to the rate that funds it.
The maths is simple: gross needed = target take-home ÷ (1 − tax buffer) + yearly expenses, then divided by billable days. The number that surprises most people is billable days. A full-time year has roughly 220 working days, but only 60–75% of those are usually billable — the rest go to admin, invoicing, sales calls, learning and downtime. Set that figure honestly, because an over-optimistic day count produces a rate that quietly loses money.
Most sustainable freelancers bill 160–200 days a year, or about 60–75% of working days. The remainder covers admin, business development, holidays and sick days. Starting out or in a niche with heavy sales effort, use the lower end.
Not sure your rate adds up?
Book a consultation with web1o and we will pressure-test your numbers — billable days, buffer and pricing — so your rate covers a full, sustainable year.