Know what to charge, and what to keep.

Three free calculators for freelancers and solo founders. Real numbers in seconds, no signup, nothing stored.

Hourly rate calculator

Minimum hourly rate
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Gross revenue needed-
Billable hours / year-
Day rate (6 billable hrs)-
Send invoices and get paid faster: compare invoicing toolsAffiliate link placeholder, replace with your tracking URL.

Self-employment tax set-aside (US, estimate)

Set aside each month
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Self-employment tax (15.3% of 92.35%)-
Federal income tax (flat approx.)-
State tax-
Effective set-aside rate-
Simplified estimate: ignores standard deduction, Social Security wage cap and credits. Not tax advice; check IRS.gov or a CPA.
Keep business and personal money apart: see bookkeeping toolsAffiliate link placeholder.

Retainer pricing calculator

Suggested monthly retainer
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Effective rate on all hours-
Annual value of one client-
Clients for $10k/month-
Present it professionally: proposal and contract toolsAffiliate link placeholder.

Guides

Why your first rate is too low

Most new freelancers divide salary by 2,080 hours. Real billable time is closer to 20 to 30 hours a week once sales, admin and time off are counted.

How much to set aside for taxes

Self-employed US workers pay both halves of Social Security and Medicare. Many people save 25 to 30 percent as a starting point.

Hourly vs retainer

Retainers trade a small discount for predictable income. Price in a premium for priority access.