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What should your day rate be?
Work back from the income you want and the days you can really bill, to the day rate to quote for client work.
From target income to day rate: worked examples
Many people setting a first freelance rate divide a salary by 52 weeks and 5 days. That rate is too low, because nobody bills every working day. A creator who also runs a channel, pitches clients and does admin might bill three days a week, and the rate has to pay for the other two.
The table runs the calculator with different goals. The second row is the default: $60,000 of income plus $8,000 of costs, spread over 138 billable days.
Billable days move the rate more than anything else. Dropping from three to two billable days a week raises the required day rate by half, because the same money has to come from a third fewer days. If you are not sure how many days you really bill, count them in the last three months of invoices instead of guessing.
Business costs are easy to underestimate. Count software subscriptions, insurance, accounting, a share of your phone and internet, courses or conferences, and equipment spread over its life: a $3,000 camera replaced every three years is $1,000 a year. A realistic cost figure adds only a few dollars to each day rate, but leaving it out means the costs quietly come out of your income.
Once you have a number, check it against the market. Ask peers what they charge, look at what clients have accepted without pushback, and note rates for the same skill on job boards. If every client agrees instantly, the rate is probably low. If it is far above the market, you need a clear specialism or portfolio to back it, or a plan to bill more days.
Taxes are the other gap. The calculator works in whatever terms you enter, so if you want $60,000 after tax, add an estimate of income tax and social contributions to the income figure first. The amount depends on your country’s rules, so a short conversation with an accountant is worth it.
| Income goal | Costs | Weeks off | Billable days a week | Day rate | Hourly (8 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $5,000 | 6 | 3 | $326 | $41 |
| $60,000 | $8,000 | 6 | 3 | $493 | $62 |
| $60,000 | $8,000 | 6 | 4 | $370 | $46 |
| $60,000 | $8,000 | 6 | 2 | $739 | $92 |
| $100,000 | $12,000 | 8 | 3 | $848 | $106 |
How it works
Creators rarely bill five days a week: the rest goes to making your own content, admin and finding the next client. Count only the days a client pays for.
Day rate = (target income + business costs) ÷ billable days in the year.
Taxes and social charges are not included; add them to the income you want if you are quoting before tax.
Questions
Day rate or project price?
Use the day rate to price a project: estimate the days, multiply, then add a margin for revisions. Quote the project, not the days.
Why is it higher than a salary?
Because it has to pay for the days nobody pays you for, your equipment and your software. That is normal.
How many billable days a week is realistic?
For creators who also make their own content, two to three days is a reasonable planning figure. Full-time freelancers with steady clients may bill closer to four. Five is rare once you count sales, admin, invoicing and learning.
How do I set a half-day rate?
Some freelancers charge a little more than half the day rate, for example 55% to 60%, because a half day still breaks up the rest of the day and carries the same admin. At a $493 day rate, that is about $271 to $296.
Should I quote an hourly rate or a day rate?
A day rate or a project price usually suits creative work better, because it pays for the result rather than the minutes and avoids debates over each hour. Hourly suits small, unpredictable tasks such as ongoing edits. The calculator gives both so you can switch.
How often should I raise my rates?
Review them at least once a year and whenever you are fully booked. New clients can get the new rate straight away; give existing clients notice, such as a month or two, before it applies to them.
Should revisions be included in my rate?
Include a set number of revision rounds in the quote, often one or two, and charge extra rounds at your day or hourly rate. Putting this in writing stops open-ended projects from quietly lowering your real rate.