Calculate your freelance day rate
Start from the net you want to take home. We add back costs and billable days to give you the right price per day.
Rough estimate. Contribution rates vary by status (sole trader, company). Refine with your accountant.
How to set your freelance day rate right
Most beginner freelancers under-charge, because they calculate their day rate like a salary divided by 20 days. Mistake: a freelancer doesn't bill every working day, and their rate has to absorb costs an employee never sees.
The right method starts from the net you want to take home, not the market. Then you add:
- Your social contributions (~22% as a sole trader, more in a company once your pay is loaded);
- Your expenses: software, hardware, accounting, insurance, business banking;
- Non-billable days: holidays, public holidays, prospecting, training, admin. The line everyone forgets.
Once these are factored in, divide the required revenue by your actually billable days. You get a day rate that lets you live — not just survive.
To go further on choosing a status and going freelance, read the complete guide to going freelance, and compare your day rate with real net income using the employee → freelance simulator.
Frequently asked questions
What's a day rate?
The day rate is the price you charge for a day of freelance work. It's the basis of your quotes when you don't bill a fixed package.
How do you calculate a day rate?
Start from the net income you want to take home, add your costs, contributions and non-billable days (holidays, prospecting, admin), then divide by the number of actually billable days in the year. This calculator does it for you.
How many billable days per year?
Rarely more than 200. Out of 365 days, remove weekends, holidays, public holidays, prospecting, training and admin: you're often left with 180 to 220 actually sold days. Be realistic, or your day rate will be undervalued.
Should my day rate include costs?
Yes. Your day rate must cover your social contributions, your expenses (software, hardware, accounting) and still leave you the target net. That's the whole point of starting from the desired net and working back up.