Freelance Day Rate Calculator
Enter your target income, business expenses, and realistic billable days to find the day rate you need to charge to hit your goal.
Price by the day, without underselling
A day rate is one of the cleanest ways to quote project and retainer work — a client knows exactly what a day of your time costs, and you're not punished for working efficiently. But setting it by gut feel usually leaves money on the table. This calculator works from your real targets: the income you want, the expenses you carry, and the number of days you can genuinely bill in a year.
Be realistic about billable days. Between weekends, holidays, admin, business development, and rest, most full-time freelancers land around 200–230 billable days. The resulting rate is your baseline; premium positioning, specialization, and demand let you charge well above it. The tool also shows the hourly and weekly equivalents for quoting flexibility.
How it's calculated
Revenue needed = target income + expenses. Day rate = revenue needed ÷ billable days. Hourly equivalent = day rate ÷ 8. All computed live in your browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate a freelance day rate?
Add your target annual income to your business expenses, then divide by the number of days you can actually bill in a year. That day rate covers your costs and pays the income you want.
How many billable days are in a year?
Far fewer than 365. After weekends, holidays, time off, and unbillable admin and sales days, most full-time freelancers bill roughly 200–230 days a year.
Day rate vs hourly rate — which should I quote?
Day rates suit project and retainer work and reward efficiency, since you are not penalized for finishing faster. Hourly suits open-ended or unpredictable scopes.
Is this calculator free and private?
Yes. Everything runs in your browser — no account, and none of your numbers leave your device.
Pricing and positioning strategy for freelancers and independent consultants.