About FreelanceRate
FreelanceRate is the business math freelancers skip: what your time must earn to cover taxes, time off, software, and a real salary — not just a wage.
FreelanceRate exists because "hourly rate" is where freelancing quietly goes wrong: rates set from employment salaries ignore that you pay both sides of the tax bill, buy your own tools, and work unpaid hours. The formula is simple once you see all the inputs.
Every calculator on FreelanceRate shows its formula and its assumptions on the page, so you can check the math, reproduce it in a spreadsheet, or argue with it. Inputs are processed entirely in your browser — nothing is sent to a server, and there are no accounts.
FreelanceRate is an independent, ad-supported project. We are not affiliated with any lender, brand, agency, or the sources we cite (CFPB and IRS public guidance). If a number looks wrong, the contact page reaches a human who fixes it.
What makes FreelanceRate different
- Your numbers never leave your browser. Every calculator on FreelanceRate runs entirely on your device. We never see, store, or transmit the figures you enter — there are no accounts and no server-side processing of your inputs.
- Published methodology. Each calculator page explains the exact formula it uses and the assumptions behind it, so you can check our work or reproduce it in a spreadsheet.
- Free, forever, without a paywall. FreelanceRate is supported by advertising. There is no premium tier, no email gate, and no upsell.
Independence
FreelanceRate is an independent educational project. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government agency, lender, insurer, or the organizations whose formulas and public data we reference (such as CFPB and IRS public guidance). All trademarks and referenced standards belong to their respective owners.
Questions, corrections, or suggestions are genuinely welcome — get in touch.