How the rate is worked out
- Your yearly take-home income, grossed up for income tax.
- Plus your yearly costs: 12 months of business costs and your yearly fees.
- Divided by your billable hours a year: hours a week × (52 − weeks off).
- Plus a safety margin for late payments and quiet months.
Example: 10,000 a month take-home, 500 a month in costs and 6,000 a year in fees is 132,000 a year. At 25 billable hours a week with 6 weeks off, that's 1,150 hours, so the break-even rate is about 115 an hour. With a 10% margin, charge about 126.
Tips
- Few freelancers bill 40 hours a week. 20 to 30 billable hours is more realistic.
- Quote by the project when you can, but check the hours behind it with this rate.
- Send professional invoices with our free invoice maker.
Frequently asked questions
How many billable hours should I count?
Many freelancers bill 20 to 30 hours a week. The rest of the time goes on finding clients, admin and learning.
Should I include my freelance permit and visa?
Yes. Add every yearly fee you pay to work as a freelancer, such as the permit or licence, visa and health insurance.
What is the safety margin for?
It covers late payments, unpaid revisions and months with little work. 10 to 20% is common.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
This page was translated from Arabic. If something is unclear or wrong, please tell us.