Freelance Rate Calculator
A freelance rate is not a salary divided by 2,080. You need enough revenue to pay business costs, set aside a tax reserve, and still keep the personal income you typed. That revenue is then spread only across billable hours.
Calculator
How the number is produced
Required revenue = (personal income + business costs) ÷ (1 − tax reserve). Hourly rate = required revenue ÷ billable hours. If you estimate the year instead, billable hours = (weeks × days − vacation − sick days − public holidays) × hours per day × utilisation.
Worked example
€40,000 personal income, €8,000 costs, 25% tax reserve, 1,200 billable hours. Revenue = 48,000 ÷ 0.75 = €64,000. Hourly = 64,000 ÷ 1,200 = €53.33.
When this is useful
Setting a rate for the year, or checking whether a day rate still covers the income you need after a quiet month.
Limits
The tax reserve is a percent of revenue you choose. It is not your tax return. Utilisation and days off are assumptions. Currency is a label, not a conversion.
More on the assumptions is on how the calculators work.
Questions
Why not divide the salary by 2,080?
2,080 assumes every hour is paid and that costs and tax are zero. Freelance weeks include sales, admin, leave, and a tax reserve.
Is 25% the right tax rate?
No rate is built in. Type the share of revenue you intend to hold back. Ask an accountant before you treat it as tax advice.
Related tools
If a result disagrees with the formula on this page, email hello@gettowork.online.