Work out the hourly rate you need to hit a target annual income, accounting for the fact that billable hours are far fewer than working hours.
Frequently asked
How many billable hours are realistic for a freelancer?
Most sustainable freelancers bill 4–6 hours a day, not 8. The rest goes to finding work, admin, revisions and rest. Rating yourself on 8 billable hours is the fastest way to underprice.
Should I charge hourly or per project?
Use hourly to find your floor, then quote per project. Clients prefer a fixed price and you keep the upside when you work fast — but you need the hourly number first to know you’re not losing money.
Once you’ve set your rate, Retainer turns it into a proposal, a contract and a GST invoice without you retyping a number. Try Retainer free