FREELANCE RATE-SETTING WORKSHEET
SoloStack | solostack.madethis.app/resources/freelance-rates-by-niche
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Fill in every line. The formula does the rest.
Use the Freelance Rate Cheatsheet to benchmark the final number.

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SECTION 1: YOUR INCOME GOAL
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What do you need to earn this year (before taxes)?
Annual income goal: $__________

Example: $80,000

Note: This is your GROSS freelance income target — the total
amount you invoice clients before setting aside taxes.
Include salary equivalent + taxes + retirement + savings buffer.

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SECTION 2: YOUR BILLABLE HOURS
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How many weeks will you work this year?
Weeks working: __________ (standard = 48 weeks; allows 4 weeks off)

How many hours per week will be billable client work?
(Not admin, not marketing, not email — just billable client time)
Billable hours/week: __________ (standard = 20 hrs for full-time)

CALCULATE YOUR ANNUAL BILLABLE HOURS:
Weeks working × Billable hours/week = Total billable hours
__________ × __________ = __________

Example: 52 weeks × 20 hrs = 1,040 billable hours

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SECTION 3: YOUR RAW RATE
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Annual income goal ÷ Total billable hours = Raw rate

$__________ ÷ __________ hrs = $__________ /hr

Example: $80,000 ÷ 1,040 = $76.92/hr (≈ $77/hr)

Your raw rate: $__________ /hr

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SECTION 4: THE TRUE COST MULTIPLIER
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Your raw rate doesn't account for:
  [ ] Self-employment taxes (15.3% — both halves of FICA)
  [ ] Income taxes (federal + state)
  [ ] Health insurance
  [ ] Software and tools
  [ ] Equipment depreciation
  [ ] Professional development
  [ ] Slow months / downtime / unpaid leave
  [ ] Unbillable admin time (email, invoicing, proposals)

Multiply your raw rate by 1.5–2.0 to cover all of the above.

Conservative: Raw rate × 1.5 = $__________ /hr
Aggressive:   Raw rate × 2.0 = $__________ /hr

Example: $77 × 1.5 = $115/hr | $77 × 2.0 = $154/hr

Your true rate range: $__________ – $__________ /hr

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SECTION 5: MARKET REALITY CHECK
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Now check your rate against the 2026 benchmarks:

My niche: __________________________________________

Benchmark range for my niche:
  Low end: $__________ /hr
  High end: $__________ /hr
  (from the Freelance Rate Cheatsheet)

My experience level:
  [ ] New (0–2 yrs) → target bottom 25–30% of range
  [ ] Mid-level (2–5 yrs) → target middle 40–60% of range
  [ ] Specialist/senior (5+ yrs) → target top 30–40% or above

Market position I should charge:
  $__________ – $__________ /hr

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SECTION 6: SET YOUR FINAL RATE
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Your true rate: $__________ – $__________ /hr
Market benchmark for my level: $__________ /hr

If your true rate is BELOW the benchmark:
  → Use the benchmark rate. Your math says you need it.
  → Plan to raise toward the benchmark in the next 6–12 months.

If your true rate is ABOVE the benchmark:
  → Check if your niche warrants a premium (specialist, high-ROI).
  → If yes, test the higher rate with 2–3 new clients.
  → If no, consider your positioning and what would justify the gap.

MY FINAL RATE:  $__________ /hr

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SECTION 7: CONVERT TO PROJECT RATE
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Project rates protect your income when you work fast.
Here's how to convert:

Estimated hours for a typical project: __________ hrs
× Your hourly rate: $__________ /hr
= Base project fee: $__________

Add a scope buffer (20% recommended):
$__________ × 1.20 = $__________ (quoted project price)

MY STANDARD PROJECT MINIMUM: $__________

(A project minimum prevents you from taking tiny projects
with identical admin overhead to large ones. Most freelancers
set this at 4–8 hours × their hourly rate.)

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SECTION 8: RATE REVIEW SCHEDULE
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Set a reminder to review your rate:
  [ ] Next review date: __________  (recommended: 6 months from now)
  [ ] Annual raise target: __________ % (recommended: 10–20%/yr)
  [ ] "I'll raise immediately if" trigger: __________________

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RESOURCES

Rate benchmarks by niche:
https://solostack.madethis.app/resources/freelance-rates-by-niche

Full rate calculator:
https://solostack.madethis.app/resources/freelance-rate-calculator

How to raise your rates:
https://solostack.madethis.app/resources/freelance-raise

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