================================================================
FREELANCE PRICING CALCULATOR
SoloStack — solostack.madethis.app
================================================================

STEP 1: CALCULATE YOUR BASE HOURLY RATE
----------------------------------------------------------------
Target Annual Income (take-home):          $__________

Weeks Worked Per Year (52 minus vacation): __________  weeks
Hours Per Week (billable only):            __________  hours

Total Billable Hours Per Year:
  = Weeks Worked × Hours/Week
  = __________ × __________ = __________  hours

Overhead/Tax Adjustment Factor:           ÷ 0.6
(This accounts for ~30–40% self-employment taxes,
health insurance, software, and business expenses)

BASE HOURLY RATE:
  = Target Income ÷ Total Billable Hours ÷ 0.6
  = $__________ ÷ __________ ÷ 0.6
  = $__________  per hour

EXAMPLE:
  Target income: $80,000
  Weeks worked: 48
  Hours/week: 25
  Total billable hours: 48 × 25 = 1,200
  Base hourly rate: $80,000 ÷ 1,200 ÷ 0.6 = $111/hr


================================================================
STEP 2: CALCULATE YOUR PROJECT RATE
================================================================

Estimated Hours for Project:               __________  hours
Your Base Hourly Rate:                     $__________
Complexity/Scope Buffer (×1.3):           × 1.3

PROJECT BASE RATE:
  = Estimated Hours × Hourly Rate × 1.3 buffer
  = __________ × $__________ × 1.3
  = $__________

The 1.3 buffer accounts for:
  - Scope clarification and client communication
  - Revisions within scope
  - Admin, invoicing, and handoff time
  - Unexpected complexity


================================================================
STEP 3: APPLY VALUE-BASED PREMIUM MULTIPLIER
================================================================

Value-based pricing shifts the anchor from "how long will
this take me?" to "what is this worth to the client?"

Apply ONE multiplier from the table below based on the
specific engagement type:

MULTIPLIER TABLE:
----------------------------------------------------------------
Standard work (typical scope, normal timeline)     × 1.0
Rush/expedited delivery (< 50% of normal timeline) × 1.5
Specialist expertise (niche skill, rare knowledge) × 2.0
High-ROI outcomes (revenue impact, launch critical) × 3.0
----------------------------------------------------------------

HOW TO ASSESS ROI FOR HIGH-MULTIPLIER WORK:
Ask the client during discovery:
  - "What's the expected revenue impact of this project?"
  - "What does it cost you per day if this isn't done?"
  - "What have you tried before that didn't work?"

If a landing page you write converts at 3% and drives
$50,000/month in sales — your work is worth far more than
your hourly rate. Price to the outcome, not the effort.

FINAL PRICE CALCULATION:
  Project Base Rate:        $__________
  Value Multiplier:         × __________
  FINAL PROJECT PRICE:      $__________

SANITY CHECK:
  Is this > your minimum project rate? (see Step 4)  Y / N
  Does it reflect the client ROI?                    Y / N
  Would you feel good delivering this?               Y / N


================================================================
STEP 4: SET YOUR MINIMUM PROJECT RATE
================================================================

Never take a project below your minimum — the admin overhead
alone makes small projects unprofitable.

Your Base Hourly Rate:          $__________
Minimum Hours for Any Project:  __________  hours
(Recommended: 4–8 hours minimum)

MINIMUM PROJECT RATE:
  = Base Hourly Rate × Minimum Hours
  = $__________ × __________ = $__________

Examples by service type:
  Logo design:        $500–$1,500 minimum
  Website copy:       $750–$2,500 minimum
  Full website:       $3,000–$8,000+ minimum
  Brand strategy:     $2,500–$10,000 minimum
  Social media mgmt:  $800–$2,000/month minimum


================================================================
NOTES
================================================================
- Recalculate your base hourly rate every 6–12 months
- Track actual hours vs. estimated to improve accuracy
- Your rate should increase as you gain expertise
- Download the Rate Card Template to formalize your pricing

More freelance resources: solostack.madethis.app/resources
================================================================