What hourly rate do you actually need to charge?
Enter the income you want to take home, your overhead, and the billable hours you can realistically work, and you'll see the hourly rate you need to charge to hit it. Already charging something? Enter your current rate and we'll show what it actually earns you and the gap to your goal. No signup, no email — and the math is spelled out below.
To hit your income goal, charge
$0
- Rate to charge
- $0
- Day rate (8-hour day)
- $0
- Revenue you need to bill
- $0
- Billable hours a year
- 0
- Income at your current rate
- $0
- Gap to your goal
- $0
What to look at first
An estimate from your own numbers. The rate is plain arithmetic — the income and overhead you need to cover, divided by the hours you can actually bill — not an invented figure. The point isn't the exact number; it's charging with your eyes open, and a website that brings in and converts higher-value clients lets you hold your rate instead of competing on price.
How the rate is worked out
No black box — it's plain arithmetic on the numbers you enter:
- Revenue you need to bill = income you want + yearly business expenses — because your billings have to cover both.
- Billable hours a year = billable hours per week × weeks you work.
- Hourly rate to charge = revenue you need ÷ billable hours a year.
- Day rate = hourly rate × 8 — a standard billable day.
The number that surprises most owners: your rate has to be higher than the wage you want, because it also has to cover your overhead and the hours you can't bill. Time spent quoting, doing admin, and marketing isn't billable — so a rate set only against your target wage quietly leaves you short. Want to raise your rate without losing clients to cheaper competitors? That's exactly what we work on in a free consult — no pitch.