How to Set Your Freelance Rate
Your freelance rate must cover not just your salary equivalent, but also overhead (health insurance, retirement, equipment, software), self-employment taxes, non-billable hours (marketing, admin), and a profit margin for business growth.
Billable vs Total Hours
Most freelancers can only bill 60-70% of their working hours. The rest goes to finding clients, admin work, invoicing, and professional development. A common mistake is using 2,080 hours (full-time) when most freelancers bill 1,000-1,500.