Business

Calculate Your Freelance Hourly Rate

Built by Kevin Glover · @gloverbuilds · Verified formula

Set profitable freelance rates based on your target income, expenses, billable hours, and taxes.

📅 Updated April 2026 ✅ Formula verified 📖 4 min read 🆓 Free · No sign-up

In this article

Why Freelancers Undercharge
The Billable Hours Reality

Formel

(Wunschnetto + KV + RV + Steuern + Kosten) / fakturierbare Stunden. Fuer 4.000 € netto: ~6.500-7.500 € brutto noetig. Bei 120 fakturierbaren Stunden: 54-63 €/h. KV als Selbststaendiger: ~850 €/Monat (GKV).

Fakturierbar

140-160 Tage/Jahr realistisch. Erstes Jahr oft nur 100-120.

⚡ CalcWolf Insight

The #1 pricing mistake freelancers make: pricing based on what they think the client will pay instead of what they need to earn. Calculate your minimum rate from your financial needs FIRST, then only take clients who can pay that rate. Discounting your rate to win work is a race to the bottom that leads to burnout and financial stress.

Frequently asked questions

Wie berechnen?▾

Alle Kosten + Wunschnetto / fakturierbare Stunden. 5.000 € netto: ~70-90 €/h.

Fakturierbare Tage?▾

140-160/Jahr realistisch. 75% Maximum fuer Solo-Freelancer.

✓ Math logic verified against primary sources → See our verification process

Kevin Glover · @gloverbuilds

Founder, CalcWolf · GLVTS · Blickr

All formulas sourced from primary references — IRS publications, peer-reviewed research, and official standards. Results are tested against independent reference calculators before publishing. Rates and brackets updated when official sources change. Editorial policy →