Your numbers
What a freelance writer should include in expenses
Typical costs include research tools, grammar and SEO software, a few subscriptions. Add your own and keep receipts for tax time.
Where unbilled time goes
Freelance Writers commonly lose billable hours to pitching, research, interviews and edits. Count these when choosing your billable hours per week.
Pricing models
Common choices are per word or per article for steady clients, hourly for editing, retainers for content calendars.
Tip: Convert per-word rates into an hourly figure: divide the fee by total hours including research and edits.
The math
Gross revenue = ($65,000 + $3,000) ÷ 0.72 = $94,444. Billable hours = (52 − 5) × 20 = 940. Minimum rate = $94,444 ÷ 940 = $100 per hour. See the methodology. Example inputs are illustrations, not market data.
General hourly rate calculator · Tax set-aside · Retainer pricing · All professions
Frequently asked questions
What should a freelance writer charge per hour?
It depends on your target income, costs and billable time. With $65,000 take-home, $3,000 expenses, a 28% tax set-aside, 5 weeks off and 20 billable hours a week, the minimum comes to about $100 per hour. These are example inputs, so enter your own.
How many billable hours does a freelance writer really have?
Many freelancers bill fewer hours than they work because of pitching, research, interviews and edits. The example uses 20 billable hours a week; track your own time to find your number.
How should a freelance writer price work?
Common models are per word or per article for steady clients, hourly for editing, retainers for content calendars.
Is this the rate I should quote?
No. It is the minimum that meets your targets. Add margin for demand, specialty and risk.