·Free tool · no signup·

What should you charge?

Enter what you want to earn. We’ll tell you the hourly rate that actually gets you there — buffer for taxes, downtime, and the work that isn’t billable.

Your numbers

What do you do?Where are you based?Target annual income — what you want to earn

Billable hours per week25h

Most full-time freelancers bill 25–35h/wk. The rest goes to admin, proposals, and learning.

Buffer — taxes, downtime, sick days30%

Default 30% covers ~25% tax + a few unbilled days a quarter. Higher if you’re sole-trading in the US or AU.

What you should charge as a web designer

Minimum hourly rate · the floor

$67/ hour (USD)

What you need to cover your target with zero buffer.

Sustainable rate · charge this

$87/ hour

Hits your target with 30% buffer for taxes, admin, downtime.

Premium rate · for higher-value engagements

$130/ hour

Aim here when you’re booked solid or working with established clients.

Project packages · at sustainable rate

Half-day · 4hr$350
Day rate · 8hr$700
Week · 40hr$3,500
Month · 4 weeks$14,000

Annual hours. We use 48 working weeks per year — accounting for ~4 weeks of holiday, sick days, and unbilled admin. Annual billable hours = 25 × 48 = 1200.

Minimum rate. Target income ÷ annual billable hours. This is the absolute floor — every hour below this loses money.

Sustainable rate. Minimum + buffer for taxes, downtime, unpaid admin work, and the fact that you won’t hit your billable hours every week. This is the number to put on proposals.

Premium rate. Sustainable × 1.5. When you’re booked solid, working with established clients, or being asked to deliver something nobody else can — this is the bracket.

All numbers in USD. Project packages round to clean figures so they look right on an invoice. Math is intentionally visible — no growth-hacking inputs.

Next step

Send a proposal at this rate — in minutes.

Kinako drafts the proposal, sends it as a polished public link, and chases follow-ups if your client takes their time.

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