Freelance day rate calculator
Enter what you want to earn, how much of the year you can bill and what the business costs to run. We'll turn that into a day rate, a weekly rate and an hourly equivalent.
Your inputs
The money you want left after business costs, before income tax and NI.
Software, insurance, accountancy, equipment, workspace, training.
Be honest — admin and sales are unpaid time.
52 minus holiday, bank holidays and expected sick days.
Your minimum day rate
£256
Based on 176 billable days a year
Hourly equivalent
£34
Weekly income
£1,023
Turnover needed
£45,000
Capacity used
80%
Share of a 5-day week that's billable
What that leaves you
At £45,000 turnover with £5,000 of costs, a sole trader would keep roughly £32,868 after income tax and Class 4 National Insurance — about £2,739 a month.
Refine this in the take-home calculatorHow to set a day rate that survives contact with reality
A day rate is not a wage. It has to absorb unpaid time, holiday, pension, equipment, insurance and the gaps between contracts. The common mistake is dividing a desired salary by 260 days — that quietly assumes you'll never take a holiday, never chase an invoice and never spend a Friday writing proposals.
Start with the number you need, not the number you want
Work out your household costs, add a buffer for quiet months, then treat that as the profit target. Everything above it is genuine progress rather than a rate you have to defend.
Review the rate every renewal
Costs rise. Set a calendar reminder each spring, re-run this calculator with your real billable days from the previous year, and adjust before you renew a retainer rather than after.
Frequently asked questions
Keep planning
Self-employed take-home pay calculator
Estimate income tax, Class 4 National Insurance and student loan deductions on your sole trader profit.
Annual income target calculator
Work backwards from the take-home pay you need to the turnover, day rate and client count required.
Business expense impact calculator
See the true after-tax cost of a business purchase and how allowable expenses reduce your tax and NI bill.
These tools give a general illustration only. They are not personalised financial advice and are not FCA-regulated — always check current rates and rules before making a decision.