Why are billable hours only 25 per week?

As a freelancer, you spend significant time on non-billable tasks like admin, marketing, sales, and accounting. A typical 40-hour workweek only yields 20-25 actual billable hours.

Does this include taxes?

No. You should enter your desired GROSS salary (before taxes), as tax rates vary significantly by region and business structure.

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Finance Tools

Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator

Calculate exactly how much you need to charge per hour to hit your freelance salary goals.

Last updated July 31, 2026

How to use Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator

1Enter the annual salary you want to take home.
2Estimate your total business expenses for the year (software, equipment, travel).
3Enter the number of billable hours you plan to work per week (typically 20-25).
4Enter how many weeks you plan to take off for vacation or holidays.

Why use this tool

Factors in non-billable hours, which most freelancers forget to account for.
Accounts for vacation time and business expenses to give you a true target rate.
100% private and runs locally in your browser.

Use cases

Setting Your Freelance Rates

Stop guessing how much to charge clients and use math to determine your base rate.

Transitioning to Freelance

Find out what you need to charge hourly to match the salary of your full-time job.