Free tools · about 2 minutes · no sign-up

Freelance rate calculator

Most new freelancers undercharge because they forget unpaid time, holidays, tax and fees. Work back from the income you need to an hourly, day and project rate.

Your minimum rate

R325 an hour

Day rateR2 600

10-hour projectR3 250

Paid hours a month48

To take home R15 000 you need to bill about R15 600 a month before fees and tax.

If this is far above what clients in your field pay, change one thing: more hours, a higher-value skill, or a lower target. A rate clients won't pay won't close the gap.

Who it is for

It is for South African freelancers and anyone about to quote their first client: writers, designers, virtual assistants, tutors, developers, bookkeepers and editors. It suits you whether you sell to local clients by EFT or to overseas clients through Fiverr, Upwork or direct invoices.

Use it before you set your prices, and again each year as your costs and experience change.

How it works

Start with the money you want to take home each month. The calculator adds what you should set aside for tax and your monthly business costs, then grosses that up for platform or payment fees.
It divides the total by the hours clients actually pay for: your weekly hours, minus unpaid admin and selling time, minus weeks off.
You get a minimum hourly rate, a day rate (your hourly rate times the hours in your working day) and a project price for a typical job. Treat these as the lowest you should charge: check them against what clients in your field pay, and against the value of the work to the client.

Worked example

A designer wants R15,000 a month, works 20 hours a week, expects 60% of that time to be paid, takes 4 weeks off a year, spends R600 a month on software and data, and finds clients on Fiverr, which keeps 20% of each order.

That works out to about 48 paid hours a month and R19 500 in orders needed each month. The minimum rate is R407 an hour, a day rate of R3 256, and R4 070 for a 10-hour project.

Selling directly to clients with no platform fee brings the hourly rate down by a fifth.

Tips before you rely on it

Your first rate is not forever. Raise it for new clients once you have three good reviews or repeat work.
Quote a project price with a clear scope and number of revisions, so extra work becomes a new quote rather than free time.
Ask for a deposit, often 30 to 50%, before starting work for a new client.
Keep a simple log of hours per job for a month. It shows which work is really worth your time.

Not sure what to try yet?

The free test takes about 6 minutes. It matches ways to earn, from freelancing to selling and local services, to your skills, time, data and budget, and shows you what to try first.

Take the free test

Questions people ask

What percentage of my time will be billable?

When you start, often 50 to 70%. Quoting, messages, revisions, invoicing and finding the next client all take time that nobody pays for.

Should I charge per hour or per project?

Per project is often better for you and clearer for the client. Use the hourly figure to price the project, then add a buffer for revisions.

How do I include tax?

Use the side income tax calculator to see what share of your profit to set aside, then put that percentage in the tax field.

What if my rate is higher than the market?

Then the plan needs more paid hours, a more valuable skill or niche, or a lower income target. Lowering your rate below the floor means working at a loss.

Sources

PayPal ZA: seller fees (receiving international commercial transactions, fixed fee by currency) (checked 24 October 2026)
FNB: PayPal withdraw service (tiered pricing, maximum 1.51%) (checked 24 October 2026)
Payoneer: pricing (receiving accounts, withdrawals, annual fee) (checked 24 October 2026)
Fiverr Help Center: how Fiverr works for freelancers (sellers keep 80%) (checked 24 October 2026)
Upwork: freelancer plans and fees (variable fee 0% to 15%) (checked 24 October 2026)
Wise ZA: Wise Business receiving fees for businesses in South Africa (21 GBP one-time for account details, USD wire or Swift 6.11 USD) (checked 24 October 2026)
Wise ZA: Wise Business pricing (conversion and sending fees vary by currency, from 0.35%) (checked 24 October 2026)

We update fees and rates when providers change them. If you spot one that is out of date, tell us.

Try another free tool

Business viability calculatorBreak-even, fees and a proceed, revise or abandon verdict in rand.About 3 minutesTest an idea Payout fee comparisonWhat you keep from a dollar payment via PayPal, Payoneer and others.About 1 minuteCompare payouts Is this a scam? checkerPaste a message or tick what happened. Get a plain risk score.About 1 minuteCheck an offer Side income tax calculatorEstimate tax on side income with SARS 2026/27 tables.About 2 minutesEstimate my tax Data cost calculatorHow many GB your online work uses, and what that costs in rand.About 2 minutesWork out my data Pyramid scheme spotting quizEight real-life pitches. Can you spot the pyramid?About 3 minutesTake the quiz Remote job readiness checkerAre you set up for a remote job? Score, gaps and next steps.About 2 minutesCheck my setup Job to online skills translatorTurn the job you do now into online work you could do.About 1 minuteTranslate my job What can I start with?Ideas you can start with R0, R500 or R2,000, phone or laptop.About 1 minuteShow me ideas Phone-only income finderOptions that work with just a smartphone, and what to skip.About 1 minuteFind phone options Money personality quizSix quick questions. Find your earning style in 60 seconds.About 1 minuteTake the quiz How long to save R10k?Pick a goal and a monthly amount. See your timeline.About 1 minutePlan my goal