How to price freelance work | HustlingTools

Build a sustainable freelance rate using costs, capacity, and margin.

# Start with the business you need
A market rate is a reference point. Your own economics determine whether that rate is sustainable. Write down the monthly amount your business needs to deliver: owner income, operating costs, and a reserve you choose.

## Count billable hours honestly
A full working week is not a full billable week. Sales, administration, learning, and time off all take capacity. Start with the hours you can realistically sell each month.

## Calculate your floor
Add your income target and business costs. Divide by the share of revenue left after your chosen reserve, then divide by billable hours. This gives a planning rate, not a promise that every client will accept it.

## Quote the project, define the scope
Turn the rate into an estimate using delivery hours, direct expenses, contingency, and target margin. Specify deliverables, included revision rounds, dependencies, and payment milestones.

## Review the result
After delivery, compare quoted hours with actual hours. A project can look profitable while quietly consuming all of your capacity. Use the Project Pricing Engine before your next proposal.