What to charge as a freelancer

Charge enough to cover your real costs and unpaid time, then adjust upward for skill, speed, and risk — not downward to match the loudest lowball on social media.

Start with a number you can defend, then package it.

Calculate what to charge Turn it into a quote

Answer in one screen

What to charge = your personal floor (from costs ÷ billable hours) + a premium for expertise and project risk, presented as hourly, day, or fixed fee depending on scope clarity. If a client’s budget is below your floor, shrink scope or decline — don’t invent a rate that bankrupts you.

Build the floor first

Use the freelance rate formula or the rate calculator. Until that floor exists, “market rates” are noise.

Then sanity-check the market

Peer conversations and public surveys (treat as ranges, not gospel).
Job ads and agency contractor rates in your niche.
What past clients paid you for similar outcomes.

Location matters for local clients; remote work widens the band. NZ framing: freelance day rate NZ.

Experience and specialisation

Generalists compete on availability; specialists compete on fewer, clearer outcomes. Specialisation usually supports higher fees for the same hours. Document case studies (honest ones — no fabricated ROI) to justify the upper band.

Raising your rate

New clients get the new rate immediately.
Existing clients: give notice, explain value briefly, offer to keep old rate only if scope shrinks.
Raise when utilisation is high, not when you’re desperate.

Choosing the presentation

Same underlying economics; different labels. See hourly vs project pricing and how to price freelance work. Put the number in a proper quote.

Red flags you’re undercharging

Every inquiry says “yes” instantly with no negotiation.
You’re booked solid but still stressed about bills.
You’re discounting before the client asks.

Opposite problem — lots of silence — may mean positioning, niche, or proposal quality, not only price. Review proposal pricing mistakes.

Not tax or legal advice. “What to charge” is a business decision. Tax set-asides and GST affect cash you can keep — confirm with official guidance or an adviser.

A simple decision tree

Is scope clear? → lean toward project fee.
Is scope exploratory? → discovery (fixed or day) then re-quote.
Is work ongoing and variable? → retainer or hourly with caps.
Is the budget below your floor even with lean scope? → decline politely.

What “premium” actually means

Premium is not a personality trait. It’s faster delivery, rarer skill, lower client risk (you’ve done this before), or absorbing complexity others won’t. If you can’t name the premium, don’t invent one — improve positioning or stay near your floor until proof exists.

Discounts that don’t wreck you

Nonprofit / early-stage: reduce scope or timeline, or trade for a case study with written permission — not an open 40% cut.
Friends and family: written scope still required.
Volume: lower unit price only when utilisation and cashflow stay healthy.

Currency and local clients

Quote in the currency you want to be paid. For NZ clients, state NZD and GST treatment clearly. For overseas clients, watch transfer fees and who pays them. The calculator lets you label NZD/AUD/USD without claiming FX conversion — intentional simplicity.