Contractor rate calculator

Start from the salary you’d want as an employee. The calculator adds what employers normally pay on top, your business costs and the days you can’t bill — and gives you a day rate.

Salary you’d want as an employee, per yearCurrency

Employer costs you’ll now pay yourself (%)Pension, health insurance, social contributions — often 20–40%Business costs per yearLaptop, software, insurance, accountant, co-workingVacation daysPublic holidaysSick daysTime you can’t bill (%)Finding clients, admin, gaps between projectsBillable hours per daySafety margin (%)

Day rate—

Hourly rate—

Billable days a year—

Revenue needed a year—

Before tax and VAT. Check your local rules for freelancers.

Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to HiroHunt or stored.

Why the rate is higher than your salary ÷ days

As an employee, your employer pays for your pension, part of your social security, your laptop, your holidays and the weeks you’re between projects. As a contractor you pay all of that yourself. That’s why a fair day rate is usually well above your old salary divided by 260 working days.

How it’s calculated

Revenue needed = salary × (1 + employer costs %) + business costs, then × (1 + safety margin).
Billable days = 52 × 5 working days − vacation − public holidays − sick days, then × (1 − time you can’t bill).
Day rate = revenue needed ÷ billable days. Hourly rate = day rate ÷ billable hours per day.

Sense-check the number

Compare your result with what other contractors in your field and country charge. If the market rate is much lower, look at your costs and non-billable time first — those two move the answer most.

Questions

What’s a normal non-billable share?

Many freelancers can bill 60–80% of their working days once you count finding work, admin and gaps between clients. Long contracts sit at the high end.

Does this include tax?

No. Income tax and VAT/sales tax depend on your country and how you’re set up — talk to an accountant.

Is anything stored?

No. Everything is calculated in your browser.

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