Calculate your minimum freelance rate based on simplified tax estimates, real expenses and income goals. Always verify with a tax advisor.
Enter your target net income, country, vacation days, sick-day buffer, non-billable time percentage, monthly business costs and pension savings. The calculator estimates the gross revenue you need, then divides it by your billable hours to arrive at your minimum hourly rate.
Yes, completely free. No account, email, or signup required. You can also download a branded PDF at no cost.
The calculator uses simplified public tax bracket data as a starting point. Individual deductions, regional taxes and business structure affect your actual liability. Always verify with a qualified tax advisor.
Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Australia. These cover the largest freelance markets. More will be added over time.
Time you work but cannot charge clients — proposals, admin, networking, learning. For most freelancers this is 20-35% of working time. Ignoring it means setting your rate too low.
Available when Netherlands is selected. Estimates your monthly AOV (disability insurance) premium based on age, waiting period and coverage, and shows the per-hour rate impact. Also includes a note on the proposed BAZ public baseline scheme currently under parliamentary review.
Practical guides on pricing, tax, and running a sustainable freelance business.
April 2026 · 7 min read
There's a version of this conversation that happens constantly in freelance circles: someone mentions what they charge, someone else quietly does the maths, and realises they've been undercharging for years. It's uncomfortable, and it's common.
The good news is that raising your rate is rarely as difficult as it feels. Clients don't leave because your price went up — they leave when the work stops being worth it, or when communication breaks down. A straightforward rate increase, handled well, is something most clients accept without drama.
Before you decide what to charge, you need to know what you actually need to earn. That means accounting for taxes, pension, sick days, non-billable admin time, and business costs — not just the salary equivalent you're targeting. Use the calculator on this page to find your minimum. Most people are surprised to discover it's higher than they expected.
Once you know your floor, add a buffer. Twenty percent is a reasonable starting point. That becomes your recommended rate — the number you actually quote, which gives you room to negotiate down if needed without falling below what you need to make the business work.
There's no perfect moment, but there are better ones. A few that tend to work well:
Avoid raising rates mid-project or when a client is under pressure. Timing isn't everything, but it matters.
Give them notice — six to eight weeks is standard. Keep it short and direct. You don't need to justify every line item of your increased costs. A message like this works for most situations:
"I wanted to give you advance notice that I'll be updating my rates from [date]. My new rate will be [amount]. I've really enjoyed working together and I'm looking forward to continuing — please let me know if you'd like to talk through anything."
That's it. No apology, no lengthy explanation. Most clients will simply acknowledge it and carry on.
Some will. When that happens, you have a few options: hold firm and see if they stay, offer a phased increase over two or three months, or adjust the scope — fewer revision rounds, longer lead times, a smaller retainer. What you shouldn't do is simply back down to avoid discomfort. That sets a precedent that's hard to walk back.
A client who refuses any rate increase after years of work together is usually a sign of a relationship that's worth reassessing anyway.
With new clients, there's no awkward history to navigate. Quote your rate clearly and without apology. If they ask whether there's flexibility, that's a normal negotiation — not a signal you're overcharging. The clients who push hardest on price before work has even started are often the most difficult to work with.
Use the calculator to set your minimum, then quote 20% above it. That's your starting position. You'll rarely need to move far.
Find your minimum and recommended rate in under two minutes.
April 2026 · 10 min read
One of the most common pricing mistakes freelancers make is working backwards from a salary. You want to take home €60,000, so you figure you need to bill €60,000. The problem is that as a self-employed person, you're responsible for taxes and contributions that an employer would otherwise cover — and in most countries, those add up to 30–50% on top of what you want to keep.
Dutch ZZP'ers pay income tax under Box 1 of the inkomstenbelasting. The first bracket (up to €38,441) is taxed at 36.97%, and anything above at 49.50%. Two important reliefs reduce the effective burden: the MKB-winstvrijstelling (a 12.7% deduction on profit) and the heffingskorting and arbeidskorting.
Self-employed Americans pay self-employment (SE) tax on top of regular income tax. SE tax covers Social Security (12.4% on income up to $176,100) and Medicare (2.9% with no cap), for a combined 15.3%.
UK freelancers pay income tax at 20% (basic rate, up to £50,270) and 40% above that, with a personal allowance of £12,570. National Insurance adds Class 4 contributions.
Germany's tax setup for Freiberufler is particularly heavy on social contributions. Income tax runs from 14% to 45%, with health insurance adding around 16.3% including the Zusatzbeitrag.
French freelancers under the micro-entrepreneur regime pay a flat social contribution of approximately 22.2% of turnover for liberal professions (BNC). Income tax then applies on profit.
Italy's Regime Forfettario offers a flat substitutive tax of 15% (or 5% for the first five years) on 78% of gross revenue. INPS Gestione Separata contributions add 26.07%.
Canadian freelancers pay federal income tax (15–33%) plus provincial tax. CPP totals 11.9% on income between $3,500 and $73,200 for self-employed people.
Australia's Stage 3 tax cuts reduced rates for mid-range earners. Rates run from 16% on income above $18,200 up to 45% at the top, plus a 2% Medicare levy.
Wherever you're based, your minimum rate has to cover not just your desired income but your full tax and social contribution burden, business costs, pension, sick time, and non-billable hours.
The calculator handles the tax estimates for all eight countries.
April 2026 · 8 min read
Ask a ZZP'er what their biggest financial risk is, and most will say "not finding enough work." Ask their accountant, and you'll get a different answer: not being able to work.
AOV is income replacement insurance for self-employed people. If you're unable to work due to illness or injury, the policy pays out a monthly benefit — typically 70–80% of your declared income.
As of early 2026, AOV is not yet legally mandatory for all ZZP'ers in the Netherlands, but legislation is expected to come into effect in the coming years.
Add your estimated monthly premium to your business costs in this calculator. A €200/month premium (€2,400/year) adds approximately €1.78 per billable hour to your minimum rate.
Knab Zakelijk, Univé, De Goudse, and Nationale Nederlanden are commonly used by ZZP'ers. Knab AOV for ZZP'ers →
Select Netherlands in the calculator, then enable the AOV module to see the per-hour impact on your rate.
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