Chameleon AIFreelance Rate Calculator
Work out the minimum rate your costs actually require, then build a project quote that holds. Nothing is uploaded: every number stays in your browser.
- 🎁 Free to use
- 🔒 Nothing leaves your browser
- 📱 Works on desktop and mobile
- 🖨 Print or copy your result
Your numbers
Start with what you want to take home, then let the tool account for the costs and unpaid time that a bare hourly figure always misses.
Income and costs
Annual figures. Use your own currency.
Software, hardware, insurance, accounting, workspace, marketing.
Subtract holidays and sick leave. 46 is a realistic default.
Admin, sales, learning and email are not billable. Most solo freelancers land between 50% and 70%.
A rough allowance so tax does not eat your income. Confirm your real rate with an accountant.
A margin is what lets you absorb a bad month and reinvest.
Project quote
Turn your floor rate into a quote you can send.
Covers a vague brief, slow decisions and one extra revision round.
Your results
Updates as you type.
Project quote
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated hours × floor rate | — |
| Risk buffer | — |
| Quote total | — |
| Deposit due to start | — |
| Balance on delivery | — |
Save this run on your device
Add your email to label the saved run, then use Print / save as PDF above for a copy. Everything stays in your browser; the calculator keeps working either way.
Now get the words
The calculator gives you the number. The Freelance Client Kit gives you the 60 prompts and 4 scripts for the conversations that lead to that number being agreed and paid on time.
See the Freelance Client Kit — $39How the calculation works
1. Add what you need
Target income plus business costs. This is the real money the business has to produce.
2. Gross it up for tax
Divide by one minus your tax rate, so the figure is pre-tax revenue rather than wishful take-home.
3. Divide by billable hours
Not hours worked. Billable hours are what you actually sell, and they are usually far fewer.
The gap between hours worked and hours billed is the single most common reason freelancers undercharge. Someone working 40 hours a week at 60% billable has around 1,100 sellable hours a year, not 2,000. Divide the same income by a smaller number and the rate rises to meet reality.
Questions
Is the Rate Calculator really free?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. There is no account, no sign-up and no cost.
Where do my numbers go?
Nowhere. Everything you type stays in your browser and is never sent to us or anyone else. Close the tab and it is gone, so use the print or copy option if you want to keep the result.
How is the minimum rate calculated?
We start with the income you want to take home, add your business costs, then gross that up for tax and add a profit margin. The total is divided by the billable hours you actually expect to sell, which gives your floor rate.
What is a risk buffer?
A percentage added to a project quote to cover the things that almost always happen: a vague brief, a slow decision, one extra revision round. It is not padding for its own sake. It is the difference between a quote that holds and one you resent.
Is this financial or tax advice?
No. It is a planning tool. Tax treatment depends on your country, entity and circumstances. Check your figures with a qualified accountant.
Why is there a paid kit as well?
The calculator tells you the number. The Freelance Client Kit gives you the words: 60 prompts and scripts for the conversations that lead to that number being agreed and paid.