Figuring out your pricing is one of the hardest parts of ANY business. What should I charge? Should I raise my rates? Am I charging enough? One simple solution: Find out what others in your industry are charging.
We’ve compiled some of the best reports, tools, and posts from our freelance community to give you a sense of what other freelancers are charging. These resources can act as your sounding board, helping you adjust your current pricing or set your rates for the first time ever.
Start your research with these resources, but don’t be afraid to reach out to your community to compare rates too. Talking about money is healthy and normal — it should be the standard, especially for freelancers. We’re all here to help each other!
For Freelance Writers and Marketers
Peak Freelance’s Writing Rates Report
The Freelance Writing Rates Report from Peak Freelance is an incredible resource for content marketers and writers. Peak Freelance surveyed more than 200 freelancers in this space and generated insights on pricing and income for newbies and veterans alike. Dig in to figure out what to charge for white papers, blog posts, emails, and more, and see what others in your industry are making overall.
Ashley Cummings’ Freelance Writing Rates Report
This report, specifically for writers, was put together by Ashley Cummings because she spent so much time researching rates as a new writer. She couldn’t find the exact info she wanted, so she did the work herself! After surveying more than 260 freelance writers, she created this report. Check out her findings to see the rates other writers charge and how they structure their pricing. Ashley also shares data on how often other freelancers work each week, how they find clients, and lots more.
Superpath’s Content Marketing Report
Compare the potential earnings of full-time versus freelance marketing with this handy report from Superpath. It includes data on total income in both categories along with breakdowns for B2B, DTC, and job title, and the wage gap between men and women. This is especially helpful if you’re currently working full time and considering the shift to freelance — or debating going back to full-time work.
Credo’s Digital Marketing Consultant Rates
This survey data from Credo is simple but super helpful. It shares insights on contract length and average monthly retainer. I’d recommend pairing this data with their overview of rates, retainers and project minimums for digital agencies if you operate more as an agency than a solopreneur — or if you want to grow into that!
Editorial Freelancers Association Editorial Rates
This editorial rate chart created by the Editorial Freelancers Association compiles median rate ranges across a diverse spectrum of freelance writing and marketing functions. You’ll find insights organized by hourly rate, per-word pricing, and pace of work. If you’re a freelance writer or a marketer, you’ll want to bookmark this comprehensive rate sheet for future reference.
For Freelance Designers
Dribbble’s Freelance Graphic Design Rates Guide
The calculator in Dribbble’s graphic design rates guide is a perfect starting place for pricing. Add your location, role, and years of experience to get a suggested rate in your local currency. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the guide too. They give you an equation to calculate your hourly rate based on how much you want or need to earn, and advise you on whether hourly or fixed-rate pricing would be better.
Payscale’s Freelance Graphic Design Guide
Payscale provides a variety of tools to help you define your rates, including a calculator to figure out your “market worth.” You’ll also find information on average hourly rates for designers and skills that affect salaries.
For Freelance Developers and Product People
Say My Rate’s Calculator
The team at Say My Rate can help you discover your “true” hourly rate with their free rate tool. Once you specify your name, the type of work you do, your location, your experience, and a few more details, their team emails you an hourly rate that they’re “fairly confident you could earn on the market.” It’s truly that simple!
Arc’s Freelance Developer Rate Explorer
The rate explorer from Arc is unique in that it shares average hourly rates for specific development skills, including WordPress, blockchain, Ruby on Rails, and a dozen other development niches. This could be helpful if you work with a variety of development languages and want to price more challenging projects at a higher rate. Never undervalue your skills!
For All Freelancers
Freelancing Females’ Rate Sheet and Calculator
Freelancing Females developed a super helpful rate calculator and an extensive breakdown of freelancing rates worldwide. This is one of the most comprehensive rate sheets we’ve seen. It includes details like gender, location, rate type, industry, job title, and more. Scroll to find your job type, which is listed alphabetically, and then use the industry column to find the rates that directly correlate with the work you do.
Upwork’s How to Calculate Your Freelance Rate
This comprehensive guide from Upwork gives you step-by-step directions for determining your freelance marketing rate along with helpful equations. They encourage you to think about your annual income goal, expenses, and value too — important pieces of the puzzle that are easy to forget when you’re setting competitive rates.
More Resources on Setting Your Freelance Rates
How to Figure Out Your Pricing
Harlow’s pricing guide helps you calculate billable hours and working days per year. We’re passionate about helping find the best work-life balance possible, and to do that, you have to factor in your downtime too.
How to Discuss Freelancer Fees With Clients
Do you get anxiety sharing your rates with a prospective client for the first time? Big same. It can be so nerve-wracking — What will they think? Am I asking for too much? In this article, we break down a few common scenarios that crop up when discussing pricing and help you navigate each one.
How to Repackage Your Services and Sell the Value of Your Work
Finally, learn how to charge the rate you deserve, and more importantly — how to own it! This post will inspire you to refine your pricing and make sure you’re charging based on value and results.
