Step 1 of 4
Estimate realistic billable capacity
Tool: Billable Hours Calculator
Before you set a rate or quote a project, know how many hours you can actually invoice. Admin, sales, meetings, and time off are real work — they just are not billable.
Calculators
Pick the calculator for the job in front of you.
Four calculators, one connected pricing system: estimate capacity, set the baseline, price the work, then audit whether reality respected the spreadsheet.
If you are deciding where to begin, start with Step 1. Each calculator links to the next logical move so you never have to guess what comes after.
The core pricing loop
Step 2 of 4
Set your baseline hourly rate
Tool: Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
Your hourly floor is the number every quote, retainer, and revenue target depends on. Include expenses, tax reserve, savings, and slow-month buffer.
Step 3 of 4
Turn that rate into a project quote
Tool: Project Quote Calculator
Fixed-fee pricing is still hourly math underneath. Count delivery, admin, revision risk, and profit before the proposal leaves your inbox.
Step 4 of 4
Audit what you actually earned
Tool: Effective Hourly Rate Calculator
After delivery, check whether the project held up. The invoice total is not the same as what you earned per hour once the hidden hours show up.
Set your baseline
Billable Hours Calculator
What it calculates: Realistic billable hours after admin, sales, meetings, time off, and solo-operator capacity drag.
When to use it: Use it before rate, quote, or revenue planning so your denominator reflects actual sellable time rather than calendar cosplay.
Related next: Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
What it calculates: The hourly rate your business needs after expenses, reserves, unpaid work, and slow-month buffer.
When to use it: Use it before proposals, retainers, or revenue planning so every price starts from a defensible floor.
Related next: Project Quote Calculator
Revenue Goal Calculator
What it calculates: The gross business revenue required to hit a personal take-home goal after expenses and reserves.
When to use it: Use it when you need revenue targets, project volume, lead volume, or retainer coverage math.
Related next: Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
Price work
Project Quote Calculator
What it calculates: A fixed-fee project quote from your hourly baseline, delivery/admin hours, revision-risk buffer, profit buffer, and scope pressure.
When to use it: Use it before sending a flat-fee proposal so delivery, admin, revisions, and rush pressure are all priced on purpose.
Related next: Effective Hourly Rate Calculator
Retainer Pricing Calculator
What it calculates: A monthly retainer price from scoped hours, meetings, overhead, risk buffer, margin, and overages.
When to use it: Use it before offering ongoing monthly work, priority access, support, or recurring service packages.
Related next: Revenue Goal Calculator
Audit reality
Effective Hourly Rate Calculator
What it calculates: What a finished project actually earned per hour after hidden unpaid hours and project-specific expenses.
When to use it: Use it after delivery to audit whether the quote held up or quietly turned into discounted labor.
Related next: Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator
Scope Creep Cost Calculator
What it calculates: The cost of unpaid extra hours, rate collapse, missed change orders, and opportunity cost.
When to use it: Use it when a fixed-fee project expanded and you need the damage in actual money, not vibes.
Related next: Project Quote Calculator