About the Freelance Rate Calculator
A free calculator for US freelancers, independent contractors and consultants that works backward from the take-home pay you want to the hourly rate you need.
Who is behind it
The Freelance Rate Calculator is built and maintained by Tobias Nösel, an independent operator based in Hannover, Germany. Provider details are in the Legal Notice; you can reach the operator through the Contact page.
What it does
The calculator reverses the usual pricing question. Instead of guessing a rate, you enter the take-home pay you want, your expenses, your time and your other income. It solves for the profit that leaves that take-home pay after federal income tax, self-employment tax, state tax, health insurance and retirement savings, adds your expenses and divides by your billable hours.
It runs entirely in your browser. Your inputs are not sent to a server, and the site uses no advertising, affiliate links or tracking.
Where the numbers come from
Tax values for 2026 come from IRS publications: the inflation adjustments announced for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), the self-employment tax rules and the estimated tax guidance. The tax functions are tested against reference values from an independent exact-fraction calculation, and the reverse calculation is verified by running its result forward again. Every topic page lists its sources, and the full method is described on How the Freelance Rate Calculator works.
How and when it is updated
Tax values are reviewed once a year when the IRS publishes the new inflation adjustments, and whenever a rule used by the calculator changes. Each page shows the month of its last content change, and the sitemap carries the same date.
Change log
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| October 15, 2026 | First release: calculator with tax year 2026 values, guide, ten topic pages, backup and import of inputs, light and dark mode. |
| October 15, 2026 | Added the method page, this page, Markdown versions of all pages and per-page dates. |
What it is not
The calculator is a simplified estimate for planning prices. It is not tax, legal or financial advice and it does not replace a CPA or an enrolled agent. It does not model tax credits, dependents, itemized deductions, state-specific rules or special situations; the method page lists everything that is left out.
Found an error?
If a number, a source or a statement looks wrong, please write through the Contact page. Corrections are made as soon as they are verified, and the change log above records them.