Your numbers
Your rate
About freelance writer rates
Writers are paid for words but spend hours researching, interviewing, editing and chasing invoices. An hourly baseline shows what a per-word or per-article price really needs to be.
Work out how long a typical article takes, then convert your hourly rate into a per-word or per-article price.
Expenses to include
- Research tools and paid sources or subscriptions
- Writing and grammar software
- A computer, comfortable desk and reliable internet
- Portfolio site, newsletter or hosting costs
- Memberships and courses
Add these up for a full year and enter the total in "Yearly expenses".
How the rate is calculated
- Revenue needed = take-home ÷ (1 − tax rate) + expenses
- Billable hours per year = hours per week × (52 − weeks off)
- Hourly rate = revenue needed ÷ billable hours per year
This is a planning estimate, not tax advice. Tax rules differ by country, so check with a local accountant for exact figures.
Frequently asked questions
How should a freelance writer set an hourly rate?
Add the income you want to keep to your yearly costs, then divide by the hours you really bill. Pitching, research and edits take a large share of a writer's week, so your billable hours are fewer than your working hours.
Should a freelance writer charge hourly or per project?
Per-word or per-article pricing is common in writing. Set it by dividing your hourly rate by the number of words you actually finish per hour, including research and edits, so a rushed topic does not pay you less than your minimum.
How many hours per week can a freelance writer realistically bill?
Pitching and research are often unpaid, so about 18 to 24 billable hours a week is a reasonable planning range. Starting around 20 is a safe estimate.