Tools/Rate Calculator

Calculate Your Protected Rate And Quote Range

Start with the minimum rate that protects your income after taxes, expenses, and non-billable work. Then turn that floor into a quote range using your niche benchmark and experience level.

Accounts for taxes & transaction fees

Factors in unbillable time (admin, sick days)

Turns your protected floor into a benchmark-aware quote range

The Undercharging Risk: Dividing a target monthly income by billable hours alone does not account for taxes, fees, overhead, and unbillable time. Undercharging leads to rushed work and unsustainable commitments.

Calculate Your Rate

Currency

Pay Period

Enter amounts per month

Monthly Target Income ($) *

Amount you want to keep each month (after taxes)

Monthly Business Expenses ($)

Internet, software, hardware, workspace

Optional market benchmark

Select a niche now to calculate a benchmark-aware quote range immediately after your protected floor.

Niche

Your protected floor is still based on your income, expenses, taxes, and billable hours.

Experience Level

Used only for the market quote range, not the protected floor formula.

Advanced Settings (Tax, Hours, Efficiency)

Tax & Fee Buffer: 8%

Default is a conservative 10% starting buffer. For many Filipino freelancers, that roughly covers the 8% gross-receipt option plus transfer fees. Increase it if your real taxes, platform fees, or payment-processing costs are higher.

Work Days/Month: 20

Daily Hours: 8

4h (Part-time)8h (Standard)12h (Extended)

Efficiency Factor: 100%

Efficiency now starts at 100%, which assumes every entered hour is billable. Lower it if your month includes admin work, revisions, prospecting, meetings, sick days, or other non-billable time so your quoted rate still protects your income.

Maintain Your Rates with Confidence

Calculating your rate is only the beginning. Use Salag's Conversation Risk Engine to handle rate erosion attempts and negotiate like a pro when clients push for discounts.

Start Protecting Free Explore All Tools

Common Expenses (Philippines)

Typical Filipino freelancer expenses, converted to USD:

Internet (Primary)

$26.79

(₱1,500 PHP)

Internet Backup (Load)

$8.93

(₱500 PHP)

HMO / Health Insurance

$53.57

(₱3,000 PHP)

Electricity (Work)

$21.43

(₱1,200 PHP)

PhilHealth Contribution

$7.14

(₱400 PHP)

Software Subscriptions

$35.71

(₱2,000 PHP)

Example: USD Freelancer

Scenario: Wants $3k/month take-home, $300/month expenses

Step 1: Total Need = $3,000 + $300 = $3,300

Step 2: Gross Revenue = $3,300 × 1.10 = $3,630

Step 3: Real Hours = 20 days × 8 hours × 1.00 = 160 hours

Result: $3,630 ÷ 160 = $23/hour

Related Resources

→ Payment Method Risk Check - Verify payment method safety → Scam Pattern Detector - Check if this is a scam attempt → Readiness Checker - Assess your freelance readiness