How to price freelance projects without guessing

Start from the year, not the hour

Decide what you need to earn in a year, then divide by the hours you can realistically bill — usually far fewer than you expect once sales, admin, and unpaid revisions are counted. That figure is your floor, not your price.

Anything below the floor is a project you are subsidising. Knowing the floor makes it much easier to decline calmly instead of discounting reflexively.

Pick the model that matches the uncertainty

Three models cover almost all freelance work:

• Fixed fee — clear scope, known deliverables. Best margin when you scope well.
• Hourly — genuinely undefined work, discovery, or ongoing fixes. Protects you, but caps your upside.
• Retainer — recurring need and predictable capacity. The most stable revenue you can build.

Write the boundary into the proposal

Scope creep is not a client problem; it is a documentation problem. Name the number of revision rounds, what counts as new scope, and the rate for extra work. One sentence in the Terms section prevents most awkward conversations later.

Collect a deposit before the start date. A project that has not been paid for has not been started, and the deposit is what protects your calendar.

Raise prices on new clients first

The lowest-risk way to increase your rate is to quote the new number on the next proposal you send and see what happens. Existing clients get advance notice at a natural break point; new clients simply see your current price.

Track win rate as you go. If you are winning nearly everything, you are priced too low. Proposalist shows accept and decline rates across your proposals so the decision is based on your own numbers instead of a feeling.