Every freelance rate calculator I could find either ignored self-employment tax, buried the result behind an email gate, or gave you a number with no explanation of how it got there. So I built one that doesn’t.
The problem with most rate calculators is that they work forwards: take your desired salary, divide by hours, done. That approach misses the costs freelancers carry that employees don’t — 15.3% self-employment tax, health insurance premiums, business expenses, and the income gap that comes from time off, slow seasons, and unpaid admin.
ChargeWhat works backwards. You enter the take-home you need, and the calculator figures out the minimum rate required to actually get there — after all taxes, after all costs, with a buffer built in. The math is transparent, the results update instantly, and nothing is hidden behind a signup.
Right now: a US freelance rate calculator covering all 50 states, and a UK freelance rate calculator verified against HMRC 2026/27 rates including Scotland’s six-band system. Both include a visual breakdown of where your gross revenue goes, and the US calculator includes a project quote tool.
A Canada calculator is in the works. An LLC vs S-Corp calculator — to help freelancers model whether S-Corp election makes sense at their income level — is planned for later in 2026.
All results are estimates for planning purposes, not tax advice. The US calculator uses 2026 IRS rates with SE tax applied to 92.35% of net profit per Schedule SE methodology. The UK calculator uses HMRC 2026/27 published rates. For decisions about business structure or tax strategy, talk to a CPA or accountant.
Tom Cashman, Chicago. Questions, feedback, or spotted an error in the math — hello@chargewhat.app.
