# https://chargewhat.app > ChargeWhat is a free rate calculator and content site for US and UK freelancers. It works backwards from a target take-home income to calculate the minimum hourly or day rate needed after taxes, National Insurance, health insurance, pension contributions, and other deductions. The core differentiator is the backwards-calculation approach — most calculators tell you what you'd earn at a given rate; ChargeWhat tells you the minimum rate you need to hit a real take-home target. ## Calculators - [Freelance Rate Calculator — US (2026)](https://chargewhat.app/): Free calculator for US sole proprietors. Inputs include target take-home pay, US state income tax (all 50 states), weeks off per year, billable hours per day, business expenses, health insurance costs, and a profit buffer. Calculates self-employment tax correctly at 15.3% on 92.35% of net profit. Outputs minimum hourly rate, recommended rate with buffer, day rate, SE tax estimate, and a project quote tool. - [Freelance Rate Calculator — UK (2026/27)](https://chargewhat.app/freelance-rate-calculator-uk/): Free calculator for UK sole traders. Covers Income Tax for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland (6-band system), Class 4 National Insurance, Personal Allowance taper above £100,000, student loan repayments (Plans 1/2/4/5 and Postgraduate), pension contributions, and a VAT threshold warning at £80,000 projected gross. Outputs minimum hourly rate, day rate, and annual gross needed. ## Articles - [How to Set Your Freelance Rate in the US (2026)](https://chargewhat.app/how-to-set-freelance-rate/): Explains why the standard divide salary by 2080 hours formula produces a rate that will leave most freelancers undercharging. Covers self-employment tax, unpaid time, health insurance, business expenses, and profit buffer. Includes a worked example and a section on market ceiling. - [How to Set Your Freelance Rate in the UK (2026/27)](https://chargewhat.app/how-to-set-freelance-rate-uk/): UK-specific guide covering why most UK freelancers undercharge due to misunderstanding National Insurance. Explains the backwards-calculation method, Income Tax bands, Class 4 NI, and how to account for unpaid time and pension contributions when setting a day rate. - [Freelance Tax Guide — US (2026)](https://chargewhat.app/freelance-tax-guide/): Comprehensive guide to US freelance taxes covering self-employment tax, federal income tax, state income tax, quarterly estimated payments, deductible business expenses, and the home office deduction. - [Self-Employment Tax in 2026: How the 15.3% Rate Actually Works](https://chargewhat.app/self-employment-tax-2026/): Deep-dive on SE tax mechanics. Explains the employer and employee components of Social Security and Medicare, the 92.35% net profit adjustment, the 50% SE tax deduction, and the Social Security wage base limit of $176,100 in 2026. - [LLC vs S-Corp for Freelancers: Which Saves You More in Taxes?](https://chargewhat.app/llc-vs-scorp-freelancers/): Compares LLC and S-Corp election for freelancers. Covers SE tax savings, payroll costs, state filing fees, and the income threshold at which an S-Corp election typically becomes worthwhile. - [How to Set Your Freelance Copywriting Rate in 2026](https://chargewhat.app/freelance-copywriter-rate-2026/): Rate-setting guide for freelance copywriters using 2026 AWAI and EFA survey data, then applying the backwards-calculation method to verify whether market rates actually cover real costs. - [UK Freelance Tax Guide (2026/27)](https://chargewhat.app/freelance-tax-guide-uk/): Covers Income Tax bands, Class 4 National Insurance, Self Assessment deadlines, payment on account, Making Tax Digital requirements, allowable expenses, and the VAT registration threshold of £90,000. - [How to Set Your Freelance Video Editor Rate in 2026](https://chargewhat.app/freelance-video-editor-rate-2026/): Rate-setting guide for freelance video editors applying the backwards-calculation method to account for high software and hardware overhead. Covers 2026 market rate benchmarks and why standard rate lists understate the minimum viable rate for most editors. - [Freelance Social Media Manager Rate (2026) — What to Charge](https://chargewhat.app/freelance-social-media-manager-rate-2026/): Rate-setting guide for freelance social media managers using 2026 benchmarks and the backwards-calculation method. Covers retainer pricing, how to convert a monthly retainer into a true hourly equivalent after SE tax and non-billable hours, and why client-facing rate lists understate real costs. - [How to Set Your Freelance Photography Rate in 2026](https://chargewhat.app/freelance-photographer-rate-2026/): Rate benchmarks by specialty (wedding, portrait, commercial, event), the backwards calculation from take-home through SE tax and expenses to a minimum hourly rate, non-billable hours problem, software and insurance overhead, and a worked example for Illinois. Focus keyword: freelance photographer rate. ## Pages - [About ChargeWhat](https://chargewhat.app/about/): Founder story explaining why ChargeWhat was built. Most existing calculators ignored self-employment tax or required an email signup. ChargeWhat was built to do the calculation properly and show the working. - [Privacy Policy](https://chargewhat.app/privacy-policy/): ChargeWhat does not store calculator inputs. No account creation required. Analytics collected via Google Analytics. No personal financial data transmitted to or stored on servers.