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Free Project Pricing Calculator
Work out what to charge for a project from your hours, costs, buffer, profit margin and tax set-aside.
Turn your hours, costs and goals into a project price you can quote with confidence. It adds a buffer for revisions, covers direct costs, applies your profit margin and shows what is left after tax.
How to use the Project Pricing Calculator
- Estimate the work. Enter the hours you expect the project to take and your normal hourly rate.
- Add buffer and costs. Include a buffer for revisions and surprises, plus software, stock assets and any subcontractors.
- Set your margin and tax. Choose the profit margin you want built into the price and the share you set aside for tax, then read the price to quote.
What is the Project Pricing Calculator?
Pricing a project by guessing hours and adding a round number is how many freelancers end up underpaid. This calculator starts from your time, adds a buffer for revisions, covers tools and subcontractors, then applies the profit margin you want.
It also shows how much to set aside for tax and what you keep per planned hour, so you can see whether a quote is worth taking before you send it.
Signplify tools run in your browser, so there is no signup, no watermark and no limit on how often you use it.
Getting started with the Project Pricing Calculator
Using the project pricing calculator takes a minute or two. Your progress is saved in this browser, so you can come back later.
Tips for better results
Quote a fixed price only for work with a clear scope, and write down what counts as a revision.
If the take-home per planned hour is lower than your usual rate, raise the price or narrow the scope.
Tax set-aside is an estimate. Use the percentage your accountant or tax authority suggests.
Privacy and where your data goes
Documents and files you use here are processed on your own device. Signplify does not receive what you type or the files you open, which makes it suitable for sensitive information. If you clear your browser data, any saved draft is removed.
Frequently asked questions
How is the price to quote worked out?
Your cost to deliver (your time with the buffer, plus direct costs) is divided by one minus your profit margin. A 15 percent margin means 15 percent of the final price is profit.
What buffer should I use?
Between 15 and 30 percent is common for creative and software work. Use more when the brief is vague or the client is new to you.
Is the tax figure accurate?
It is a simple estimate based on the percentage you enter, applied to the price after direct costs. Your real tax depends on your full circumstances.
What do I enter in the project pricing calculator?
You enter Estimated Hours, Your Hourly Rate, Buffer for Revisions & Surprises (%), Software, Tools & Stock Assets, Subcontractors & Other Direct Costs, Profit Margin on the Price (%) and Tax Set-aside (%). The result updates as you type, so you can change one number and see the effect straight away.
What result does the project pricing calculator give for example numbers?
With the starting example (Estimated Hours 40, Your Hourly Rate $60, Buffer for Revisions & Surprises (%) 20, Software, Tools & Stock Assets $150, Subcontractors & Other Direct Costs $0, Profit Margin on the Price (%) 15 and 1 more), it shows Price to quote of $3,564.71, along with Hours to plan for (with buffer) 48, Your time $2,880.00, Direct costs $150.00 and Cost to deliver $3,030.00. These are the US defaults; change the inputs to match your own situation.
Can I use the project pricing calculator with another currency?
Yes. The Currency box above the form lets you show amounts in any of about 50 currencies for this calculator. The formula is the same, only the symbol and number format change.
How accurate is the project pricing calculator?
It is an estimate based on the numbers you enter and the rates or formulas built into the tool. It is meant for planning and comparing options, so check important figures against official sources or a qualified professional before you rely on them.
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