Home › All tools › Project pricing & profit
Freelance Project Pricing & Profit Calculator
Estimate a project quote from billable hours, hourly cost, project expenses, and target profit margin, with a clear cost-and-profit breakdown.
How to use this tool
- Enter the hours you expect to bill and your hourly cost or internal rate.
- Add project-specific expenses and choose a target profit margin from 0% to 90%.
- Select a currency and review the suggested quote, cost breakdown, and estimated profit.
How the calculation works
Labor cost = project hours × hourly cost. Total cost = labor cost + project expenses. Suggested quote = total cost ÷ (1 − target profit margin ÷ 100). Estimated profit = suggested quote − total cost. The margin is capped at 90% so the estimate remains defined.
A quick example
For 20 billable hours at $50 per hour and $200 in expenses, total cost is $1,200. A 25% profit margin suggests a $1,600 quote and $400 estimated profit, before tax.
Common questions
Is profit margin the same as markup?
No. This tool treats the target percentage as a share of the final quote, then calculates the price needed to achieve that margin before tax.
Does the quote include tax or payment fees?
No. Add relevant project expenses if appropriate and check local taxes, payment fees, and contract terms separately.
Is this the price I should always charge?
It is a planning estimate from your inputs. Scope, market conditions, value, risk, and client needs may affect a real quote.