How to Set Your Freelance Rates as a Creative: A Simple Framework

Guide for creatives · 2 min read · By Ripple One

“What’s your rate?” It is the question that makes a lot of talented freelancers freeze.

Charge too little and you burn out, signal low value and make it harder for everyone. Charge too much with no reasoning and you may lose work you wanted. The fix is a simple framework built on your real costs and goals, then checked against what the market pays.

Step 1: Decide what you need to earn

Start from your life, not the market. Add up:

Your target take-home income for the year
Business costs: kit, software, insurance, workspace, accountancy
Taxes and pension contributions (check the rules where you live)
A buffer for quiet periods, sickness and holidays

The total is the amount your freelance work has to bring in.

Step 2: Be realistic about billable days

You will not work 365 days. Take away weekends, holidays, sick days and, importantly, time spent on admin, pitching, invoicing and learning. Many freelancers find that only part of their working year is actually paid. Estimate honestly.

Step 3: Do the maths

Your minimum day rate = (yearly amount you need to bring in) ÷ (realistic billable days)

That is your floor, the number below which the job costs you money. Everything you quote should sit at or above it.

Step 4: Check it against the market

Now compare. Look at:

Published rate cards and guidance from professional bodies, guilds or unions for your craft and country
What peers at your level charge: ask, in a friendly way
The budget of the project, since a commercial and a student film are different jobs

If the market rate is below your floor, you may need to change your costs, your type of work, or your skills. If it is above, charge it.

Showcase your value, not just your price

Build a Ripple One portfolio with credits and verified references, and give hirers a reason to say yes to your rate.

Create your free portfolio

Step 5: Quote clearly

State your rate, what it includes and for how many hours in a day
List what is extra: overtime, kit hire, travel, revisions
Agree the scope and the number of revisions up front
Confirm payment terms and a deposit for larger jobs

Quick tip: Quote a single number with confidence and then stop talking. Over-explaining invites haggling.

Step 6: Negotiate without caving

If the budget is lower than your rate, you have options that are not a straight discount: shorten the scope, reduce the deliverables, extend the timeline, or ask for something of value in return, such as a credit, a reference or a testimonial. Only discount if you are happy with the new number.

Step 7: Review every year

Costs rise, and so does your experience. Revisit your rate at least annually and raise it for new clients first. Existing clients can be told in advance with a short, friendly note.

The takeaway

Your rate is not just a number. It is a statement about how you work. Know your floor, check the market, quote clearly, and keep building the portfolio and references that justify it.