How to Calculate Your Freelance Daily Rate: Step by Step
Your daily rate (TJM) is the price you charge clients per day of work. Calculated poorly, it condemns you to overwork and underpay. Here is the complete method to set a fair, competitive and realistic rate.
Why your rate cannot be arbitrary
Too low and you don't cover your costs. Too high and you price yourself out of the market. The right approach: start from your target net income and work back to the client-facing price.
Step 1: define your target annual net income
Start with the fundamental question: how much do you want to earn net per year? This figure must cover:
- Rent, everyday expenses and leisure
- Monthly savings (ideally 10–15% of net income)
- A safety buffer equivalent to 3–6 months of expenses
Example: you target €4,000 net per month → €48,000 net per year.
Step 2: calculate the gross revenue needed
The net-to-revenue ratio varies significantly by structure:
| Structure | Activity | Approx. net/revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Micro-enterprise | BNC (SSI) | ~65–68% |
| Micro-enterprise | BIC services | ~68–72% |
| SASU | Salary only | ~35–45% |
| SASU | Salary + optimised dividends | ~50–58% |
| EURL | TNS | ~55–62% |
For €48,000 net as micro BNC (ratio 0.67):
Revenue needed = 48,000 / 0.67 = €71,642/year
Step 3: estimate your actual billable days
From 365 days per year, subtract:
- 104 weekend days
- 25 vacation days (minimum)
- 11 public holidays
- 20–40 non-billable days: prospecting, training, admin, unexpected gaps
Realistic result: 185–205 billable days per year.
For beginners, plan for 150–170 days in year one — it takes time to fill your pipeline. Do not be optimistic here.
Step 4: calculate your minimum daily rate
Minimum TJM = Annual revenue needed / billable days
Example: €71,642 / 195 days = €367/day
This is your absolute floor. Below it, you do not cover your needs.
Step 5: add a comfort margin
The minimum rate does not account for:
- Periods between contracts
- Equipment investment
- Continuous professional development
- Unexpected events (illness, equipment failure…)
Comfort TJM = minimum TJM × 1.20 to 1.30
In our example: 367 × 1.25 = €459/day → round to €450 or €500 depending on your market positioning.
Market benchmarks by sector
| Profile | Junior | Mid-level | Senior/Expert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web developer | €300–400 | €450–600 | €650–900 |
| Data scientist / ML | €350–450 | €500–700 | €750–1,000 |
| IT project manager | €350–450 | €500–650 | €700–900 |
| Strategy consultant | €500–700 | €800–1,100 | €1,200–1,800 |
| UX/UI designer | €300–400 | €400–600 | €600–800 |
| Copywriter | €200–300 | €350–500 | €500–700 |
Sources: Malt, Comet, FNAE. Paris vs regional France: ~15–25% gap.
The salary equivalent: a useful reference
To compare your daily rate to an employee's gross salary:
- TJM × 150 ≈ equivalent annual gross salary
- Example: €500/day × 150 = €75,000 gross/year ≈ €48,000 net employee
Use this as a reference point, not an exact formula.
How to negotiate without underselling yourself
- Start from your comfort rate in negotiations, not the minimum
- Justify by value created, not by your personal needs
- Propose a range (e.g. "€500–€600/day depending on workload")
- Never accept below your minimum — a badly paid mission is worse than no mission
Refine your calculation with our TJM calculator, which factors in your structure, vacation days and revenue target.