Start from your life, not the market
Add up what you need to earn per month to live well and save a little. Divide by the number of billable hours you can realistically deliver — usually far fewer than a full-time job. That's your floor.
Any rate below that floor is not a discount; it's a slow leak.
Price the outcome, not the hour
Hourly rates cap your income and reward slowness. Whenever you can, quote a flat fee tied to a clear deliverable and a clear result.
Clients almost always prefer a predictable price over a running meter.
Use three tiers
Offer a lean option, a standard one, and an 'everything included' one. Most people pick the middle — but the top tier is what makes the middle feel reasonable.
Tiers also give hesitant clients a way to say yes without saying no to you.
Raise rates on new clients first
You don't have to email everyone at once. Try a higher number on the next new lead, see how it lands, and adjust. Your existing clients can move up on their next renewal.
Payvoice creates a beautiful PDF invoice in 60 seconds — share by link, QR or email, and track when it's paid.
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