Consulting Fees Calculator — Hourly, Daily & Project Rate
Enter your consulting rate (hourly, daily, or a fixed project fee), monthly hours or days, business expenses and your estimated tax rate — get monthly revenue, pre-tax profit, net take-home, and effective hourly rate after all deductions.
Rate type
/hr
hrs
%
Revenue minus expenses minus income tax
Revenue split
12,000Net income
67.1%
Tax
28.7%
Expenses
4.2%
- 1
Monthly revenue (rate × hours)
150 × 80 = 12,000 - 2
Pre-tax profit
12,000 − 500 = 11,500 - 3
Income tax
11,500 × 30% ÷ 100 = 3,450 - 4
Monthly net income
11,500 − 3,450 = 8,050
How does this calculator work?
Consulting net income = (rate × hours or days worked) − expenses − income tax. Enter your hourly/daily/project rate, monthly volume, expenses and estimated tax rate to see monthly and annual revenue, profit and take-home, plus an effective hourly rate after all deductions.
Formula
How this is calculated
Consulting income is computed by multiplying the billing rate by the units billed per month. For an hourly rate, revenue = rate × hours; for a daily rate, revenue = rate × days. A fixed project fee is treated as a flat monthly revenue figure (useful when you are paid a lump sum each month for a retainer or recurring project).
Expenses are deducted from revenue to give pre-tax profit. These typically include software subscriptions, travel, professional indemnity insurance, accountancy fees, and any dedicated office or equipment costs. The income tax rate is applied to pre-tax profit (enter 0 if you handle tax separately). In many jurisdictions freelance income is subject to both income tax and self-employment or social-security contributions — the tax field is a single combined rate for simplicity; consult a tax adviser for your specific situation.
The effective after-tax hourly rate divides net income by the hours worked per month, giving a meaningful measure of actual earnings per hour that accounts for both overhead and taxes. The annual projections assume all months are identical, which is an approximation — actual consulting income is often lumpy.
Frequently asked questions
A common rule of thumb is to take your desired annual salary, add 30–40% for taxes and overhead, then divide by your billable hours (typically 1,000–1,400 per year for most consultants). Alternatively, research market rates in your sector and adjust for your level of expertise and the client's perceived value.
Include all direct business costs: professional software, cloud tools, travel to client sites, liability insurance, professional memberships, accountant fees, and any dedicated workspace. Exclude personal living expenses that are not legitimately business costs.
Enter your combined effective rate covering income tax and self-employment or social contributions. As a rough guide this is 25–40% for most self-employed professionals in Western countries, but the exact figure depends on your jurisdiction, structure (sole trader vs company), and total income. Use your actual effective rate from previous tax returns or get advice from a local accountant.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Consulting Fees Calculator — Hourly, Daily & Project Rate [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/consulting-fees-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Consulting Fees Calculator — Hourly, Daily & Project Rate." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/consulting-fees-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Consulting Fees Calculator — Hourly, Daily & Project Rate," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/consulting-fees-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_consulting_fees_calculator, title = {Consulting Fees Calculator — Hourly, Daily & Project Rate}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/consulting-fees-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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