How to Price Yourself as a Freelancer (Without Spiralling Into Self-Doubt)
Let’s be real: pricing is one of those topics in freelancing.
It’s confusing. Emotionally loaded. And—if you’re anything like me—it’s a fast-track to imposter syndrome if you’re not careful.
One minute you’re confidently quoting a four-figure project. The next? You’re staring at your sent email, panicking: Was that too much? Too little? Should I have just charged hourly? Should I have included that extra round of edits?
Sound familiar?
You’re not alone. Pricing isn’t just a business decision—it’s a mindset game. One we don’t talk about nearly enough. So today, I want to take the awkwardness out of the equation and share everything I’ve learned (and keep learning) about pricing yourself with clarity and confidence.
First: Your rate is not your worth.
Let’s start with the biggest myth: that your pricing somehow reflects your personal value. It doesn’t.
You are not your invoice. You are not the total on a proposal. Your work is valuable, but it doesn’t need to “justify” your existence.
Your rate is a number that helps your business stay sustainable and your life supported. That’s it. You’re allowed to charge for your experience, your time, your energy, and your ability to get results.
That means you don’t need permission—or perfection—to raise your rates. You just need to start getting curious about what’s actually right for you.
So… how do you figure out what to charge?
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown.
1. Get clear on your baseline
Before you compare rates with anyone else, figure out your own minimum viable number.
Ask yourself:
What’s my ideal annual income?
What are my business expenses (software, insurance, marketing, etc)?
How much time off do I want (and need) each year?
How many actual billable hours will I work in a week?
Let’s say you want to earn $100K/year, take 6 weeks off, and you bill around 20 hours/week. That gives you roughly 920 billable hours in a year.
Now:
$100,000 ÷ 920 hours = ~$109/hour (minimum)
That’s before profit. Before tax. Before padding in for revisions or unexpected admin.
If your current rate is lower than that—and you’re wondering why you’re exhausted or not hitting your goals—there’s your answer.
2. Look at the VALUE not the task
Freelancers tend to undercharge when they price based on time spent rather than value created.
But clients don’t hire you to fill time. They hire you for outcomes.
A copywriter isn’t just writing 1,000 words—they’re helping a brand sell more products.
A social media manager isn’t just scheduling posts—they’re building awareness and trust.
A designer isn’t just making things pretty—they’re creating a visual identity that can literally shift the trajectory of a business.
So instead of pricing your services based on deliverables or hours, ask yourself:
What is the end result this work creates for the client?
Start there. Then price accordingly.
Built By Freelancers for freelancers
What the industry’s doing (and why it helps to know)
Here’s a game-changing truth: freelancers rarely talk enough about money. That’s why we created the Freelancing Females Rate Database—a place where you can check what others are charging, compare your services and skill level, and stop operating in a vacuum.
Whether you’re brand new or years in, seeing real-life data can:
Validate your current rates
Give you confidence to raise them
Help you spot gaps in your pricing model
Bonus tip: You can even use the database to back yourself up in client convos. (“Based on industry averages for similar work, my rate is competitive and reflects both the strategy and execution involved.”)
Industry tip: Anchor your rate with strategy
One of the biggest pricing secrets of high-earning freelancers?
They don’t just sell execution. They sell strategy.
When you frame your work as thoughtful, intentional, and tailored to results, clients are far less likely to push back—and far more likely to see your work as an investment.
Example:
Instead of saying,
“I’ll design 3 social media templates,”
try:
“I’ll design a suite of high-converting templates based on your brand goals and audience engagement data.”
It’s the same work. But the perceived value? Significantly higher.
Even better? You might already be strategic—you just haven’t been saying it out loud (or pricing it in).
The tricky part: Saying it out loud
Okay, so let’s say you’ve done the maths, checked the industry data, and reframed your services to focus on value.
Now comes the real test: quoting it with confidence.
If your throat tightens every time you type out a proposal, here’s a simple script you can steal:
“Based on the scope and strategic value of the project, my rate for this would be [insert your number]. Let me know if you’d like me to send over a proposal and timeline.”
Short. Clear. Professional. No disclaimers. No apologies. No nervous emojis.
And if you do get pushback? That’s not always a bad thing. It’s a chance to:
Reiterate your value
Clarify the scope
Or politely let it go (not every client is the right fit—and that’s okay)
One more actionable task: Audit your last 3 projects
Here’s something I do every quarter that has completely changed how I price:
I review the last 3 projects I worked on and ask:
Did I feel fairly compensated?
How many hours did I actually work?
Was there scope creep?
What would I charge if I had to do it again?
This helps me spot patterns (like underestimating time or overdelivering for free) before they impact my next quote. It also gives me concrete reasons to adjust my pricing or process—no guesswork required.
If you only take one action from this blog, let it be this one. Future you (and your bank account) will thank you.
And finally: Someone will always say “that’s too much”
Honestly? It doesn’t matter if you’re charging $100 or $10,000 for a project—someone will think it’s too much.
That doesn’t mean your rate is wrong. It means that person isn’t your client.
Your dream clients?
Respect your process
See your value
Want to work with you, not just pay you the bare minimum
They’re not haggling over your invoice. They’re asking when you can start.
The takeaway
You don’t need to wait until you feel “ready” to price yourself like a pro.
You just need:
A basic understanding of your financial needs
A reframing of your work as high-value
A dash of courage to say your number out loud
Pricing is a skill. Not a personality trait. Not a fixed label. And definitely not a reflection of your worth.
So if no one’s told you today:
You’re allowed to charge more.
You’re allowed to grow.
You’re allowed to run a business that’s built around your version of success.
You’ve got this. And we’ve got you.
—
Sara x
Freelancing Females
P.S. Need help finding your number? Browse the Rate Database and start your audit. Let’s demystify this whole pricing thing—together.
