How Much to Charge for Freelance Writing (Without Guessing)

Here’s the brutal truth of what happens to 90% of new freelance writers: They have a great client meeting, panic when asked about rates, and blurt out some random number that “sounds reasonable.” The truth is, most of us don’t know how much to charge for freelance writing. It’s the number one question new freelancers ask.

Of course, six weeks later, they’re working 60-hour weeks, making less than minimum wage after taxes, and wondering why everyone said freelancing would be great. Nope. Not great. Been there.

The problem isn’t that freelancing doesn’t pay. The problem is most writers treat pricing like a guessing game instead of a business strategy. We’re about to change that.

You’re about to go from “I don’t know what to charge” to confidently naming your freelance writing rate.

What’s Your Base Freelance Writing Rate?

Before we dive into market rates and pricing models, let’s start with the most important number. It’s the number most freelancers skip entirely: figuring out how much you need to survive.

I know. It’s not as exciting as talking about landing high-paying clients. But if you don’t know your baseline, you’ll underprice yourself every time.

Do Your Freelance Survival Math

Grab a calculator and a pen. We’re doing this right now. You need to be honest and realistic about how much you need to earn to survive.

Step 1: Add up your true monthly expenses

• List your non-negotiables: rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries, insurance
• List your must-haves: car payment, phone, internet
• List everything you spent last month (yes, including that coffee)

The easiest way to do this is to look at your most recent bank statement and credit card statements. I’m talking about the full month statement. Write down and add up EVERY penny that left your accounts.

I know. This can be scary. I was shocked when I did this for the first time and realized how much I wasted on random Amazon purchases, coffee runs, and midnight impulse buys online.

Let’s say you went through all your expenses and you need $4,000/month to live. Your mileage will vary depending on where you live and whether you share living space.

Step 2: Add your tax burden

As a freelancer, you pay about 30% in taxes. You have $4,000 in expenses? Then you need $5,200 to break even. Freelance tax is a whole topic unto itself, and I’m not a tax expert. But in my experience, it’s best to save yourself a lot of hassle and put 30% of your earnings in a savings account.

Just do it. Then set up automatic quarterly payments with the IRS. It’s easy to do, and it’s all online.

Talk to a tax expert who understands freelancing. You’ll thank yourself later.

Step 3: Factor in business costs

You’re going to need software, equipment, professional development, marketing, etc. Budget at least 10-15% of your income to go toward business costs. Some of your expenses might already account for this. You may already be paying monthly business subscriptions, and that’s already included in your total. If so, separate those expenses out and start keeping track of them.

The good news about business costs is they can be deducted from your taxable income. (Again, I’m not a tax expert. This isn’t advice. But generally speaking you’ll be able to deduct a lot of your business costs.)

Step 4: Plan for profit

You’re goal is probably to build a business, not to barely survive. If all you’re doing is barely breaking even, you’ll probably burn out and quit pretty quickly. It’s a good idea to add 20% to your expenses for profit, savings and reinvestment.

In our hypothetical, you’d now be at $6,500/month. I know this might seem like a big number if you’re just starting out, but stick with me here.

Step 5: Calculate your hourly baseline

Here’s where we get your rate. Divide your final number by realistic billable hours. What’s realistic? If you’re freelancing full-time, expect about 100 billable hours per month.

But, wait! I hear you saying: Hey, that’s only 25 hours a week! No way! I’m going to work a full 40!

Real talk: You’re going to need time during the week for administrative tasks like invoicing and professional development. You’re going to need to do some marketing. You’ll probably attend networking events during the day.

This isn’t like working a 9-to-5 where you log in, build your widgets, then log off at the end of the day.

You’re going to have meetings with prospects. You’re going to be taking courses now and then.

When I started, I had that ambitious mindset. I was working 30-35 hours a week on client work and another 15-20 on marketing and administrative tasks. That’s a 50-60 hour week, and I got burned out pretty quickly. Be kind to yourself! And be realistic.

Let’s go back to our example: $6,500 ÷ 100 hours = $65/hour minimum.

That’s your baseline. Anything less and you’re losing money. Or you’d need to work more hours per week to break even.

What will the Market Pay for Freelance Writing?

Now that you know what you need, let’s talk about what clients will actually pay. Here’s a secret most freelancers don’t know: clients have a budget, and they’ll start low to see if you bite. More than once I’ve negotiated a higher rate just by asking for one.

You won’t always be able to ask for more, but most companies are approved for a range before they even talk with you. In most cases they’ll try to hire you at the low end of that range.

Real-World Writing Rate Ranges

These are the most common types of freelance writing ranges and average rates as of 2025.

Per-word pricing (this is most common for basic content writing):

• Beginners (0-6 months): $0.10-$0.15/word
• Intermediate (6 months-2 years): $0.15-$0.25/word
• Experienced (2+ years): $0.25-$0.50+/word

Project-based pricing (what professionals use):

• Blog posts: $150-$500+ each
• Website copy: $250-$2,000+ per page (lead generation is the high end)
• Email sequences: $800-$2,500+ per sequence

Specialized niches pay premium rates:

• SaaS/tech: 2-3x higher than general content
• Finance/legal: 3-4x higher
• Healthcare: 4-5x higher

A fintech blog post can easily command $500-$1,200, while a “productivity tips” post might get $150.

Why do some writing niches pay more than others?

It’s simple when you think about it. Fintech, legal, health, and tax niches are highly regulated. There are specific legal requirements and things you can and can’t say. They also require more industry knowledge. Here are some of the top-paying copywriting niches and why they pay more than average.

Where You Won’t Find High Rates

If you’ve been around a while, you may remember content mills like Textbroker and WriterAccess that paid $0.01-$0.05/word. Other places paid around $30 for 300-word articles. Most of those companies have either folded, changed their business model, or now use AI. That’s a good thing for freelance writers. A sustainable career isn’t built on content mill rates. Those numbers pays less than fast food gigs.

Full disclosure: I started out with content mills as a struggling student. I understand that side of the industry well. You can do a lot better, especially if you’re an efficient and resourceful writer.

Be Strategic with Freelance Writing Rates

Now that you’ve got a feel for what to charge and who can pay you, let’s talk strategy. How you present yourself matters as much as what you charge. The way you bill clients changes how they perceive your value.

Hourly: Tread Carefully

A lot of new freelancers start by charging hourly because they’re not sure how to position themselves. Hourly makes sense to most people, because they think of contracting like a “job.” In my opinion, the only time to charge hourly is when you’re establishing a long-term retainer.

Beginners won’t know how long a project takes, so they undercut themselves all the time. They’ll promise to finish a project “in 20 hours,” but it ends up taking 30 or more. If they only got approval for 20, they end up eating that time.

Move away from hourly projects as soon as you can. Clients who think in “hours” almost always believe you’re padding invoices, and you get punished for being efficient.

Per-Word: The Publishing Standard

Back in the good old publishing days, writers were paid by the word. It makes sense. You can frame this rate as: “My rate is $0.20/word. A 1,500-word blog post would be $300, includes one round of revisions, delivered in 5 business days.”

That’s clean, clear, and easy to budget. Clients understand it. This is a great strategy when you’re starting out, and it’s easy to use while you’re building experience.

Per-Project: The Professional Move

A per-project flat rate is a sweet spot for one-off projects. You can frame it like this: “My blog post package is $350. It includes up to 1,200 words, SEO optimization, two rounds of revisions, and meta description. Delivered in 5-7 business days.”

With flat-rate pricing, you’re selling solutions, not time. Once you get efficient, your effective hourly rate goes up because it takes less time to write.

Retainers: The Holy Grail

This is really where you want to be as a freelance writer. This is when you’re contracted to deliver a specific amount of content each month, and payment is basically guaranteed for the duration of the retainer.

For example: “My monthly content package is $2,500. You get four blog posts, two newsletters, one round of edits, and everything is delivered by the 15th of the month (or weekly, any cadence that makes sense for the client).”

Retainers give you predictable income, better client relationships, and less time spent prospecting. This is your end goal. You become part of the team, and it’s easy to get invested in their success.

How Does Experience Factor Into Freelance Writing Rates?

Here’s where a lot of writers leave money on the table: They don’t factor in their expertise. If you’re retired or transitioning from another career, use that to your advantage!

A blog post for a local coffee shop about fall drinks and a compliance article for a Fortune 500 company are both “writing,” but they’re completely different in terms of expertise required, stakes involved, and client budgets.

It pays (literally) to leverage your expertise. It’s also why I lean so heavily into specializing in a writing niche. Let’s break it down:

Coffee shop post

• Low stakes, basic research
• Your rate: $150-$250

Fortune 500 compliance article

• High stakes, deep industry knowledge required
• Your rate: $800-$2,000+

Monetize Your Background

If you had a career before freelance writing, lean into it. It’s your competitive advantage.

• Former teacher? EdTech companies need writers who understand learning styles
• Ex-corporate worker? You know the business lingo that generic writers don’t
• Healthcare background? Medical content requires expertise most general writers lack
• Sales experience? You understand conversion psychology, an invaluable skill

If you think your non-writing experience is “irrelevant,” think again. Your knowledge is someone’s desperately needed expertise.

Freelance Writing Rate Increase Realities

Here’s the final piece of the puzzle: raising rates over time.

If you started at $0.15/word two years ago and never raised your rates, inflation alone means you’re making 10% less in real purchasing power. Add your improved skills and experience, and you’re essentially giving yourself a pay cut every year.

When to Raise Rates

Here’s when to know it’s time to make a move:

• You’re fully booked weeks in advance (market signal: you’re underpriced)
• Clients say yes immediately (no negotiation = they could’ve paid more and you left money on the table)
• It’s been 6+ months (annual rate reviews are the professional standard)
• You’re referring work away (demand for your work exceeds capacity at current rates)

How to Communicate Rate Increases

For existing clients, this can be tricky but you can do it with grace. For example: “Hi [Name], I wanted to give you a heads up that my rates will be increasing to $X effective [date]. This reflects my recent annual rate adjustment and the increased knowledge I’ve gained in XYZ.”

XYZ might be industry training or AI specialization or any new skill you’ve incorporated in your work that adds value to their projects.

Include two pieces of information:

1. Give a reason for the increase.
2. Gently remind them of the value you bring and how much you enjoy working with the team.

For new clients: Just quote your current rates. They have no context for your old pricing.

Whether existing or new, don’t apologize for what you charge. You’re a professional adjusting rates based on market conditions.

So, How Much Do YOU Charge?

Pricing isn’t about what you think you’re “worth” or what you hope clients will pay. It’s about running a sustainable business that can grow and thrive. It’s also about paying your bills and taking care of yourself.

Every time you undercharge, you’re not just leaving money on the table, you’re training clients to expect cheap work and making it harder for your future self to charge professional rates.

As a final roundup, remember your pricing foundation:

1. Know your baseline (survival math + profit)
2. Research market rates (so you can’t be lowballed)
3. Choose your model strategically (presentation matters)
4. Factor in your expertise (background = competitive advantage)
5. Raise rates regularly (growth is professional, not greedy)

Stop guessing. Start believing in yourself. You can do this!

You’re a business owner providing professional services. Price like one.

Ready to start building a freelance writing career you love? We share no-nonsense strategies every week to help you thrive. Subscribe to get an email every time we publish new content.