Freelance rate calculator + printable proposal lite (free Quote)
Spreadsheet tabs multiply. You guess hours, forget rush fees, and send a single number that invites endless “can you do less?” replies. A freelance rate calculator should spit out a clear total and optional tiers — without uploading your numbers to someone else’s SaaS.
Quote is a free offline HTML pack: rate calculator plus printable proposal lite. Open locally, works offline, print or save as PDF. Data stays in your browser.
Quote — free rate calculator + printable proposal lite
Hourly × hours + rush % + contingency % + materials → base, rush, contingency, total. Three package tiers with editable multipliers. Zip also includes a printable proposal lite. Print-ready.
Inputs that matter
| Input | Why it exists |
|---|---|
| Hourly rate | Your floor — not a number you invent under pressure |
| Estimated hours | Delivery time, not “optimistic best case” |
| Rush % | Compressed timelines cost focus and rework |
| Contingency % | Unknowns, revision creep, waiting on clients |
| Materials / pass-through | Tools, stock, contractors you will invoice |
Rule of thumb: If you cannot explain the contingency line in one sentence, raise hours instead of hiding risk in a vague discount later.
Simple formula (before tiers)
That total is your honest single-option quote. Tiers come next when the client wants choice without a free custom redesign for every budget.
Core / Recommended / Comprehensive
Three packages let buyers self-select. Keep the differences real — scope and outcomes, not just “more hours” with the same deliverable.
- Core — minimum viable outcome; tight scope; fewer revisions.
- Recommended — the option you want most clients to pick; best balance.
- Comprehensive — extras, research, extra rounds, or faster turnaround.
In Quote, multipliers are editable so your Recommended can sit at e.g. 1.0× and Comprehensive at 1.35× of the calculated base — or whatever matches your packaging.
What's in the Quote zip now
The free download is no longer calculator-only. The zip includes:
quote-rate-calculator.html— hours, rush, contingency, materials, Core / Recommended / Comprehensive tiers.quote-proposal-lite.html— printable proposal lite with client, scope, tiers, timeline, and signature fields. Use Print / Save as PDF from your browser.
Price the work in the calculator, then fill proposal lite for a client-ready one-pager — still offline, still free.
How to use numbers in a proposal
- Run the calculator with conservative hours.
- Lock a floor you will not go below.
- Offer three tiers with clear “included / not included.”
- Paste totals into the proposal investment section.
- If they ask for cheaper, shrink scope — do not silently cut the floor.
For AI help turning discovery notes into that proposal copy, see freelance proposal ChatGPT prompts or Close ($12).
When free Quote is not enough
A calculator prices one project. It does not track invoices, aging, or client terms after you win. That is why freelancers pair Quote with Ops ($12) — the money & client workbook — once cash clarity matters week to week.
Keep your next project organized
Close: expanded AI proposal & pricing prompts ($12; Cue folded in). Change: formal change-order desk ($15, Drift upgrade). Bundle: full client workflow ($49). Quote stays free.