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CREATOR PRICING CALCULATOR: HOW TO USE
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Good luck! Share this sheet, use it, and adjust as your career grows. 💜
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QUICK STARTDETAILED WALKTHROUGHCUSTOMIZATION TIPS
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MAKE A COPY OF THIS FILE
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STEP 1: MONTHLY EXPENSES TABExpense Customization:
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1. Go to 'Monthly Expenses' and fill in YOUR costs (grey fields)• Delete placeholder rows and add YOUR expenses• Delete rows you don't need, add rows for costs unique to you
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2. The sheet auto-calculates your Annual Expenses• Categories: Housing, Food, Health, Software, Tools, Equipment etc.• Update quarterly as expenses change
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3. Go to 'Income Calculator' — your target income is already calculated• Only fill 'Monthly Cost' column — 'Annual Cost' auto-calculates (×12)
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4. Adjust 'billable hours' to match your realistic work week• Add as many rows as you need; formulas will auto-extendTaxes & Buffer Customization:
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5. Go to 'Service Pricing' and see what you should charge• The TOTAL ANNUAL EXPENSES at the bottom auto-updates• US freelancers: Use 25-30% for self-employment tax
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• Non-US: Adjust based on your country's tax brackets
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STEP 2: INCOME CALCULATOR TAB• Emergency buffer: Use 20% minimum; 30% if you want more security
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KEY PRINCIPLESNO EDITING NEEDED, ADJUST IF THE DEFAULT DOESN'T WORK
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 - 30% for taxes (adjust based on your country)Billable Hours Customization:
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• This sheet shows your MINIMUM rates based on YOUR expenses - 20% emergency buffer (adjust if you want more/less savings)• If you work full-time: 5 days/week, 6 hours/day = 1,440 hours/year
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• Market rates may be higher (experience, reputation, demand matter) - 10% for reinvestment (tools, learning, growth)• If you're part-time: 2 days/week, 3 hours/day = 288 hours/year
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• Never price below 'Base Rate' — that's you working for freeADJUST BILLABLE TIME IF NEEDED• If you batch work: adjust as needed; be realistic
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• 'Recommended Rate' is a safe starting point; you can charge more - 48 weeks/year assumes 4 weeks off (vacation, sickness)
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• Review and update quarterly - 3 billable days/week = realistic (meetings, admin, life happen)Pricing Strategy Customization:
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 - 4 billable hours/day = conservative approach (deep work, no meets)• Use 25% markup for standard work (safe, reasonable)
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 - If you work more, adjust these numbers• Use 50%+ markup for rush jobs, high-visibility, or complex work
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COMMON QUESTIONSThe sheet calculates your MINIMUM rates you need to charge• Use 10-15% discount for retainers (trade volume for stability)
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• Use 2x+ markup for niche expertise or specialized services
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Q: What if I don't work 48 weeks/year?STEP 3: SERVICE PRICING TAB
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A: If you take 8 weeks off, use 44 weeks instead.• Pre-filled with common services: hourly, projects, day rates, retainers
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• 'Base Rate' = your minimum (bare survival)
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Q: What if my project sizes vary wildly?• 'Recommended Rate' = base + 25% markup (profit + buffer)
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A: Use the 'Hours/Scope' column in Service Pricing to adjust. • Adjust the 25% markup for higher margins (use 1.5 instead of 1.25)
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Common projects might be 15 hrs, 30 hrs, 60 hrs.• Modify 'Hours/Scope' for services you actually sell
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Q: Should I offer discounts?
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A: Yes, but only for retainers (recurring revenue is worth discounting).
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Don't discount one-off projects — you'll run out of money.
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Q: How do I know if my rates are competitive?
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A: Research your niche (Twitter/Threads, industry surveys).
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This sheet tells you what YOU need; market rates may be higher.
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Q: Should I use 'Base Rate' or 'Recommended Rate'?
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A: Always use 'Recommended Rate' or higher.
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Base Rate is break-even; you need profit.
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