The Pricing Problem Every Freelancer Faces
You're great at your craft—design, development, writing, consulting. But when it comes to pricing? That's where things get messy.
- Should you charge hourly or per project?
- What if you quote too high and lose the gig?
- What if you quote too low and leave money on the table?
- How do you even know what clients can afford?
For years, freelancers have winged it—guessing rates, crossing fingers, and hoping for the best. But in 2025, there's a better way: freelance pricing tools that take the guesswork out of rates, negotiations, and budget alignment.
This guide covers the best tools in each category, from rate calculators to full-fledged negotiation platforms. Whether you're a new freelancer or a seasoned pro, you'll find something here to make pricing less stressful and more profitable.
Categories of Freelance Pricing Tools
Freelance pricing tools fall into five main categories, each solving a different pain point:
1. Hourly Rate Calculators
What they do: Help you calculate a sustainable hourly rate based on your expenses, desired salary, and billable hours.
Best for: Freelancers who charge by the hour and want to ensure they're covering costs + profit.
2. Proposal & Invoicing Software
What they do: Create professional proposals, track time, and generate invoices—often with built-in pricing templates.
Best for: Freelancers who want an all-in-one client management system.
3. Time Tracking Tools
What they do: Track how long tasks take, helping you estimate future projects more accurately and bill clients properly.
Best for: Hourly freelancers or anyone who wants to understand where their time goes.
4. Budget Matching Tools
What they do: Anonymously align your budget range with a client's before negotiations begin, eliminating anchoring bias.
Best for: Freelancers tired of blind quoting and awkward price negotiations.
5. Market Research Tools
What they do: Show you what other freelancers in your niche are charging, so you can stay competitive.
Best for: Freelancers who want data-driven pricing instead of guessing.
The Best Tools in Each Category
Hourly Rate Calculators
1. Freelance Rate Calculator (by Bonsai)
Price: Free Link: freelanceratecalculator.com
What it does: - Input your desired annual salary, business expenses, and billable hours - Calculates the hourly rate you need to charge to hit your income goals - Factors in taxes, retirement savings, and overhead
Pros: - Simple, fast, and free - Good for beginners who have no idea where to start
Cons: - Assumes you charge hourly (not great for project-based freelancers) - Doesn't account for market rates—just your costs
Best for: New freelancers establishing their baseline rate.
2. AND CO Rate Calculator
Price: Free Link: and.co/freelance-rate-calculator
What it does: - Similar to Bonsai's calculator, but with more detailed expense breakdowns - Includes fields for software subscriptions, marketing, and professional development
Pros: - More granular than basic calculators - Accounts for business growth expenses
Cons: - Still doesn't tell you if your rate is competitive
Best for: Established freelancers who want to refine their pricing.
Proposal & Invoicing Software
3. Bonsai
Price: $24/month (or $17/month annually) Link: hellobonsai.com
What it does: - End-to-end client management: contracts, proposals, invoices, time tracking - Pre-built proposal templates with customizable pricing sections - Automated payment reminders and late fees
Pros: - All-in-one solution (no need for multiple tools) - Beautiful, professional templates - Includes a built-in rate calculator
Cons: - Pricey if you only need invoicing - Proposal templates can feel cookie-cutter
Best for: Freelancers who want a full client management suite.
4. HoneyBook
Price: $39/month (or $32/month annually) Link: honeybook.com
What it does: - Similar to Bonsai, but more focused on service-based businesses (photographers, planners, coaches) - CRM, proposals, contracts, invoices, and payment processing - Includes scheduling and client communication tools
Pros: - Great for service businesses that need client pipelines - More polished UI than Bonsai
Cons: - More expensive - Overkill if you just need pricing help
Best for: Established freelancers with recurring client relationships.
Time Tracking Tools
5. Toggl Track
Price: Free (basic), $10/month (premium) Link: toggl.com/track
What it does: - Simple time tracking with one-click start/stop - Reports show where your time goes (by project, client, or task) - Integrates with invoicing tools
Pros: - Dead simple to use - Free tier is generous - Great for understanding project profitability
Cons: - Doesn't help you set rates—just tracks time - Premium features (like billable rates) require paid plan
Best for: Hourly freelancers who need accurate time data.
6. Harvest
Price: Free (1 person, 2 projects), $12/month (unlimited) Link: getharvest.com
What it does: - Time tracking + invoicing in one tool - Automatically converts tracked time into invoices - Expense tracking and project budgets
Pros: - Time-to-invoice workflow is seamless - Great reporting for project profitability - Includes team features for agencies
Cons: - Free tier is very limited - UI feels dated compared to Toggl
Best for: Freelancers who bill hourly and want invoicing baked in.
Budget Matching Tools
7. FairPrice ⭐ (Our pick for negotiation-free pricing)
Price: $50 (one-time, lifetime access) Link: fairprice.work
What it does: - Anonymous budget matching: You and your client both submit budget ranges privately - System calculates if ranges overlap and finds the fair midpoint - No anchoring, no negotiation—just math
How it works: 1. Create a project and submit your range (e.g., $5,000-$7,000) 2. Share a link with your client 3. They submit their range anonymously (e.g., $6,000-$9,000) 4. Both see results only after submission 5. If ranges overlap, Fair Price calculates the midpoint ($6,500)
Pros: - Eliminates anchoring bias: Neither party sees the other's range until both submit - Saves time: Instantly know if budgets align before investing in proposals - No subscription: One-time $50 payment for lifetime access - Encrypted & secure: All budget data is encrypted end-to-end
Cons: - Requires client buy-in (though most are open to it once you explain) - Only useful for project-based work (not hourly billing)
Best for: Freelancers tired of blind quoting, awkward negotiations, and leaving money on the table.
Why it's unique: Every other tool on this list helps you calculate rates. FairPrice helps you align budgets before negotiation even starts. It's the missing piece in the freelance pricing toolkit.
Market Research Tools
8. Glassdoor / Payscale
Price: Free Link: glassdoor.com, payscale.com
What they do: - Crowdsourced salary data from employees and freelancers - Search by job title, location, and experience level
Pros: - Free and comprehensive - Good for understanding market rates
Cons: - Data is self-reported (not always accurate) - Freelance rates are less well-represented than employee salaries
Best for: Freelancers who want a ballpark idea of market rates.
9. Upwork / Fiverr (Market Research)
Price: Free (browse only) Link: upwork.com, fiverr.com
What they do: - See what other freelancers in your niche are charging - Review competitor profiles, hourly rates, and project pricing
Pros: - Real-time market data - Free to research (no need to create gigs)
Cons: - Rates on platforms are often lower than direct clients pay - Can anchor you low if you're not careful
Best for: Freelancers who want to see competitive pricing on platforms (but know that direct clients usually pay more).
Comparison Table: At-a-Glance
| Tool | Category | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance Rate Calculator | Hourly Rate | Free | New freelancers establishing baseline rates |
| AND CO Rate Calculator | Hourly Rate | Free | Established freelancers refining rates |
| Bonsai | Proposal & Invoicing | $24/month | All-in-one client management |
| HoneyBook | Proposal & Invoicing | $39/month | Service businesses with client pipelines |
| Toggl Track | Time Tracking | Free-$10/month | Hourly freelancers tracking time |
| Harvest | Time Tracking + Invoicing | $12/month | Hourly freelancers who want invoicing built-in |
| FairPrice | Budget Matching | $50 one-time | Freelancers tired of blind quoting & negotiations |
| Glassdoor / Payscale | Market Research | Free | Understanding market rates |
| Upwork / Fiverr | Market Research | Free | Competitive pricing research |
When to Use Each Type of Tool
Use a Rate Calculator if:
- You're new to freelancing and have no idea what to charge
- You want to ensure your rates cover expenses + profit
- You charge hourly and need a baseline number
Use Proposal & Invoicing Software if:
- You send multiple proposals per month
- You want professional-looking contracts and invoices
- You need CRM features to manage client relationships
Use Time Tracking if:
- You charge by the hour
- You want to understand project profitability
- You need accurate data for future estimates
Use Budget Matching (FairPrice) if:
- You're tired of blind quoting
- Clients won't tell you their budget upfront
- You want to avoid anchoring bias and awkward negotiations
Use Market Research if:
- You're entering a new niche and don't know competitive rates
- You want to benchmark against other freelancers
- You're considering raising your rates
Why Budget Matching is the Missing Piece
Most pricing tools help you figure out what to charge. But they don't solve the hardest part: aligning with the client's budget before you quote.
Here's the typical freelancer workflow without budget matching:
- Client reaches out (no budget mentioned)
- You spend hours crafting a proposal
- You quote $6,000 (your best guess)
- Client says, "Our budget is $3,000" or ghosts you entirely
Time wasted: 6+ hours. Money left on table: Possibly thousands (if their real budget was $10,000).
With budget matching (FairPrice):
- Client reaches out
- You send them a FairPrice link
- You both submit ranges anonymously (2 minutes total)
- System instantly shows if budgets align
If ranges don't overlap: You both save time and move on.
If ranges overlap: You start the project at a fair price—no negotiation needed.
This is why FairPrice is rapidly becoming the go-to tool for freelancers who are done with pricing guesswork.
Tool Recommendations by Freelancer Type
If you're a new freelancer:
- Start with a free rate calculator (Bonsai or AND CO)
- Use Toggl Track (free tier) to understand how long tasks take
- Research market rates on Glassdoor/Upwork
- When you land your first client, use FairPrice to avoid leaving money on the table
If you're an established freelancer:
- Use Bonsai or HoneyBook for proposals & contracts
- Switch from hourly to project-based pricing (more profitable)
- Use FairPrice to pre-qualify clients and eliminate negotiation
- Track time with Harvest to understand project profitability
If you're a high-volume freelancer or agency:
- Invest in HoneyBook or Bonsai for CRM + automation
- Use Harvest for team time tracking
- Use FairPrice to streamline client onboarding
- Build pricing templates based on past project data
The Bottom Line
Pricing doesn't have to be stressful. The right tools can:
- Help you calculate sustainable rates
- Save you time on proposals and invoices
- Eliminate awkward negotiation
- Ensure you're not leaving money on the table
The tool stack we recommend:
- Rate Calculator (free) → Establish your baseline
- FairPrice ($50 one-time) → Align budgets before quoting
- Bonsai ($24/month) → Handle proposals, contracts, invoices
With these three tools, you'll spend less time stressing about pricing and more time doing great work.
Try FairPrice Risk-Free
FairPrice is the only tool that solves the hardest part of freelance pricing: aligning budgets without anchoring or negotiation.
One-time $50 payment. Lifetime access. Unlimited projects.
Stop guessing what clients can afford. Start matching anonymously.
Get started → fairprice.work