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Day rate calculator
See what a day quote means for each hour you include. Convert in either direction, then compare a quote with your usual hourly rate.
Free to use · no signup or email
Choose the hours in your billable day
A six-hour day and an eight-hour day are different offers. Use the hours your quote includes, after any unpaid breaks.
Your rates stay in this browser. We don’t save your inputs or include them in analytics. Downloads are created on your device.
Example: the same fee, two day lengths
Six billable hours
At USD $100 per hour, six billable hours give a USD $600 day rate. Reversing that quote gives USD $100 per hour.
Eight billable hours
The same USD $600 quote over eight hours gives USD $75 per hour. At your usual USD $100 rate, those hours would total USD $800.
The quote is USD $200 lower, or 25% below that comparison. Agree the included hours before accepting the fee.
These are chosen example prices, not market rates. A quoted fee is client revenue before costs and tax.
Use the comparison in your next quote
- Choose the conversion direction.
- Enter your rate and included hours.
- Compare your usual rate if useful.
- Download the figures with their assumptions.
The formulas
Day rate = hourly rate × billable hours per day.
Hourly equivalent = day quote ÷ billable hours per day.
For a comparison, subtract your usual hourly rate × included hours from the day quote. Divide that difference by the usual-rate day total for the percentage.
Results round half-up to two decimal places. Comparisons keep the original precision. A zero usual rate has no percentage comparison.
Agree breaks and extra hours separately. This tool adds no overtime rule, premium or discount. It doesn’t estimate take-home pay.
Still setting your hourly rate? Use the billable-rate calculator to include your costs and unpaid time. For an annual view, try the annual revenue calculator.
This is a planning estimate, not accounting, tax or legal advice. Business.gov.au’s pricing guide explains how business costs affect pricing.
Questions about freelance day rates
What is a good freelance day rate?
Start with a rate that covers your own costs and unpaid time. Then check the hours and work your day quote includes. This converter compares your figures; it doesn’t prescribe a market rate.
How much can I earn per day?
Your quoted day fee is revenue for the work included. Your profit depends on costs, and take-home pay also depends on tax. Use the conversion to compare fees, then plan your billable days separately.
Is a freelance day always eight hours?
No. Choose the billable hours you intend to include and agree them with your client. Six is the worked example, not a recommended day length. Deduct unpaid breaks before entering hours.
Should I discount my hourly rate for a full day?
That is your pricing decision. This calculator adds no automatic discount or premium. In day-to-hour mode, enter your usual hourly rate to see how the quote compares over the same hours.
Can I use a half-day or fractional hours?
Yes. Enter the hours included in that quote. For 3 hours 30 minutes, use 3.5 hours. The result describes that chosen day or booking length; it doesn’t invent a half-day billing rule.
Why can the percentage differ when I multiply the displayed hourly rate?
A reverse rate may repeat, such as 1 divided by 3. The displayed money rounds to cents. The comparison uses your original quote and hours, so rounding the hourly rate again won’t change the calculation.
Reviewed 29 October 2026.
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