Skip to content

How much should you charge as a freelancer?

Wondering how much to charge as an independent consultant, expert freelancer, or contractor?

There are multiple pricing strategies, each suited to different projects and goals. Explore common pricing models and use our rate calculator, backed by real-market data from thousands of projects on the Outsized platform, to find indicative market rates for your expertise!

Deloitte logo
old mutual logo
Manulife logo
Capgemini logo
Kearny logo

Charge by the hour,
day or month

Time-based pricing, such as charging an hourly rate, daily rate, or on a monthly retainer, is the most common freelance pricing model, certainly in our markets. This method offers flexibility, making it ideal for projects or contracts with evolving requirements or unclear scopes. ​

It’s important to recognise that earning potential is tied to the number of billable hours, which limits overall income as it’s not scalable. ​

Charge a fixed price for your deliverables

Fixed-price contracts provide clear upfront pricing, building trust and helping freelancers secure assignments. This model works best for well-defined projects with stable scopes. ​

Fixed-rate pricing allows experienced freelancers to increase income by completing projects efficiently, focussing on deliverables rather than tracking time. However, it requires careful scope and expectation management to prevent scope creep.​

Charge a price linked to the outcomes you achieve

Outcome-based pricing, also known as performance-based pricing, ties your compensation to the results you deliver, making it ideal for freelancers working on measurable outcomes like revenue growth or cost savings. ​

Aligning fees with project success positions you as a partner in achieving client goals and can boost income potential. However, it requires a deep understanding of the client’s business and clear success benchmarks, making it challenging to implement and still relatively rare.​

Rate calculator for independent consultants and freelance professionals

Use our rate calculator to get market rates for independent consultants and freelance professionals across our key regions. This tool helps you determine a range for fair and competitive pricing* based on your skills, experience, and location, making it easier to set your freelance rates.​

Simply input the required information, and our calculator will provide you with an average range of the market rates for your area of expertise, allowing you to benchmark your prices.​

How it works:

  1. Select your skill – Choose the skill or service you provide.​
  2. Years of experience – Enter how many years of experience you have in your industry.​
  3. Location – Select your market region.​
  4. Click Calculate to see the recommended rate range based on real data from thousands of projects in your skills area.​

Please note that actual rates will vary based on factors like project complexity, client budget, and market demand, so please see this rate calculator as indicative only.​

Outsized’s team is always happy to provide feedback and guidance for specific projects you apply for!

*Please note that we only publish rates for geographies across Asia-Pacific, South Africa, and the Middle East where we have a strong presence and as a result have reliable market data.

Rate Calculator

Featured projects and contract roles

  • Leading Insurance Firm
    Head of Pricing – Indonesia
    Our client is a leading Insurer who are seeking a Head of Pricing to lead its product actuarial function in Indonesia. This is a senior-level role responsible f…
    Experience
    Senior (11-15 years) | Expert (15+ years)
    Location
    Est. Start
    June 09, 2025
    Duration
    12 month(s)
    Skills
    Actuarial
    Pricing
    4+
  • FSD Africa
    Programme Operations Coordinator
    The Programme Operations Coordinator plays a critical role in ensuring the smooth and efficient execution of the African Natural Capital Alliance (ANCA) initiat…
    Experience
    Junior (0-5 years)
    Location
    Est. Start
    May 19, 2025
    Duration
    12 month(s)
    Skills
    Administrative Support
    Operations Management
    3+
  • Global Payments Firm
    Risk Data Scientist – Saudi Arabia
    Our client a Global Payments Firm is currently engaged in a project with a leading bank in Saudi Arabia. To support with this, our client is looking to onboard …
    Experience
    Mid Level (6-10 years) | Senior (11-15 years) | Expert (15+ years)
    Location
    Saudi Arabia | United Arab Emirates | Bahrain | Qatar | Oman | Kuwait | India | Pakistan
    Est. Start
    May 15, 2025
    Duration
    6 month(s)
    Skills
    Data Science
    Python
    6+
  • Rand Mutual
    Technical Accountant (IFRS 17)
    Our client RMA is looking for a technical accountant who has IFRS 17 implementation experience to assist them until roughly April 2026. This is thus expected to…
    Experience
    Junior (0-5 years) | Mid Level (6-10 years)
    Location
    Johannesburg, South Africa | Gauteng, South Africa
    Est. Start
    May 19, 2025
    Duration
    10 month(s)
    Skills
    IFRS 17
    Accounting Standards
    2+
  • Deloitte
    Compliance Officer
    Our client is looking for a Compliance Officer to support the organisation’s ongoing commitment to regulatory excellence and good governance. This role sits in …
    Experience
    Mid Level (6-10 years)
    Location
    Johannesburg, South Africa
    Est. Start
    May 21, 2025
    Duration
    6 month(s)
    Skills
    Compliance
    Regulatory Compliance

Apply and become part of an independent platform like no other

If you are an ex-consultant with an MBB, boutique or Big4 background, or an industry practitioner with deep execution expertise, you are at the right place! At Outsized, we provide diverse and rewarding projects and contract roles with leading management consulting firms and blue chip enterprises, matching you to opportunities that align with your expertise and passions. Our process to apply is simple:

Easy application

Register in minutes using your LinkedIn profile, and tailor it to showcase your standout skills and experiences. The time you invest in doing this could be the key to your future success as an independent professional.

Onboarding

Once approved you will be part of a carefully designed onboarding journey. You will learn how to get the most out of Outsized, whether on a project with us or not. Highlights include our active Community, Perks and exclusive upskilling opportunities.

Get matched

As an Outsized member you will automatically be matched to relevant opportunities. It goes without saying that we always check your interest and availability before sharing your profile with any clients. You can also apply yourself to jobs listed on our site.