I figure it would be interesting to start a thread about current freelancer and consulting rates.<p>State what work you do, where you are based, where your clients are based and what type of rates you are charging at the moment.
This would probably work better as a poll or an offsite, anonymous survey. I don't think you'll get very accurate results from limiting yourself to the small fraction of developers who:<p><pre><code> - don't mind disclosing their salary in public
- don't have any co-workers, employers, or clients who read this site
- have a single fixed rate that they charge everybody
- don't plan to change their rate in the future
- make enough to not feel silly disclosing their rate in public
- don't make so much that they'll feel like they're just bragging
</code></pre>
I'd personally be happy to tick a box, but I'm not going to quote my rate here.
Hopefully somewhat on-topic, but one of the comments - "$1500 a day?! I'm underpricing myself!" made me want to contribute this:<p>The consultants who get this typically do more than just code. Often (usually) you'll end up needing to travel. I run in to <i>a lot</i> of talented freelance developers who 1) vow to never travel outside their hometown and 2) wonder why they can't charge high rates.<p>I'm not saying you need to fly overseas 3-4x per month, but part of being able to charge the high rates is providing value to clients commensurate with the price you charge. Providing value encompasses things like meeting the client in their office, even if it's 7 hours away. Arrange your own flight, charge it back later, etc. Make solving their problems first and foremost.<p>There's load of other stuff to say on pricing, and there are few universal rules on pricing. I do know that one of the things that's allowed me to charge what I charge is that I'm willing to go out of town to people who need what I offer.<p>I'm not saying these are my numbers, but if you're charging $30/hour now, but could make, say, $90/hour by going onsite to clients - being willing to travel to other cities for days at a time - would you do it? I'm actually a bit shocked at the number of people I meet who tell me "no". I realize not everyone has the same priorities I do, but still surprising.
There is a lot of work out there at the moment. I got back into consulting work as a freelancer two weeks ago and filled up my schedule within a couple of days after sending a single email to 5 or 6 contacts.<p>I am working on backend Python, frontend Javascript (Backbone, etc.) and general startup product consulting. Charging $700 per day (which I think is low, but I wanted to accept some work), based in Asia and clients in the USA (West Coast)
I do LAMP, front-end (JS, HTML5/CSS3), server admin, performance optimization, project planning / product dev, security consulting, SEO, and whatever else a client will pay me to do.<p>Typical rate is $75/h. I also do project quotes that work out to be more or less. Through BidOnMyDay I've been working for less but meeting some great people (shameless plug):<p><a href="http://bidonmyday.com" rel="nofollow">http://bidonmyday.com</a><p>I'm US based. Currently a nomad living in hostels, hotels, and couch surfing.<p>I DGAF if people know what I make. I've never understood apprehension with discussing income. If you have coworkers it could make sense but this is for freelancers. Also, if you think a freelancer makes RATE * FULL TIME HOURS you've never been one.
Depends on what you're "freelancing." As a designer, it tends to waiver based on the project but generally I'll either charge an hourly rate of $60, or, just price out the project as a total lump sum. Everyone has their own way, but I tend to go the route that makes it easiest for the client as well as a good move for my bank account.<p>Two of my favorites for figuring out an hourly rate or how much to charge as a whole:<p><a href="http://freelanceswitch.com/rates/" rel="nofollow">http://freelanceswitch.com/rates/</a><p><a href="http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/07/14/quality-price-ratio-in-web-design-pricing-design-work/" rel="nofollow">http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/07/14/quality-price-rat...</a>
I'm a Linux SysAdmin in Sunnyvale, clients are all over. I don't do a lot of consulting, maybe one day a month or so, give or take. But I usually charge around $100/hr. I've gone as high as $200 and as low as $80 in recent times, but $100 is usually the target. Of course, my prices float based on how much I want the work; If prgmr.com just handed out a big credit and/or I'm drooling over some new hardware, you can often get a deal; when the cashflow on my VPSs is good, on the other hand, not so much. Last time I did full-time contracting through a body shop I got $72/hr, but this was several years back, and I've published a book since then.<p>I'm looking to have my company do more consulting as a way to raise short-term revenue, and as a way provide my employee(s) a way to do higher value work (and thus earn more money) without leaving my company for more profitable employers.<p>Ideally, I'd personally do about one day a week of contracting like this, and as employees become more experienced, slowly transition them from support to consulting.<p>As far as I can tell, rates depend as much on the client as on your skill level. I've had some clients laugh at my rate and offer /more/ - while others do the opposite.<p>I'm considering retainer type deals, and I'd be interested to hear how retainers have worked for other people.<p>edit: attempted a less-objectifying reword.
Front-end development work and Django back-end work, $85/hr. Also do basic Ubuntu setup for a typical Django-based site from scratch. Based in Rochester, NY. My clients are all over the place - NYC, SF, BOS, but very few are in close proximity to Rochester.
I do some Mac and iOS user interface design & development consulting on the side of my real job. I charge between $100-150/hr depending on the project, and I don't really take many projects since I try to leave enough time for me to work on my own apps and projects. I live in Raleigh, NC but my clients are worldwide.
I am wondering if anyone here worked for the man and decided that wasn't for them. Thus you went the freelance/consulting route? If so, how and where did you get your clients? Also, are you able sustain yourself, do you ever struggle financially and or you are able to make more money being independent?<p>I'm just starting out on this route and seeking advice overall on this.
For me, as ex freelancer, all clear:
$10-20 for so called programmer from Asia(China, India)
$20-$30 for russian or east European programmer with CS degree
$60 for programmer from England
>$60 US
PS: prices for Ruby devs, it can be different for iOS or Java
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AlD_6iEb8Ed9dGs3clVJYi0yYVBka181Z0ZKRW9kQ0E&hl=en_US#gid=0" rel="nofollow">https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AlD_6iEb8Ed9dGs...</a>
This is a spreadsheet of contractors on Hacker News that was going around a few months ago. You could probably get a good idea of rates for various technologies here.
I do on-site SysAdmin/tech work for local businesses at $65/hr. That's in West Virginia.<p>BUT, I'm undercutting. I have a day job that pays me significantly less, but affords me plenty of PTO to do work like this.<p>I've done work with a local company that charges $95/hr. I've also been told by businesses that they pay $75-150/hr with other consultants/businesses.
I was making $60/hr through odesk.com as an ios developer working < 10hr/wk. I imagine I could get more if I was pursuing clients actively (I live in San Francisco). I'm considering going back to it fulltime and was wondering what sort of business entity people are using (LLC, Corp, indy business owner etc.).
I charge $60/hour when working at home and twice that when on site. I turn down almost all (over 80%) consulting offers, so I could probably raise my rates if I was not so fussy about what work I accept.<p>I am semi-retired now, and enjoying work is a higher priority than maximizing income.
These aren't me, but to give some perspective, I know of a bay-area consultant who charges $200 per hour for JavaScript related work and by all accounts is well worth it. I know of another that charges $150-175 for GWT development.