Business Growth 3 min read Updated January 28, 2026
How to Price Your Freelance Services (Hourly vs Fixed)
Are you charging enough? Probably not. Most freelancers underprice their services out of fear of losing clients.
1. Hourly Billing: The Safe Trap
Charging by the hour is simple. You trade time for money.
Pros: Guaranteed payment for every minute worked.
Cons: You are punished for being fast. As you get better, you earn less.
Cons: You are punished for being fast. As you get better, you earn less.
2. Fixed Rate (Project Based): The Risk/Reward
You charge $1,000 for a logo. Whether it takes you 2 hours or 20 hours, the price is the same.
Pros: High profit potential if you are efficient.
Cons: Scope creep. If the client asks for endless revisions, your hourly rate plummets.
Cons: Scope creep. If the client asks for endless revisions, your hourly rate plummets.
3. Value-Based Pricing: The Holy Grail
You don't charge for your time or the deliverable. You charge for the **value** you provide.
If your landing page design will help the client make $100,000 in extra sales, why are you charging $500? Charge $10,000.
Which one should you choose?
- Choose Hourly if the scope is unclear or likely to change.
- Choose Fixed if you have done this 100 times and know exactly how long it takes.
- Choose Value-Based if you are solving a high-value business problem for a profitable company.