Free tool for freelancers who quote a fixed price
Freelance project quote calculator
Quote = estimated hours × hourly rate × (1 + contingency %) + expenses. Deposit = quote × deposit %. In the example, 32 hours at $85 is $2,720 of labor; a 15% buffer adds $408 (4.8 hours) and $150 of expenses brings the quote to $3,278. A 40% deposit is $1,311.20 up front and $1,966.80 at the end.
Last updated 2026-11-12.
- Project quote
- Labor (hours × rate)
- Contingency buffer
- Buffer in hours
- Deposit up front
- Balance at the end
Check the inputs: hours and rate above 0, buffer and deposit between 0% and 100%, expenses not negative.
Take it with you
Example scenarios
Three sets of example inputs worked through the same formulas as the calculator above. They are illustrations, not averages or statistics.
| Scenario | Inputs | Labor | Buffer | Quote | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 12 h at $60.00, 10% buffer, $0.00 expenses, 50% deposit | $720.00 | $72.00 | $792.00 | $396.00 |
| Typical | 32 h at $85.00, 15% buffer, $150.00 expenses, 40% deposit | $2,720.00 | $408.00 | $3,278.00 | $1,311.20 |
| High | 120 h at $110.00, 20% buffer, $600.00 expenses, 30% deposit | $13,200.00 | $2,640.00 | $16,440.00 | $4,932.00 |
Method: Labor = estimated hours × hourly rate; buffer = labor × contingency %; quote = labor + buffer + expenses; deposit = quote × deposit %; balance = quote − deposit. Figures checked against the same formulas on 2026-11-12.
How the calculator works
Estimate the hours the project takes, task by task, and enter the total with your hourly rate. Hours × rate is the labor. The contingency buffer is a share of that labor added on top, because estimates often run short: revisions, calls and the part nobody mentioned in the brief. Expenses you pass on unchanged, such as stock images, fonts or software for this client, are added after the buffer so you do not mark them up by accident.
The deposit is the share of the quote you ask before you start; the balance is what is left for the final invoice. Both are worked out from the full quote, expenses included.
Worked example
A website refresh is estimated at 32 hours. At $85 an hour the labor is 32 × $85 = $2,720. A 15% buffer adds $2,720 × 0.15 = $408, which is 4.8 hours of slack. Adding $150 for a stock photo licence and a font gives a quote of $2,720 + $408 + $150 = $3,278.
With a 40% deposit the client pays $3,278 × 0.40 = $1,311.20 before work starts and $1,966.80 on delivery. If the job takes exactly 32 hours, the buffer is extra margin; if it takes 36.8 hours, you still earn your $85 an hour.
Choosing the buffer and the deposit
Use your own history: compare the hours you quoted on the last few projects with the hours you logged. If you usually run 20% over, a 10% buffer is too thin. New kinds of work, unclear briefs and many stakeholders call for more; repeat work for a client you know calls for less.
Many freelancers ask a third to a half up front for fixed-price work, but there is no rule; what matters is that the deposit covers your risk if the client disappears halfway. State it in the proposal next to the quote, together with what is included and how extra rounds are billed.
What this tool does not do
It prices one project from one estimate and keeps nothing after you close the page. It does not estimate hours for you, add sales tax or VAT, or tell you what the market pays; it is arithmetic on your numbers, not business or legal advice.
Questions
Should the buffer be shown to the client?
Many freelancers quote one fixed price and keep the buffer inside it. The calculator shows it separately so you know how much slack the price holds.
Are expenses included in the deposit?
Here, yes: the deposit is a share of the whole quote. If you want expenses paid in full up front, enter 0 expenses here and add them to the first or final invoice yourself.
Does this page store my numbers?
No. The math runs in your browser; nothing is sent or saved.
Made by Bardach Technologies. We also make Clientsroster, a separate Notion template for solo freelancers that keeps leads, clients, projects, invoices and notes in six linked databases and tracks which invoices are due, paid or overdue (USD 59.99, one-time purchase on Gumroad). It does not send invoices. This calculator is free and needs no sign-up; nothing is charged on this page. Get Clientsroster on Gumroad (USD 59.99)