Tradie Hourly Rate Calculator

Work out the charge-out rate you actually need — covering your costs, your super and the income you want to take home. Free, no sign-up.

The income you want a year (before tax) — what you want to pay yourself

Billable hours a week — hours you actually invoice, not hours worked Weeks you work a year — take off holidays, sick days, quiet weeks Your yearly business costs — insurance, tools, vehicle, fuel, phone, software

Super you want to pay yourself (%) — optional; 0 if you skip it

Revenue you need a year$0

Billable hours a year0

Charge-out rate (ex GST)$0

With GST (if registered)$0

Set your rate once in Yamate — it fills every quote & invoice →

Why your charge-out rate isn't your old wage

The biggest mistake new sole traders make is charging close to what they earned as an employee. If you were on $45/hr as a wage, charging $55/hr "to add a margin" will quietly send you broke — because as your own boss you now pay for everything the boss used to cover.

Your charge-out rate has to fund three things: the income you want to take home, plus every business cost (insurance, tools, vehicle, fuel, phone, software, accountant), plus the fact that you can't bill 40 hours a week. That's why a realistic tradie charge-out rate is usually 2 to 3 times an equivalent wage.

Billable hours vs hours worked

You might be on the job 45 hours a week, but you can't invoice all of them. Quoting, driving, buying materials, chasing payments, paperwork and dead time between jobs aren't billable. Most solo tradies bill 20–30 hours of a 40-hour week. The calculator uses billable hours on purpose — charging as if every hour is billable is the fastest way to undercharge.

The maths it's doing

Revenue needed = income you want + yearly business costs + super
Billable hours a year = billable hours/week × weeks worked
Charge-out rate = revenue needed ÷ billable hours a year

It's deliberately conservative. Add a buffer on top for tax (see the tax set-aside calculator) and for profit beyond just paying yourself.

💡 Don't forget GST. If you're registered for GST you add 10% on top of your rate. The calculator shows both. New to GST? Use the GST calculator.

FAQ

What's a good hourly rate for a tradie in Australia?

It depends entirely on your costs and target income, but most solo tradies need a charge-out rate of $80–$150+ per hour (ex GST) to actually make a living once overheads and non-billable time are covered. Use the calculator with your own numbers rather than copying someone else's rate.

Should I charge by the hour or quote a fixed price?

Many tradies quote fixed-price per job (customers prefer the certainty), but you still need your true hourly rate to price those quotes properly. Work out your rate here, then build it into your quotes.

Do I include GST in my hourly rate?

Quote your rate ex-GST, then add 10% if you're registered. Don't bury GST inside the rate or you'll undercharge by 10%.

More free tools for tradies

GST calculator Quote & markup calculator Tax set-aside calculator

General information for Australian businesses, not financial advice. Your real numbers depend on your trade, location and costs.