Charge-out rate calculator for tradies.
Work out what to charge an hour from your real numbers: your wage, super, time off, business costs and profit. Stop guessing, stop undercharging.
What you want to earn
Your wage: what you'd pay yourself for a year on the tools.
Your working year
Be honest: quoting, driving and paperwork aren't billable.
Business costs per year
What it costs to run the business before you earn a cent.
Total costs: $22,000 a year
Profit margin
Profit isn't your wage. It's what the business keeps for slow months, bad debts and growth.
10–20% is typical for a one-person trade business.
$840 for an 8-hour day · + GST on top if you're registered
- Covers your wage
- $65/hr
- Covers your super
- $8/hr
- Covers business costs
- $16/hr
- Profit for the business
- $13/hr
How to work out your charge-out rate
- 1
Set your income goal
Decide what you want to pay yourself for a year on the tools, before tax. Flick on super if you're putting some away. Employees get 12%, so should you.
- 2
Be honest about billable hours
Take off holidays, sick days and rain days, then count only the hours you can actually charge for. Quoting, driving and paperwork don't pay.
- 3
Add up your business costs
Ute, fuel, insurance, licences, tools, phone. The business pays for all of it before you earn a cent, so your rate has to cover it.
- 4
Add a profit margin
Profit isn't your wage. It's what keeps the business alive through slow months and pays for growth. 10-20% is typical.
- 5
Read your rate
The calculator shows your hourly rate, your day rate, and exactly what each hour covers. Add GST on top if you're registered.
What your hourly rate has to cover
- Your wage: what you actually pay yourself
- Super, so future-you isn't broke
- Holidays, sick days and rain days you don't bill
- The hours each week you can't charge for
- Vehicle, insurance, tools and running costs
- A real profit margin on top
Charge-out rate FAQ
Is this charge-out rate calculator really free?+
Yes. No sign-up, no limits, and your numbers never leave your device. It runs entirely in your browser.
What do tradies charge per hour in Australia?+
It varies a lot by trade and city, but most established tradies land somewhere between $80 and $150 an hour plus GST. The right number for you depends on your costs and billable hours, which is exactly what this calculator works out.
What's a billable hour?+
An hour you can actually invoice a customer for. Time spent quoting, driving between jobs, picking up materials and doing paperwork is work, but nobody pays you for it. Most tradies only bill 25 to 32 hours of a 45-hour week.
Do I add GST on top of my charge-out rate?+
Yes. The rate from this calculator is GST-exclusive. If you're registered for GST (required once turnover hits $75,000), add 10% on top of your rate when you invoice.
Do sole traders have to pay themselves super?+
No, super isn't compulsory for sole traders. But employees get 12% paid for them, and your rate should fund the same for you, or you're effectively working for less than an employee.
Why can't I just charge what other tradies charge?+
Their costs aren't your costs. A bloke with a paid-off ute and no insurance lapses can charge less than someone financing a new van. Work your rate out from your own numbers, then sanity-check it against the market.
Does the rate include markup on materials?+
No. Materials and their markup are separate. This rate covers your labour. Most tradies add 15-25% on materials to cover sourcing time and warranty risk.
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