Freelance & Contractor
Billable Hours Calculator
Calculate realistic billable hours per week, month, and year for U.S. freelancers and contractors. Factor in non-billable time and vacation.
Know the numbers
How to use this calculator
Enter total working hours per week, non-billable percentage (admin, marketing, etc.), and vacation/sick weeks per year.
A worked example
40 hours/week, 25% non-billable, 2 weeks vacation: 30 billable hours/week, 125/month, 1,500/year.
The calculation
Billable per week = total hours × (1 − non-billable%). Billable per year = billable per week × (52 − vacation weeks). Billable per month = billable per year ÷ 12.
Before you use the result
This estimates billable hours, not revenue. Actual utilization varies by industry, season, and client mix. Use the freelance hourly rate calculator to convert billable hours into a target rate.
Common scenarios
Use this calculator whenever you need to verify your hours, check a paycheck, or prepare a timecard submission. The result is the same arithmetic the payroll department uses, displayed in a form you can inspect.
Calculation methodology: View formulas, limits, and corrections
Common questions about Billable Hours Calculator
What counts as a billable hour?
Time spent directly on client work: meetings about the project, research, development, revisions, and communication about the project. Administrative tasks, marketing, and general networking are typically non-billable.
How do I track billable hours?
Use time-tracking software (Toggl, Harvest, Clockify) or a simple spreadsheet. Start the timer when you begin client work and stop when you finish.