Freelance
Billable Hours Guide for Freelancers
Billable hours are the hours you charge a client for work. Tracking them clearly helps freelancers, consultants, and contractors prepare accurate invoices and understand project profitability.
Billable Hours Formula
Billable amount = Billable hours × Hourly rate
Example:
Billable hours: 12.5
Hourly rate: $40
Invoice amount: 12.5 × 40 = $500
What Counts as Billable Time?
Depending on your agreement, billable time may include:
- Client work
- Research
- Meetings
- Revisions
- Project communication
- Technical setup
- Reporting
What May Not Be Billable?
Some tasks may not be billable unless agreed:
- General admin
- Marketing
- Learning time
- Internal planning
- Personal breaks
Track Time by Project
For better invoices, track time separately for each client or project. This makes it easier to explain totals and avoid mixing unrelated work.
Use the Billable Hours Calculator
Use our free Billable Hours Calculator to track billable tasks and estimate client invoice totals.
Use the Billable Hours Calculator
Track billable tasks and estimate client invoice totals.