2026 market ranges
Freelance Rate Benchmarks 2026
What freelancers charge across six professions and three experience levels — hourly ranges and the median project each one is worth.
| Profession | 0–2 yrs | 3–7 yrs | 8+ yrs | Median project |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web design | $35 – $60 /hr | $60 – $110 /hr | $95 – $165 /hr | $3,400 |
| Development | $45 – $75 /hr | $75 – $140 /hr | $120 – $210 /hr | $5,600 |
| Writing & content | $30 – $50 /hr | $50 – $95 /hr | $85 – $150 /hr | $1,900 |
| Video editing | $30 – $55 /hr | $55 – $95 /hr | $85 – $145 /hr | $2,400 |
| Marketing | $35 – $60 /hr | $65 – $120 /hr | $100 – $180 /hr | $3,000 |
| Bookkeeping | $30 – $45 /hr | $45 – $80 /hr | $70 – $120 /hr | $1,100 /mo |
2026 market ranges · public surveys, marketplace data, and 54+ client projects · reviewed July 2026. Freelancer pricing for US and EU clients, not agency pricing. Methodology →
| Experience | Hourly range |
|---|---|
| 0–2 years | $35 – $60 /hr |
| 3–7 years | $60 – $110 /hr |
| 8+ years | $95 – $165 /hr |
| Median project value | $3,400 |
| Experience | Hourly range |
|---|---|
| 0–2 years | $45 – $75 /hr |
| 3–7 years | $75 – $140 /hr |
| 8+ years | $120 – $210 /hr |
| Median project value | $5,600 |
| Experience | Hourly range |
|---|---|
| 0–2 years | $30 – $50 /hr |
| 3–7 years | $50 – $95 /hr |
| 8+ years | $85 – $150 /hr |
| Median project value | $1,900 |
| Experience | Hourly range |
|---|---|
| 0–2 years | $30 – $55 /hr |
| 3–7 years | $55 – $95 /hr |
| 8+ years | $85 – $145 /hr |
| Median project value | $2,400 |
| Experience | Hourly range |
|---|---|
| 0–2 years | $35 – $60 /hr |
| 3–7 years | $65 – $120 /hr |
| 8+ years | $100 – $180 /hr |
| Median project value | $3,000 |
| Experience | Hourly range |
|---|---|
| 0–2 years | $30 – $45 /hr |
| 3–7 years | $45 – $80 /hr |
| 8+ years | $70 – $120 /hr |
| Median monthly engagement | $1,100 /mo |
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The figures above are compiled from public sources and one freelancer's books. The way that becomes genuinely first-party data is one submission at a time. No email needed, nothing published individually, and nothing about this identifies you.
What these numbers are
2026 market ranges — compiled from public rate surveys, marketplace data, and Aleksandar Simov’s own 54+ client projects. Reviewed quarterly.
They describe freelancer pricing for US and EU clients — not agency pricing, and not a global average. Each range covers roughly the middle half of the market: the band a freelancer with that profile could reasonably expect to sit inside, rather than the floor or the ceiling.
There is no sample size on this page, because there is no panel. The methodology page sets out exactly how the ranges are produced and where they are weakest.