{"id":7563,"date":"2022-10-25T08:27:44","date_gmt":"2022-10-25T08:27:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=7563"},"modified":"2025-01-28T15:54:52","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T15:54:52","slug":"freelancing-rates-for-ux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/freelancing-rates-for-ux\/","title":{"rendered":"Realistic freelancing rates for UX professionals (and how to ask for money)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For UX professionals, freelancing offers complete autonomy over your daily schedule, the chance to diversify your portfolio and limitless earning potential. But as a new freelance UX professional, navigating the world of UX freelance rates can be a minefield. How much should you be charging? And how do you go about getting paid?<\/p>\n<p>Income is a key factor in deciding whether or not to go freelance, so it\u2019s important to know what to expect. In this quick-fire guide, we\u2019ll lift the lid on freelancing rates for UX designers (and other UX professionals) around the world. We also round up with some practical advice on how to go about confidently navigating the \u2018pricing\u2019 conversation with new clients.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s dive in!<\/p>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-diploma-in-ux-designp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ux-design?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog_panel_pdux&utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN UX]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Diploma in UX Design course<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h2>Freelancing rates for UX professional in 2022<\/h2>\n<p>As we run through different UX freelancing rates across the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, the USA and Canada, It\u2019s important to remember that these are average <strong>hourly rates<\/strong> for <strong>mid-level freelance UX professionals<\/strong>. Freelancing as a UX professional is relatively new, so the data might not always be accurate. You might even find yourself being hired as a the first UX freelancer a company\u2019s dealt with before \u2014 which means being even more strategic when setting your rates.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s also important to bear in mind that setting hourly rates is only one approach to pricing your services. You can also price by the day and on a project-by-project basis. Rates are also not set in stone; most freelance UX professions start out with a baseline and amend their rates as they gain more experience.<\/p>\n<p>For guidance, here are some example rates pulled from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/tips-freelance-ux-designers\/\">8 ways to succeed as a freelance UX designer<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Years 1\u20135: $50\/hr<\/li>\n<li>Years 5\u201310: $75\/hr<\/li>\n<li>Years 11+: $100+\/hr<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For an additional reference point, we recommend reading our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ux-designer-salaries\/\">UX designer salaries in 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Freelance rates for UX designers<\/h3>\n<p>Based on data from <a href=\"https:\/\/ie.talent.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Talent<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Glassdoor<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salaryexpert.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Salary Expert<\/a>\u00a0and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.malt.fr\/t\/barometre-tarifs\/web-graphic-design\/ux-designer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Malt<\/a>.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>UK<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>Ireland<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>Germany<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>France<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>USA<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>Canada<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">\u00a337.88<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">\u20ac 28.21<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">\u20ac35<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">\u20ac58<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">$64.53<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">$31.57<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Freelance rates for UX researchers<\/h3>\n<p>According to Talent, Glassdoor and Salary Expert.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>UK<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>Ireland<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>Germany<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>France<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>USA<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>Canada<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">\u00a337.33<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">\u20ac24.65<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">\u20ac38<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">\u20ac33<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">$67<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">$39.69<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Freelance rates for UX writers<\/h3>\n<p>Based on data from the <a href=\"https:\/\/uxwritinghub.com\/ux-writing-salary-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UX Writing Hub<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prosperity.ie\/salary-survey\/ux-writer-salary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Prosperity<\/a>.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>UK<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>Ireland<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>Germany<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>France<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>USA<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"><strong>Canada<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">\u00a346<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">\u20ac24.65<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">\u20ac49<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">\u20ac57<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">$74<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.6667%;\">$66<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-certificate-in-ui-designp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ui-design?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog_panel_text&amp;utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN UI DESIGN]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Certificate in UI Design course<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/h2>\n<h2>UX freelancing: What happens and when?<\/h2>\n<p>When you\u2019re new to freelancing, it\u2019s not always immediately clear what to expect from your clients and when \u2014 especially when every UX project (and client) is different.<\/p>\n<p>To help you along your way, we\u2019ve laid out the practical steps you can follow to pitch your work, set your rates and get paid on time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 1: Pitching work<\/strong><br \/>\nOnce you\u2019ve found a client, the first step in the timeline UX freelancing timeline is to pitch the work. Pitching is essentially how you convince a client you\u2019re worth hiring. A pitch outlines who you are, your services at a glance and what you can specifically do for your client\u2019s business.<\/p>\n<p>Your pitch will act as the foundational jumping off point for the discussion about your rates. With a tangible reference point for the scope, resources and timelines of the project, both you and the client can get a sense of how much the work will cost.<\/p>\n<p>For that reason, it\u2019s important to be <strong>as realistic as possible<\/strong> about the service you\u2019re able to provide and how many hours\/days it\u2019ll take. You can also feature the predicted cost of the project in your pitch \u2014 just be sure to also include a breakdown of how you\u2019ve landed at that number.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 2: Asking about rates<\/strong><br \/>\nAs a new freelancer, discussing rates with new clients can feel like walking a tightrope. Naturally, you want to get paid what you\u2019re worth \u2014\u00a0but you also want to win the client. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to have an open (and flexible) discussion about rates before the work officially gets started.<\/p>\n<p>There are a few different ways to approach the \u2018rates\u2019 discussion with new clients. One option is to spend some time working out a baseline rate for your services, and laying them out in a pricing guide \u2014 which the client can read through in their own time. You can research UX industry standard rates in your local area to get a sense of what you should charge based on experience. It\u2019s also worth talking to other freelance <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/guide-to-ux-networking\/\">UX professionals in your network<\/a> to understand what they charge (and why).<\/p>\n<p>Another approach is to ask the client what their budget for the work is. If they\u2019re looking for something specific, it\u2019s possible they already have a number in mind. If the number is a little under what you would normally charge, don\u2019t be afraid to negotiate: There\u2019s usually some leeway in there \u2014 especially if you can prove your worth with an amazing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/inspirational-ux-design-portfolios\/\">UX portfolio.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 3: Creating a contract<\/strong><br \/>\nOnce you\u2019re both on the same page about how much you\u2019re charging for the work, you\u2019ll want to get it down on paper with a legally binded contract that your client can sign. The contract should detail:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The terms of the work<\/li>\n<li>Timelines and milestones<\/li>\n<li>A breakdown of payment<\/li>\n<li>Who you\u2019re invoicing (name and details)<\/li>\n<li>When the invoice will be sent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Not only will a contract hold both parties responsible; it also helps avoid misunderstandings relating to rates and payment \u2014\u00a0and it means the client can\u2019t sneakily ask you to do additional work (extra design revisions, for example) without additional payment.<\/p>\n<p>Creating a contract as a new UX freelancer can seem overwhelming but there are a myriad of freelance contract template websites available to save time, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pandadoc.com\/freelance-contract-template\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PandaDoc<\/a>. All you have to do is plug in the details and amend any clauses if necessary.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 4: Doing the work<\/strong><br \/>\nWith the contract signed, it\u2019s time to get stuck in with the work! As you work through the project, it\u2019s important to <strong>stick to the working hours detailed in the contract<\/strong> as closely as possible, to avoid any unpaid labour. Time-tracking apps like <a href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Toggl<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getharvest.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Harvest<\/a> will help you stay on schedule. They will also provide useful insights into how long a project takes \u2014 so you can be even more accurate when pricing your services in future.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, the hours you worked don\u2019t match up with what you\u2019ve charged. If the extra time is due to delays or requests caused by the client, you can politely refer back to the terms laid out in the contract \u2014 or ask them if they\u2019re willing to pay overtime for the additional hours worked. However, if the work simply took longer than you\u2019d anticipated, you might have to swallow the cost (and try to plan more accurately in future).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 5: Submitting invoices\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\nInvoices ensure you receive the payment on time and in full. Without one, there&#8217;s no paper trail or record of payments received. While invoicing is standard practice in the freelancing world, there\u2019s also a right and wrong time to send them. Invoicing prematurely doesn\u2019t always bode well, especially if your client is yet to actually review your work. Invoice too late and they could forget about the project entirely \u2014 meaning have to wait even longer to get paid.<\/p>\n<p>To avoid misunderstandings, your invoice should be <strong>as clear and straightforward as possible<\/strong>, so that your client knows exactly what they are paying for. You can also save time by using a pre-existing invoicing templates using sites like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freshbooks.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Freshbooks<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/en_gb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Canva<\/a> that includes all necessary details like dates, terms and deliverables. This will also save you the hassle of having to manually create invoices from scratch for each client.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 6: Following up on late payments\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\nHaving to chase your clients for payment is never enjoyable, especially when you\u2019ve worked hard to wrap the project up on time. There are ways to avoid late payments; like adding a late payment fee into the terms of your contract (and on the invoice itself) or offering discounts for early or fast payments. But sometimes, even these measures aren\u2019t enough to stop your invoice falling off your client\u2019s radar.<\/p>\n<p>To make your life easier, many invoicing software apps like <a href=\"https:\/\/app.hellobonsai.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bonsai<\/a> include <strong>auto-reminder features<\/strong> that automatically email your clients when the payment is due or overdue. If you haven\u2019t used invoice software, you can send a polite email informing your client that the payment is overdue \u2014 reminding them of the payment terms laid out in your contract (including late fees, where applicable). You can also ask them to notify you once the payment\u2019s been made, so you can flag it with them if the payment hasn\u2019t come through.<\/p>\n<p>To learn more about freelancing as a UX professional, check out our complete <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/guide-freelance-ux-designer\/\">guide to becoming a freelance UX designer in 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>Demand for talented UX professionals is at dizzying heights and a growing number of organisations are building out their tech teams using freelancers rather than full-time employees. With this in mind, there\u2019s never been a better time to launch your freelance UX business.<\/p>\n<p>While the benefits of freelancing definitely outweigh the negatives, it\u2019s still a commitment. It\u2019s essential to understand the matrix of UX freelance rates so you can price your services accurately and build trusting relationships with new clients.<\/p>\n<p>Hopefully, this guide has helped you to avoid haphazardly throwing out numbers \u2014 and instead build a bespoke pricing structure that makes freelancing worthwhile in the long run.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Knowing how to charge for your work can be challenging but we want to remove that obstacle. In this guide, we take a look at the different freelancing rates for UX professionals across the world and how to ask clients for money. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":7564,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[266],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-into-ux"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/34"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7563"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7563\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11651,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7563\/revisions\/11651"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}