Freelance Rates Survey
September 26, 2009 by Lillie
Recently I wrote that freelance editing rates is the most popular keyword phrase that brings visitors to this blog. When I realized that one post on this subject has more than 300 visitors per month, I decided it was time to write more on the topic.
For an upcoming series, I would like to have some feedback on how freelancers price their writing and editing services.
I have compiled a simple anonymous survey that asks the following questions:
- How long have you freelanced part-time or full-time?
- What kind of freelancer are you—writer, editor, both?
- How do you find freelance jobs?
- How do you price your work—hourly, project, bid, etc.?
- What is your standard hourly or word rate?
- Do you post your rates?
There is an optional question to share any additional information that you think will be helpful. The survey should take only a few minutes as the six questions are all multiple choice.
Click here to take the freelance editing and writing rates survey
Please take the survey yourself and pass the link to every freelancer you know. The more responses I receive, the more accurate the information in my series will be.
Just goes to show that a little bit of tracking and analytics can really help you better cater towards those who are visiting your blog in droves!
Its a funny thing, the web. You can be visited by 1,000 per day and have no idea who these people are unless you team up with the right statistics application to help give some identity to those hits!
.-= Si@Leadership´s last blog ..Leadership Mentoring – Developing Your Own Style =-.
Si,
You’re right, and I tell myself I’m going to do better. However, my blog is really just for my own entertainment. If I start getting too serious about it, it will turn into work, and I don’t want that to happen.
Lillie, I’ve just filled up the survey. I hoped it helps you here!
.-= wilson´s last blog ..It’s Better Not to Use Too Much Fabric Plasters! =-.
Thanks, wilson. I appreciate it. I hope lots of freelancers fill it out.
I should fill it up also. Thanks for the survey.
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Sandra,
Please do fill out the survey. The more responses I get, the more accurate the results will be.
I’m taking the survey, and I am very excited to see the results! This should help out many freelancers, especially when figuring out how to price all of their rates.
C,
I think it will be very interesting to see the results. I hope lots of freelancers take the survey so there are enough responses to really see some patterns.
Lillie, first of all my apologies for replying here for the reply I got from you on the other post. I wish you get the response rates very soon and infact together we can do some statistical analysis and prepare a report. The reason why i am posting this here is that I contacted akismet support and they came back with an reply stating that “Akismet has learned to approve your comments on your blog in future”. So i am checking the same. Thanks a ton.
Regards,
Mack McMillan
.-= Mack@Real Estate Las Vegas´s last blog ..Commercial Real Estate Bubble =-.
Mack,
That’s OK that you replied on the other post—they’re related. I hope I get enough responses to get some accurate information. Survey Monkey will compile simple statistics, but I will probably need help to delve deep. I want to compare the rates by level of experience, for example, which will require more sophisticated statistical analysis than is available on Survey Monkey.
It looks like Akismet might have solved the problem. This comment went into moderation—not into spam. Now that I have approved this one, you should be automatically approved. It worked when you used other keywords, so it should work now, too. We’ll know the next time you leave a comment.
Hi, I took your survey, I charged about $20 per hour for web design/wordpress themes. I think the amount depends a lot on the clients. Mine are mostly individual bloggers so I am quite cheap. If I do SEO for companies I have a higher rate.
Tom,
I think it will be interesting to see the ranges of rates. Thanks.
I just filled out the survey. In my experience it is really hard to say what I’m generally paid because it varies so much client-by-client, project-by-project. How specialized the work is, the turn-around time, the type of client etc. really effect the rate.
.-= Spot@Priority Pass Review´s last blog ..The World’s 6 Coolest-Looking Bookstores =-.
Spot,
Thanks for completing the survey. I suspect there are a lot of freelancers like you.
Lilie you get nice information… I feel respected to you cause “Your sites is your home” So we are just guest here, so we must understand about your regulation before posting comment right…
Best regard from me…
.-= robertslucker´s last blog ..Detecting Information Details – Revealed Name Behind Cell Phone Numbers =-.
robert,
Thank you for the excellent analogy.
I need to be like you become a freelancer
.-= wayan tulus´s last blog ..Cara Membuat Blog Gratis =-.
Wayan,
A lot of people start part-time, keeping the job they have now and entering the freelance world gradually. It’s a good way to get started, also a good way to find out if you really like it. I love it and would never want to work for anyone else, but many people need the discipline of having someone else to report to. A freelancer has total responsibility, and not everyone likes that.
Lilie,
I’ve been a freelance online too at the moment. The most frequent question that hanging in my mind is, “What to do if my client doesn’t pay me?” You know, most of buyers are not willing to pay before the projects are done. Some are willing to pay half, but some will only pay after the project done. So what to do if all job’s done and the buyer…MIA?
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Kevin,
It’s a risk the first time you deal with a new client, but you can lessen the risk by having a written agreement so the client has made a legal commitment to pay you. Getting a deposit and billing for large jobs in increments are also helpful.
You can find freelance sites on the internet. As what I have known, freelances are paid per words per article. They should have to compile all the requirements needed for the clients.
Abigail,
There is an incredible variety in how and how much freelancers are paid. I’ll post the results of the survey, which I think will prove to be very interesting.
Interesting, will take part in your survey. Thanks for sharing.
Francis,
Thanks for participating.
Survey completed. Very interested in seeing the results. Thanks
Ted,
Thanks for taking the survey. I’m eager to see the results as well.
Just completed the survey Lillie. You never cease to amaze me.
Thanks for taking the survey, Terry. Hope lots of folks take part.
I’ve been freelancing for a while now. I need to do it because i am also a full time student at a university. I love it. It gives me the freedom to work at my own pace and when i’m really busy studying i can do the work that i need to do at my own free time
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.-= alex khadka´s last blog ..Hello world! =-.
alex,
Flexibility is one of the great benefits of freelancing. I hope you took the survey. If not, please do so.
Hi Lillie – I’m looking forward to seeing the results of the survey. Few writers seem keen to share this info. And many of the guides that tell you how to price work, don’t actually give any figures at all.
Cath,
I hope I get enough responses to be meaningful. I don’t know why people are so secretive about their prices.
Finally, just completed the survey. As far as I know, clients typically want per word rate than per hour rate. You know what I hate most? Some clients keep on asking to reduce the amount, even if you’re already offering reasonable rate.
.-= Anne Fox´s last blog ..How to Treat Angular Cheilitis =-.
Anne,
It will be interesting to see what the survey results show. I suspect there is a lot of variation.
I’ll check out the survey. Hopefully it will be helpful for other readers
Greg,
If there are enough responses, I think the results will be helpful to many freelancers.
Hi Lillie,
I really like that you organize the survey many times. It is really amazing that particular phrase brings lot of traffic.
aditya,
I hope freelancers spread the word about the survey so I can get lots of responses.
Hi Lillie,
I just had taken the survey. I’m curious how will the survey goes. If you have the result please have it post here in your blog. I have been doing a freelance job for a year and I think it’s a good source of income and for me it has been a life saver.
.-= Billy@canadian term life insurance´s last blog ..Term Life Insurance Quote Saint John’S New Brunswick – Get a Quick Life Insurance Quote =-.
Billy,
I intend to include the results of the survey in a series on freelance writing/editing rates. I’m going to give people plenty of time to respond so I have a good number.
I’m not sure, but in my opinion, let them offer some prices. Don’t demand a lot more, and if you do want more, don’t make it a lot more and ask!
.-= Amy@Penny Stocks´s last blog ..Penny Share Dealing. How To Start Video No 2 =-.
Amy,
I think it varies with the project. Obviously magazines post rates for their articles and, at least until you have a good history with them, there’s little room for negotiation. But in the work I do, I quote a price to clients. They don’t have a chance to make an offer.
What I would like to see is a survey where freelance rates are compared across the globe.
Freelancers can compete based on geographic location and price, but its the trust aspect that comes into play, and maybe the timezone differences as well.
Kyle,
That’s something I failed to include in the survey. I should have asked where the freelancer is located geographically and that does have an affect on the price.
I think it will be more interesting to see the ranges of rates. Thanks for this post!
Thomas,
I like your last name. It was my maiden name.
Please spread the word about the survey so we get good results. Thanks.
Hi Lillie,
It is interesting survey it shows how much people are looking for the freelancer news.
sumit,
I think people are looking for information about rates, and there is very little real information online.
Hi Lille,
I agree with you that people want to know what are the current rates in the mja5rke for particular work.
Great survey
Aditya,
I haven’t had a chance to review the survey results to date. I hope lots of freelancers are taking the survey.
[...] mentioned in a previous post, I am trying to collect real-world data from freelance writers and editors through a short online [...]
[...] and editors charge. If you freelance as a writer or editor, full-time or part-time, please take the survey described and linked in this post on September 26. Related Posts:Freelance Rates Survey ReminderFreelance Rates SurveyHow Much Will [...]
i have taking a survey hope to get good results.this is my first try.
.-= monika@Smooth Fitness coupon code´s last blog ..Special offer =-.
Monika,
Thanks for taking the survey. I hope enough people do to make the results valid.
Hey Lillie. I just filled out your survey, damn that was long.
I hope it helps.
Daniel,
Thanks for taking the survey.
I started to make it 60 questions but decided with most people’s short attention span I’d just quit at 6 questions.
Many people I know would like to enter into freelancing jobs as it has many advantages and the time is flexible as it is all yours. Provided, that you’ll be able to cope up with the deadlines. However, there are still lots of things to know before going into it. It takes a lot of courage to face that responsibility since you’re the boss and failure only happens when you’re not able to do just it.
.-= Jeff@Avoid foreclosure in Las Vegas´s last blog ..Hard times for Hi-Rise lender =-.
Jeff,
Not everyone is cut out to be a freelancer or a business owner. Some people function best when they are given direction by others rather than having to motivate themselves and figure it all out. Others don’t like to take risks but prefer a regular paycheck. Anyone wanting to get into freelancing should educate themselves and consider their own interests and talents. Perhaps starting part-time while still holding down a job will give them a better idea of whether freelancing is for them. Check out my series of becoming a freelancer.
Thanks Lillie. I checked the link you’ve given and I’ll be reading each one of them in a while. I agree, it is a risk getting involved in a business like this. Having that knowledge is essential as well as the interest to create something with worth. Thanks again.
.-= Jeff@Avoid foreclosure in Las Vegas´s last blog ..Hard times for Hi-Rise lender =-.
Jeff,
I can’t imagine working for someone else, but not everyone is like me. Thank goodness.