How to Create a Freelance Rate Card That Wins Projects
I used to quote every project from scratch. Each time a prospect asked “how much?” I’d calculate on the spot, often underpricing because I felt put on the spot. My prices were inconsistent — similar projects had wildly different quotes.
Creating a rate card fixed this. It standardized my pricing, made quoting faster, and presenting tiered options increased my average project value by about 20%.
My Rate Card Structure
Service Tiers
Consulting & Strategy
- Strategy session (60 min): $250
- Monthly consulting retainer: Starting at $2,000/month
Website Design & Development
- Landing page: $1,500-2,500
- Business website (5-7 pages): $4,000-8,000
- E-commerce site: $8,000-15,000
- Website redesign: $5,000-12,000
Ongoing Services
- Monthly retainer (10 hrs): $1,300/month
- Monthly retainer (15 hrs): $1,750/month
- Monthly retainer (20 hrs): $2,200/month
- Hourly (non-retainer): $140/hour
Add-Ons
- SEO optimization: $1,000-2,500
- Content migration: $500-1,500
- Custom integrations: $800-2,000/each
- Post-launch support (30 days): $500
Why Ranges Instead of Fixed Prices
I use ranges because scope varies. A 5-page website for a simple business and a 5-page website for a complex service firm have very different requirements. The range sets expectations while leaving room for scope-appropriate pricing.
When a prospect asks about pricing, I share the relevant range: “A business website in your category typically falls in the $5,000-7,000 range. After our discovery call, I’ll provide a specific quote.”
Tiered Pricing: The Revenue Multiplier
For every proposal, I present 3 options:
| Essential | Standard | Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pages | 5 | 7 | 10 |
| Revisions | 1 round | 2 rounds | 3 rounds |
| Mobile design | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| CMS setup | Basic | Full | Full + training |
| SEO | ❌ | Basic | Comprehensive |
| Support | ❌ | 15 days | 30 days |
| Price | $4,000 | $6,500 | $9,500 |
Results: 15% choose Essential, 60% choose Standard, 25% choose Premium. Average project value with tiers: $6,350. Without tiers (just quoting the middle option): $5,200. That’s a 22% increase from simply offering choices.
When to Share Your Rate Card
On your website: “Starting at” prices only. Enough to filter, not enough to lock you in.
On discovery calls: Share the relevant range after understanding their needs. “For what you’re describing, we’re typically in the $6,000-8,000 range.”
In proposals: Full tiered pricing with specific deliverables.
Never: Don’t email your full rate card to cold inquiries. Pricing without context is meaningless.
The Bottom Line
A rate card standardizes your pricing, speeds up quoting, and enables tiered proposals. Update it annually with your rate increases. The combination of consistent pricing and tiered options is the simplest way to increase average project revenue.