Sound freelancer rates Asbjoern Andersen


What should you charge for your work as a freelancer? If you're struggling with that, you're far from alone - but the problem is that when you're looking for help on this, it's often hard to get some actual, hard numbers to work from.

However, a couple of days ago we noticed an excellent post by Xavier Coelho-Kostolny on that very topic, and he's generously allowed us to share it here. While he's coming at the from a 3D artist's perspective, I think the vast majority applies to us in freelance audio as well. Hope it comes in handy!


Written by Xavier Coelho-Kostolny and reprinted with his kind permission
Please share:
Animal Hyperrealism IV Is Here!

O ver the past several years, I’ve noticed a trend of freelance artists massively undercharging for their work, so in this article I aim to help curb that.

Let’s start off simply, and branch out from there.

This is the basic formula for figuring out your day rate:

[expenses] / (231) = day rate

But this isn’t the whole story, because you also need revision, hourly, rush job, per asset, and a**hole rates. I’ll explain all these in detail, give some advice on how to approach your pricing, and also give some things to consider on taxes.

EXPENSES

Figuring out your yearly expenses is the first step towards setting your rates.

Determine how much you need to make per year to pay your various bills and expenses just for living. This includes rent, utilities and internet, health care, car payments, student loans, groceries, etc. Include every single recurring expense that comes out of your pocket throughout the year. Add them all up, and tack on about 10–15% for unforeseen bills, up-charges, rent increases, etc.

If you’re unclear on certain things like how much overall you might end up paying for rent or groceries, I’d highly recommend doing a quick search for cost of living calculators. There are many available online, and some have incredibly granular results and inputs available.

Here are just a few cost of living calculators, each with different options:

NerdWallet Cost of Living Calculator 

SmartAsset’s 2020 Cost of Living Calculator – Cost of Living Comparison Tool

Bankrate’s Cost of Living Calculator – Cost of Living Comparison Index Tool

Bestplaces 2020 Cost of Living Calculator

I’d suggest using multiple calculators like the above to make sure you’re getting a good range of values.

Once you have the above figure, add about 25–50% to it.

This 24–50% is expenses for you; games, movies, leisure, clothes, whatever. (If you’re in entertainment, especially as an artist, you can often write off expenses for any entertainment as a business cost. More on that later.)

That number is the absolute minimum amount you need to make per year to simply survive. Games, movies, leisure, clothing, and all the rest are necessities to make sure you don’t burn out, you can leave your house, and you don’t starve. Those are very important, and not some sort of fluff expenses.

Now tack on another 25–40%.

This is important. Do not skip this!

This is roughly how much you are going to end up paying in taxes in many jurisdictions. In this US, this should account for federal and state taxes. Some municipalities also charge tax at the city level. Check your state and local websites or government tax agencies for more details; this can change on a city-by-city basis, and it’s important to know your local laws.
[tweet_box]A Short Guide to Freelance Rates – and what to charge for your work:[/tweet_box]

YOUR DAY RATE

Ok, time to get to back to the formula from the start:

[expenses] / 261 = day rate

261 is the approximate number of work days per year. But that’s way too simplistic. This doesn’t account for holidays, vacation, sick days, etc. Holidays, vacation days, and sick days aren’t just a luxury; you need them so that you don’t burn out.

Subtract at least 5–10 days for holidays

Subtract at least 10–20 days for vacation

Subtract at least another 5–10 days for sick time

Being fairly liberal with these numbers, call it roughly 30 days total that you’re subtracting from the 261 work days. Time to update the formula.

[expenses] / 231 = day rate

We can continue with hard numbers and make this a little easier to understand. Say the number you came up with is $60,000/year (which is low, but it’s a nice round number). That makes things look like this:

$60,000 / 231 = day rate

or

$60,000 / 231 = $259.74

If you want to make $60,000 per year, you need to charge a day rate of at least $259.74, and you can’t dip below that.


Popular on A Sound Effect right now - article continues below:


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    Bonus: Two extra libraries included for free:
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    Animal Hyperrealism Vol I is a library containing sounds themed animal vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 1300 individual sounds in 290 files.

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    All the content has been recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K plus a Sennheiser 8050 for center image and a couple of Sennheiser MKH8040 for stereo image. All files are delivered as stereo bounce of these four mics, though in some instances an additional couple of CO100K was added to the sides.

    The resulting ultrasonic spectrum is rich and allows for truly extreme manipulation of the content.

    Bonus: Two extra libraries included for free:
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    Inside, you’ll find an arsenal of meticulously designed audio ranging from thunderous booms, metallic crashes, and bone-rattling smashes to resonant sub drops, heavy stomps, and shattering debris. Each sound is crafted for clarity and impact, layering deep low-end power with crisp mid and high frequencies to ensure they cut through any mix while still delivering body-shaking presence.

    Whether you need to punctuate a cinematic reveal, emphasize a game boss encounter, or inject explosive energy into a trailer, Colossal Impacts provides versatile tools that adapt effortlessly to any genre. From dark and tense rumbling hits to sharp, aggressive slams, these sounds are designed to grip attention and elevate storytelling.

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    This library bridges functionality with creativity. You can emphasize success and progression with achievement tones, create tension with horror drones, or enrich user feedback with subtle tactile clicks and natural textures. Each sound is optimized to deliver instant recognition and emotional punch, from playful blops to majestic chimes.

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ADDITIONAL RATES

Now that you have a hard number for your day rate, you need to come up with additional rates for:

  • Revisions
  • Rush jobs
  • Per asset rate
  • Hourly rate

…and finally, my favorite:

  • A**hole rate

Each of the above should be different, and be exact. Don’t round these to the nearest 10, or nearest dollar, or anything along those lines. Give exact numbers to show you’ve actually calculated how much these things cost you and the client.

Some pointers for your rates:

  • Revisions should be more than your base rate, and by a minimum of roughly 25%. Make sure the client knows it costs both you and them time and effort.
    Many contracts will specify how many revisions are included in the contract. If it doesn’t include revisions? Probably a bad contract.
  • Rush jobs should not be taken lightly. Don’t be afraid to charge an additional 50–100% for a rush job, and make sure the client knows the percentage is going to go up the faster they want something.
  • Per asset rate is based on how long you know certain tasks take. If a specific task will take only 2 hours, divide your day rate by 4, and then tack on a percentage to make it worth your time.
    For large orders of small assets, lower the % so your client has an incentive to give you more work. People love discounts!
  • Hourly rate is generally only for things like consultation, appointments, etc. It’s also good for getting an annoying client off your ass.
    Divide your day rate by 8 and then crank up an additional percentage based on how much you hate the client.
  • A**hole rate is what you charge for jobs you simply do not want to do. Make it at least twice your usual rate, and itemize any costs for additional time, materials, research, etc. required to get the job done. Use your hourly rate for any itemized additions.

Based on the previous $60,000 figure (which, again, is pretty low), here are some VERY ROUGH numbers for the above:

  • Revisions = $324.68 / day
  • Rush jobs = $519.48 / day
  • Per asset = $40.58 / hour
  • Hourly = $40.58 / hour (and gradually increasing)
  • A**hole rate = $519.48 AND UP per day + hourly

PROFITS AND SPORADIC WORK

There are two more points to consider after you’ve calculated the above numbers:

  • Are you profiting from your work?
  • Are you getting consistent work?

Calculating rates isn’t just about figuring out how much you need to survive — it’s also about planning for your future! Making money without getting some sort of profit means that you’re only going to be able to survive paycheck-to-paycheck. If those paychecks are sporadic (a common occurrence for freelancers!), then you’re going to need a little padding to account for dry spells.

To make sure you’re actually able to put something into savings, a retirement account, or a simple rainy day jar under your bed, make sure to add on a percentage to any of your rates.

I’d recommend adding at least 15%–25% to each of your rates if you find yourself with very sporadic work, or rates that aren’t paying the bills.

More on setting (and getting) the right price for your work:

 

Want to know more audio pricing? Ryan Ike has written a guide on audio pricing, and how to get it right, here + one on whether you’re getting paid enough for your audio work. Also check out Kate Finan’s in-depth guide on how to set – and get – the right price for your audio work here. Considering working for free? There are 7 alternatives to working for free here.

CONSIDERING TAXES

Now, think about the taxes you’re going to need to pay. Every month, you should put away some money to pay taxes since freelance clients won’t withhold taxes for your paychecks. If you’re in the US, you’re probably going to be paying 25–40% taxes on all freelance income, and additional for any residuals or royalties.

One great thing about figuring out your taxes is figuring out the costs you can deduct from them. In the US, this is probably going to be a maximum of around $12,000. That means you can spend $12,000 on job-related expenses and then have that amount eliminated from tax you pay.

If you’re a freelance artist, that money could be for anything from art supplies to toys. You can write off entertainment, books, games, movies, etc. as reference and research material. If you go to a con, see if you can write off your travel and tabling expenses.

Write off any mileage you put on your car. This often ends up being more effective than writing off the gas and repair costs, and insurance is usually a separate write off. Write off other equipment, including your computer, and do that yearly if you continue using it. Most equipment will have a yearly depreciation value, and the amount you can write off per year decreases as the equipment ages.

If you work from home and have a work space, you can deduct a percentage of your rent and utilities from your taxes. If you use your phone, computer, iPad, or other electronics for work, the costs associated with those can usually be deducted as well.

Basically, anything work related can end up saving money on your taxes. Milk the hell out of that.

Finally, I highly recommend spending the money to see a tax professional. They’re expensive, but they can account for things about which you’re unaware, and the cost of hiring a tax pro often saves more money than you will spend on having them do your taxes for you. They’ll also be able to give much more detailed and specific advice on the types of write offs you can make, and give you some strategies you can use to save money or use your income in a smart way.

FINAL THOUGHTS

As a working artist who’s lucky enough to do this as a full time job, I’m begging you to not undercharge. People who charge lower than a standard rate end up lowering the expected rates for every other person in their industry, and that creates a race to the bottom as more and more people charge less and less.

Charge what you’re worth, charge enough to live, and charge enough to make sure people know you’re serious.
 

A big thanks to Xavier Coelho-Kostolny for his thoughts on setting rates as a freelancer!

 

Please share this:


 

About Xavier Coelho-Kostolny:

Xavier has been a 3D character artist in the game industry for nine years, having shipped multiple titles from PC indies like Rust, to AAA console blockbusters like Marvel’s Spider-Man. He now works as the lead character artist at Magnopus on VR and AR experiences that merge research and development, games, education, and simulation. Learn more about his work here.


 


Power Lists - essential audio resources and insights:

• The Sound Design Power List

• The Game Audio Power List

• The Film Sound Power List

 
  Succeed in sound:

• How to Set (and Get) the Right Price for Your Audio Work

• 10 Essential Tips for Game Audio Freelancers

• How to be a successful sound designer – with Scott Gershin

• How To Actually Live as an Audio Freelancer – by Melissa Pons

• How to set your sonic creativity free & overcome creative inhibitions – by Mark Kilborn

• 5 Useful Tips for Upcoming Sound Designers and Sound Editors

• Sound Opinions: How to get game audio pricing right

• Building a successful audio post studio – with Kate Finan and Jeff Shiffman

• Rebuilding your studio: Goals, tips and lessons learned

• Creating audio for games – with Martin Stig Andersen

• A life in sound: How to foster creativity and protect yourself from burning out – with Chance Thomas

• Better audio work habits: How a Wacom Tablet can help reduce the risk of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

• Better audio work habits: How a sit & standing desk can reduce your sedentary studio life

• Tips and thoughts on running your own audio post production house – with William McGuigan

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How to succeed in Field Recording, Foley, and Teaching Sound

• How to succeed in Audio Branding, Music Editing, and sound for VR

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• How to succeed in Sound Editing, Sound for Advertising, and Production Sound

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• How to get hired in game audio – thoughts and insights from your potential employer’s perspective

• Why gear is not the ticket to entry in the game audio community

• 4 Effective Ways to Break into Game Audio

• Tips for Creating a Perfect Resume for Audio Industry Jobs

• Yet Another Game Audio Hiring Article – by Ariel Gross

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• Applying for a job in game audio – by Matthew Florianz

• Freelance Game Audio: Getting Started and finding work – by Ashton Morris

• How to get started (and make it) in game audio – 10+ fundamental questions answered by Akash Thakkar

• Courses: How to network and get paid for your work in the game industry – by Akash Thakkar

• How to Craft a Perfect Cover Letter for Audio Industry Jobs
 
 
Finding those audio jobs:

• Get the weekly Audio Jobs newsletter

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Showcasing your work:
 
• Get a free profile on Soundlister

• Upload your demos to Soundcloud

• Upload your demos to ReelCrafter
 
 
Networking:
 
• Find game audio community groups around the world

• Find interesting audio events around the world

• Find other audio pros around the world
 
 
Coping with a layoff - and how to bounce back:

• How to prepare for – and power through – a layoff in the game audio industry, with Brian Schmidt:

• How to Survive a Game Audio Layoff – insights from Damian Kastbauer

• What it’s like to be laid off from your video game studio

• What To Do Before and After Being Laid Off

• Facebook Group: Survival Skills for Creatives
 
 
Education and knowledge:
 
• Get an audio mentor at the Audio Mentoring Project

• How To Learn Game Audio Online – A talk with Game Audio Educator Leonard Paul

• Hear the very best podcasts about sound

• Read the 100s of sound stories and guides on the A Sound Effect blog (search for stories here)

• Browse Industry Data: Game Music and Sound Design Salary Survey Results

• Browse 100+ Sound Design Guides

• Find essential books about sound – for film, games and audio post production

• Get tips and ideas for making your own sound effects

• Use the Audio Events Calendar to find audio-related events around the globe

• Get a steady stream of great sound stories from the community

• Discover 1000s of sound libraries from the independent sound community

• Take online courses in Wwise, FMOD Studio, Unity, Pure Data & Unreal at the School of Video Game Audio
 
 
Getting into independent sound effects:
 
• DIY SFX libraries - Your guide to your first sound effects library

• Sound effects survey results: Here are 90+ ideas for new SFX libraries

• How to create an indie sound bundle

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A Sound Effect gives you easy access to an absolutely huge sound effects catalog from a myriad of independent sound creators, all covered by one license agreement - a few highlights:

  • Strident and Demonic

    Expand the timbre of your horror violins and cellos with CIRCUS, a sinister sample pack featuring 180 WAV sounds of screeching or high-pitched string noises, perfect for horror music and dark sound design.

    Creative Tension

    This collection offers a curated selection of screeches, high-tension tremolo, heavy jeté strokes, dark demonic textures, finger patterns, chaotic string elements, clock loops and bow accents.

    Haunting and Experimental

    Create haunting atmospheres, perfect for horror, thriller or experimental soundtracks. Every element has been designed to unsettle and disturb, blurring the line between music and noise.

  • ⏰ For a very limited time:
    Add this library to the cart and enter ah4launch in the cart coupon field – to sprinkle an extra launch discount, on top of the current discount!

    Animal Hyperrealism Vol IV is a sound library containing animal vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 2000 individual sounds in 294 files. The sounds were recorded in zoos, and wildlife centers.

    The asset list includes but is not limited to: hippos, hyenas, vultures, dwarf mongooses, elephants, African cranes, parrots, tigers, pigmy hippos, rhea ostriches, brown bears, pheasants, wildebeests, African wild dogs and many more. The content has been recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K, an Avisoft CMPA and a Sennheiser 8050 for center plus two Sennheiser MKH8040 for stereo image.

    The resulting ultrasonic spectrum is rich and allows for truly extreme manipulation of the content.

    15 %
    OFF
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    Animal Hyperrealism Vol I is a library containing sounds themed animal vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 1300 individual sounds in 290 files.

    The sounds were partly recorded with animals trained for media production, partly recorded in zoos and wildlife centers. The asset list includes but is not limited to: african lions, bengal tigers, horses, donkeys, cows, exotic birds, owls, bobcats, pumas, dromedaries, wolves, dogs, geese, lemurs, gibbons and many more.

    All the content has been recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K plus a Sennheiser 8050 for center image and a couple of Sennheiser MKH8040 for stereo image. All files are delivered as stereo bounce of these four mics, though in some instances an additional couple of CO100K was added to the sides.

    The resulting ultrasonic spectrum is rich and allows for truly extreme manipulation of the content.

    Bonus: Two extra libraries included for free:
    This library also includes two additional releases from Mattia Cellotto - for free: Crunch Mode delivers 230 crunchy sounds made with a variety of vegetables, fresh bread, pizza crust and a selection of frozen goods. The Borax Experiment gets you 158 squishy, gory, slimy and gooey sounds.
Explore the full, unique collection here

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    Each sound is meticulously recorded, layered, and processed for clarity, punch, and adaptability across any platform or device. Whether you’re designing a mobile app, building a game interface, or producing interactive media, Hybrid Game & UI Elements ensures your project feels responsive, engaging, and professional. With carefully balanced dynamics and optimized mixes, this library provides the perfect blend of functionality and excitement, making every click, swipe, and in-game event satisfying and memorable. Elevate your UI interactions and game experiences with sounds designed to deliver precision, impact, and a touch of cinematic flair.

    20 %
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    Inside, you’ll find an arsenal of meticulously designed audio ranging from thunderous booms, metallic crashes, and bone-rattling smashes to resonant sub drops, heavy stomps, and shattering debris. Each sound is crafted for clarity and impact, layering deep low-end power with crisp mid and high frequencies to ensure they cut through any mix while still delivering body-shaking presence.

    Whether you need to punctuate a cinematic reveal, emphasize a game boss encounter, or inject explosive energy into a trailer, Colossal Impacts provides versatile tools that adapt effortlessly to any genre. From dark and tense rumbling hits to sharp, aggressive slams, these sounds are designed to grip attention and elevate storytelling.

    Product Details:

    • 103 Designed Cinematic Impacts
    • 100% Royalty-Free
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    23 %
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  • “System & UI Feedback Elements” is a massive sound library packed with over 200 dynamic audio elements designed to give life, energy, and clarity to your projects. From polished notification dings, confetti bursts, celebratory rewards and more, this versatile collection covers a wide spectrum of sounds perfectly suited for apps, games, websites, and multimedia productions.

    Inside, you’ll discover an eclectic range of professionally crafted effects: warm clicks, futuristic confirms, arcade-inspired coin wins, soft foley textures, mechanical switches, sparkles, zippers, and a lot more. Every file has been carefully mastered for balance and transparency, ensuring that whether you’re designing a mobile interface, building a game level, or editing motion graphics, the sounds will sit seamlessly in your mix.

    This library bridges functionality with creativity. You can emphasize success and progression with achievement tones, create tension with horror drones, or enrich user feedback with subtle tactile clicks and natural textures. Each sound is optimized to deliver instant recognition and emotional punch, from playful blops to majestic chimes.

    Give your projects a professional edge, captivate your audience, and transform ordinary interactions into memorable experiences with System & UI Feedback Elements.

    Product Details:

    • 229 Interface Sounds
    • 100% Royalty-Free
    • 24-Bit/96kHz

    17 %
    OFF
  • South East Asian Kitchen Ambience captures the busy and lively atmosphere of a working kitchen in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This collection features authentic sounds of cooking activity—meat pounding, stove crackling, water dripping, blenders whirring, pumps, and the hum of a grater machine—layered with background chatter and the subtle presence of passing traffic.

    Perfect for filmmakers, game developers, and sound designers, these recordings deliver a realistic sense of place, transporting listeners straight into the heart of a Southeast Asian kitchen full of movement, energy, and life.

  • Deep Ice is a unique sound collection capturing the organic power and delicate beauty of ice in motion. Recorded with precision on frozen lakes, this library offers an immersive palette of crystalline cracks, deep impacts, and pure debris.
    You will find:
    – Under-ice recordings with an Aquarian H2d hydrophone: deep cracks and resonant fractures
    – Surface recordings in XY stereo with Schoeps CCM4: sharp impacts, hits, textures, cracks, and debris
    These sounds are ideal for films and series sound design, video games, and musicals creations. Each recording has been carefully cleaned and formatted to UCS standards.

    Showreel Deep ice MOOBOX

   

One thought on “A Short Guide to Freelance Rates – and what to charge for your work:

  1. Don‘t forget to add about 20-50% of overhead, administration, business development, looking for jobs. It‘s pretty normal you have to go to conventions to meet people. Time you don‘t sit in the studio invoicing clients. Also, you usually don‘t have contracts back to back. You‘ll finish up one, then spend some days looking for the next one if you‘re no highly sought after rock star. You‘ll write emails asking people if they need sound, research potential clients, or write up an invoice for your last job. Or figure out how this new synth or plugin works. Time you cannot invoice anybody. I figure I spend at least 30% of my time with looking for jobs, administrative stuff, invoicing, book keeping…

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