Rate comparison
Is the cheaper freelancer really cheaper?
60 instead of 90 euros per hour saves a third on paper. In practice, what counts is the hours for the same task, rework, billed coordination, and whether there is a fixed price at the end.
On paper
Both need 200 hours, only the rate counts.
- Freelancer A
- €12,000
- Freelancer B
- €18,000
A saves €6,000 (33 %).
In practice
With extra effort, rework, coordination and billing model.
- Freelancer A
- €21,060
- Freelancer B
- €19,800
260 h work + 52 h rework + 39 h coordination = 351 h billed
200 h estimated + 10 % buffer, fixed price
B is cheaper in practice, by €1,260 (6 %), despite the higher rate.
A would only be cheaper than B below €56 per hour. The offer is €60.
The defaults are an example, not statistics. How much extra effort and rework a freelancer causes depends on experience, stack and project. Enter your own experience values.
Not included: your own time for supervision, testing and acceptance, follow-up costs of poor code quality, and delays until the start. These items are often higher for the cheaper offer. All amounts net, without VAT.
No obligation & discrete · Direct communication with Simon Daniel März · No agency middlemen
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions: Rate Comparison
Why the hourly rate alone says little about project cost.
You do not pay the rate, you pay rate times hours. If a freelancer needs longer for the same task, has to rework more, or bills every email and meeting, the hours go up. Then a rate of 60 euros can end up costing more than one of 90 euros.