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Raising your freelance rates can be scary, but if you’re confident that your skills and expertise are growing and adding more value, you need to let clients know that and charge accordingly. I like to think about other service providers when I worry my freelance rates will cause clients to balk.

If a master plumber shows up at my house to fix an emergency and resolves the problem quickly, I won’t be surprised if their rate is higher than an apprentice’s, just like I wouldn’t be surprised if your “cousin who messes around with wrenches” charges a fraction of the price.

If you’ve been a professional for a few years and have a few samples, it’s probably time to ask for a freelance rate increase.

Here are 26 signs you need to raise your rates:

1. You’re still charging what you charged when you started.

If your rates haven’t budged in five years and you’re getting better at your craft, you’re undercharging.

2. Your income hasn’t kept up with inflation.

Groceries are up. Tech costs are up. Health insurance is up. Your rates should be, too.

3. You’re busy… but your bank account doesn’t show it.

(Picture me clapping as I say this.) More clients does not equal more money. If you have too many clients and feel stressed, but your accounts aren’t showing off those efforts, get ‘em up. Your rates I mean.

4. You say yes to everything.

When every opportunity feels urgent, it usually means your pricing doesn’t give you breathing room.

5. You’re working nights and weekends (and you resent it).

There’s a difference between the freelance hustle and feeling like you cannot stop working ever, because you won’t be able to pay your bills. (Full-time employees who are side hustle freelancers, this doesn’t apply to you.)

6. You’re constantly exhausted.

Burnout is often a pricing problem disguised as a productivity problem. Here’s how to avoid freelancer burnout.

7. Clients add “quick” extras all the time.

If scope creep is normal, your rates (and boundaries) are too low.

8. You haven’t taken a real day off in months.

Sustainable businesses account for rest.

9. You can’t afford to take a sick day.

Freelancers don’t get PTO. That’s why your pricing must build in time for vacations, sick days, your kids’ sick days, and holidays when other businesses are closed. Understanding how many hours freelancers work can help with this.

10. You dread opening your laptop.

Undercharging makes you feel resentment. Sitting down to work no longer feels fun, like ever.

11. Clients describe you as “so affordable.”

Ahem. That’s not the compliment you think it is.

12. You’re stuck on low-paying platforms.

Early-career move to check out fiverr and upwork? Fine. Long-term strategy? Probably not.

13. You drop everything for rush jobs without charging more.

Urgency has a price in many industries. Your services should have a rush rate, too. I like to add on 25-30% depending on the turnaround.

14. Your peers are shocked by what you charge.

If other experienced freelancers say, “Still?” or “Wait… that’s it?” and ask if it’s a hobby, take note.

15. Your effective hourly rate is lower than you realized.

Track your time. I like to use Togg.l or other free services. Do the math for the time you spend on a particular client. Sometimes it’s eye-opening.

16. You’ve never raised rates for long-term clients.

Chances are, they won’t cut you loose. A modest annual increase or every few years is normal in every other industry.

17. You’re spending more than 50% of your time applying to jobs.

If you had some great anchor clients paying you well, marketing and searching for jobs should be part of the plan, not the entire freelance business plan.

18. You’re dipping into savings every month to cover basics.

This will happen at times but overall, you shouldn’t need to tap into your emergency savings every month to make ends meet as a full-time freelancer.

19. You’re working longer days but earning the same.

Logging more hours is not a business model. If you’re only charging hourly freelance rates, you’ll eventually cap out.

20. Your clients are thriving… and you’re scraping by.

If your work helps them grow revenue, your freelance pricing should reflect that impact.

21. You can’t invest in courses, tools, or conferences.

Growth and skill building require reinvestment of funds earned into your most valuable asset, you. Freelancer rates should allow it.

22. You’re afraid to turn down “meh” clients.

Higher rates create selectivity. I like to ask myself, “Am I willing to set my alarm for 5 a.m. a few days a week for this client?” so I can get the work done on a limited schedule. If the answer is a fast, “Heck, no,” I realize I don’t really want to work with them for the rates they’re offering.

23. You overdeliver constantly to prove yourself.

You don’t need to overwrite by 400 words or offer production help and social posts to justify your invoice.

24. You apologize for charging more.

Professional service providers don’t say they’re sorry for raising their rates. They simply put it out there and wait for a response.

25. You haven’t adjusted your pricing strategy since 2019.

A LOT has happened in the past seven years. Yes, AI writing is taking over some content jobs and lowering rates for certain freelancers, but it doesn’t have to be you.

26. You secretly know you’ve outgrown your rates.

You know you aren’t charging enough for the value you’re offering clients. If it isn’t “mates rates” (your best friend’s blog, perhaps, or helping your brother edit his site), you probably need to charge a higher rate.

If you’re nodding your head along to some of these signs, you probably need to raise your rates. I’ll show you how to ask for more money with every freelance project, how to structure your time and efforts to earn $100 an hour or more, and the exact script to use to negotiate higher rates with existing clients (lesson 6).

Enroll in the course “How to Earn $100 an Hour or More Freelance Writing.”

ALSO, I’m offering a new UPGRADE to this newsletter. For less than $4/month, become a supporter and you’ll get a new freelance article pitch in your inbox. I’ll share the subject line, body copy, what the editor said, link to the final article and the rate I received for the assignment.

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What I’m reading: Big Time: A simple path to abundance by Laura Vanderkam (May 2026)

What I’m reading online: The freelancer career path in The Sims is So Authentic I’m going to cry (From Nov 25)

What I published on the blog: 2026 Freelance Writing Trends to Know

What I published for a client: 5 marketing lessons we can all borrow from Girl Scouts (Inc.com) and Science-Proven Ways to Feel Happier and Strengthen Relationships (Inc.com)

What I’m watching: ‘Shrinking’ on Apple TV and ‘Eternity’ on Apple TV

What I’m working on: Finished judging B2B content submissions for the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE’s Azbees) and oh yeah, SHOVELING nearly 2’ of snow.

If you’re enjoying the content I put out and want to support this newsletter that takes me about two hours a week to write, send $$ support via Buy me a coffee.

Every little bit helps me keep this going every week and share free advice on my blog.

Big Desk Energy: A newsletter from Beehiiv’s founder, Tyler Denk, which includes startup stories and relevant industry news

Kaitlyn Arford’s Freelance Opportunities: Kaitlyn does the hard work of sourcing WAY more jobs than I do and sends them out a few times a week. Hopefully you’ll find some gigs between her newsletter or mine.

Here’s a roundup of creative, full-time, part-time, freelance, remote, and hybrid jobs in the editorial, copywriting, content writing, and creative fields. Good luck.

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