The reasoning behind every number.
FreelancerPlanning separates technical complexity from delivery risk. That distinction makes the result easier to inspect and stops a simple-looking workflow from hiding risky access, data, or support conditions.
What the result means
The minimum safe price is a break-even-plus-margin floor based on the information you enter. It is not a market rate, a recommendation to charge an exact amount, or a guarantee that the project will be profitable or accepted.
The freelancer remains responsible for confirming the scope, effort, rate, costs, margin, taxes, terms, and final commercial decision.
1. Technical complexity sets base build hours
The model scores six technical variables: connected systems, workflow steps, conditional branches, human approvals, sync direction, and custom code or API work.
| Complexity | Score | Suggested build hours |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 0–4 | 8–15 |
| Medium | 5–9 | 16–30 |
| High | 10–14 | 31–55 |
| Very high | 15–18 | 56–90 |
The calculator proposes the midpoint of the range. You can replace it with your own build estimate before pricing.
2. Delivery risk changes contingency
Eighteen questions contribute to four separate risk categories: integration, data quality, business impact, and maintenance burden. The overall score has a maximum of 56.
| Risk band | Score | Contingency | Suggested margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 0–13 | 10% | 20% |
| Medium | 14–27 | 20% | 25% |
| High | 28–40 | 35% | 30% |
| Very high | 41–56 | 50% | 35% |
A very high result is a reason to consider paid discovery before offering a fixed price. It is not an instruction to accept or decline the work.
3. Effort includes work outside the visible build
Discovery and planning = 12% of build hours, minimum 2 hours
Testing = 18% of build hours
Documentation and training = 8% of build hours, minimum 4 hours
Project management and admin = 10% of all work aboveThese allowances are planning assumptions. Adjust the base build estimate if your delivery method requires more or less work.
4. Your commercial rules produce the price floor
Adjusted hours = total hours × (1 + risk contingency)
Labour cost = adjusted hours × your hourly rate
Tool setup cost = monthly tool cost × setup months
Minimum safe price = (labour cost + tool setup cost) × (1 + margin)The result rounds upward to the next 50 in the selected currency. The calculator does not convert exchange rates or add tax.
How the model will improve
This is an initial decision model, not a statistically validated benchmark. The weights will be reviewed after real automation freelancers use it on real and recent projects. Changes will be documented here rather than hidden inside the product.
The current model is designed for freelance n8n, Make, and Zapier work. It has not been validated for large enterprise RPA programmes, regulated decisions, tax work, or legal and compliance assessments.