How do you bill clients hourly?

Asked by: Ms. Alverta Gleichner  |  Last update: November 18, 2025
Score: 5/5 (64 votes)

We'll explore the basic steps for calculating billable hours:
  1. Set an hourly rate. If you charge a single rate for all your services and clients, this step is straightforward. ...
  2. Track the number of hours worked. ...
  3. Add up your billable hours. ...
  4. Multiply your hours worked by your hourly rate. ...
  5. Add any extra fees or charges.

How do you invoice hourly rate?

Here's a checklist of the information that you should include in an hourly invoice:
  1. Label as an invoice.
  2. Your name and contact information.
  3. Invoice number.
  4. Date of the invoice.
  5. Billing period.
  6. Client name and address.
  7. A breakdown of services rendered.
  8. Hourly rates.

How do you tell a client your hourly rate?

  1. Pick a number you're comfortable with and stick with it. ...
  2. Practice saying your rates. ...
  3. Don't just say your number, frame your number. ...
  4. Don't explain or apologize for your rate. ...
  5. Don't give discounts. ...
  6. Ok, ok, you can give discounts (but only for a really good reason.) ...
  7. Don't try to be the cheapest.

How do I invoice someone for hours?

Write in general invoice information like your name, the date of the invoice, and who and what the invoice is for. Set up the time tracking portion of the table with date, time in, time out, number of hours, project number, and tasks.

How do you calculate hourly billing rate?

If you want a quick overview of the billing rate in your company, the calculation can be quite simple. Find the number of billable hours and divide it by the total number of hours worked in the company.

The Problem With Hourly Billing For Consultants

42 related questions found

How to do hourly billing?

How to record billable hours
  1. Set an hourly rate. First, establish how much you plan to charge clients for the hours you work. ...
  2. Schedule your invoices and payments. ...
  3. Track your hours. ...
  4. Add up your billable hours. ...
  5. Create an invoice for the client.

How do you charge per hour?

Desired profit amount + desired salary + operating costs / number of income producing hours = your hourly rate. For example: Desired profit of $16,500 + desired personal pre-tax salary of $83,500 + operating costs of $30,000/1040 income generating hours = $125 per hour.

What does an hourly invoice look like?

In addition to contact information, dates, and other logistical basics, the Hourly Invoice should include: Descriptions of all tasks completed, and time spent per task. The hourly pay-rate per task and total due for each task. The subtotal that is due, any deductions, and the final balance that is due.

What is the easiest way to invoice someone?

Set up or review an invoice template.

Add a unique invoice number and date. Don't forget the client's info and any specific requirements they may have. List the services or products, along with their costs and quantities. State the payment terms, including the due date and acceptable payment methods.

How do you write an hourly rate?

Hourly rates are typically calculated by multiplying the employee's salary by the number of hours they are expected to work per week. For example, an employee who earns $50,000 per year and works 40 hours per week would have an hourly rate of $25 ($50,000 / 40 hours / week).

How much should I charge for hourly rate?

Divide your target income by your chargeable hours

Now that you know how many hours you can realistically charge out for, you can work out what rate you'll need to charge to achieve your target income. Dividing your target income of $81,500 by 1,350 chargeable hours gives roughly $61 an hour.

How should I calculate my hourly rate?

First, determine the total number of hours worked by multiplying the hours per week by the number of weeks in a year (52). Next, divide this number from the annual salary. For example, if an employee has a salary of $50,000 and works 40 hours per week, the hourly rate is $50,000/2,080 (40 x 52) = $24.04.

What is the most common hourly rate?

Wages in the United States increased to 30.62 USD/Hour in December from 30.56 USD/Hour in November of 2024. Wages in the United States averaged 12.69 USD/Hour from 1964 until 2024, reaching an all time high of 30.62 USD/Hour in December of 2024 and a record low of 2.50 USD/Hour in February of 1964.

What is the hourly payment method?

Hourly rate is the price that you charge per hour for a project. To bill clients by the hour, you need to track the hours you've spent working for the client and bill at the end of the project or an agreed-upon cycle. Charging clients an hourly fee is effective for long-term projects which are prone to changes.

What is hourly pricing?

Hourly-based pricing is a cost structure in which clients are charged for services or products based on the duration it takes to finish them. It's an effective way to charge clients, allowing businesses to calculate costs accurately and ensure they are compensated fairly.

How do you bill someone for your time?

How to bill a client step-by-step
  1. Choose an invoicing system. ...
  2. Create a custom invoice template. ...
  3. Create the invoice. ...
  4. Summarize the totals. ...
  5. Specify payment terms. ...
  6. Provide payment instructions. ...
  7. Add a personal touch. ...
  8. Review and send the Invoice.

How do you invoice for a beginner?

How to create an invoice (step-by-step)
  1. Decide how you want to create the invoice. ...
  2. Create an invoice header with business information. ...
  3. Add a unique identification number. ...
  4. Include client contact information. ...
  5. Write an itemised list of the goods and services. ...
  6. Include important dates. ...
  7. Add the amount to be charged.

Is it legal to invoice myself?

Yes, you can invoice yourself even if you don't have an official company structure like an LLC or corporation, especially if you're working as a freelancer or self-employed individual.

How do I invoice my clients?

How to Invoice Clients
  1. Get to Know New Clients. ...
  2. Understand How Clients Want to Pay. ...
  3. Set Your Payment Terms. ...
  4. Get to Know the Accounting Teams. ...
  5. Create Professional Invoices. ...
  6. Follow Proper Invoicing Etiquette. ...
  7. Establish an Invoice Filing System. ...
  8. Follow up on Unpaid Invoices.

How do you bill hourly rate?

Use the formula Billable hourly rate = (Total costs / Billable hours) x Profit margin.

How to bill for hours worked?

How to create your first hourly work invoice (step-by-step)
  1. Collect business information. ...
  2. Complete or edit the invoice details. ...
  3. Build your line items = number of hours x hourly rate. ...
  4. Calculate the total amount due. ...
  5. Don't forget about payment terms.

How do I invoice my hours?

An hours worked invoice template should include the business name, client details, invoice date, work description, hours worked, hourly rate, total amount due, payment terms, and contact information.

How to set an hourly rate?

The actual calculation

To calculate your own ideal hourly rate, divide your adjusted annual salary (your desired annual salary + your costs and expenses) with your number of billable hours, and then round up this figure, to the nearest dollar.

How much should a business charge per hour?

A good rule of thumb is to add at least 30-50% to your cost per hour. For example, if your costs total $50 per hour, charge $65-$75 per hour. The higher your profit margin, the faster your business can grow. But be careful not to price yourself out of your market.

Should I charge hourly or daily?

Potentially Higher Costs: Because day rates must account for potentially longer workdays, they are typically set higher than hourly rates for equivalent hours. This means that if a contractor works fewer hours, the effective hourly rate becomes quite high and therefore not always be cost-effective for the business.