Per Word Rate Calculator for Freelance Writers
Convert a freelance writing rate per word into the price per article, your effective hourly rate and monthly income — and find the per-word rate you need to hit a target hourly rate.
How it works
Price per article = rate per word × words · Effective hourly rate = price per article ÷ hours per article · Rate per word needed = target hourly rate × hours ÷ words
Many publications and agencies pay freelance writers by the word, but what matters for your income is the hourly rate that results. Research-heavy pieces with interviews and several rounds of edits can turn a respectable per-word rate into a low hourly one, while familiar topics written quickly can pay far better. Tracking your real hours per article — including pitching, research and revisions — lets you compare offers and decide which clients and topics to keep. Professional groups such as the Editorial Freelancers Association publish typical rate ranges.
Worked example
A 1,500-word article at $0.10 a word pays $150.00. If it takes 4 hours, the effective hourly rate is $37.50, and 8 articles a month bring in $1,200.00. To earn $50 an hour on the same work you would need $0.133 a word ($200 per article).
Sources: Editorial Freelancers Association — Editorial rates
Frequently asked questions
How much do freelance writers charge per word?
Rates range from a few cents a word on content mills to 0.10–0.30 for many business and trade publications and 0.50–1.00 or more for specialist and high-profile outlets. Your niche, expertise and the client’s budget all matter.
How do I convert a per-word rate to an hourly rate?
Multiply the rate per word by the article length to get the fee, then divide by the total hours you spend on it — including research, interviews, edits and admin.
Should I charge per word, per hour or per project?
Per-word rates suit publications with fixed lengths; per-project fees suit marketing work where value matters more than length; hourly suits open-ended editing. Many writers quote per project but calculate it from a target hourly rate.
Do translations and copy editing use the same rates?
Not quite. Translators also charge per word but by source words and language pair; editors often charge per hour or per page. Use the translation cost calculator for translation work.
Related calculators
Planning estimate only — real prices, fees and results depend on your own costs, platform terms, local taxes and what your market will pay. Check the numbers against your books before you commit to a price or budget.