How to price your freelance work in Nepal

Pricing is where most freelancers lose money. Too low and you burn out; too high without proof and nobody replies. There is no single right number, but there is a right method. Here it is.

Start from what you need to earn

Work out your rate from your life, not from the lowest price you have seen online:

1. Monthly target. What you need to earn in a month, including savings and the tools you pay for.

2. Billable hours. Hours you can really spend on client work each month. Leave time for proposals, learning, admin and revisions. Many freelancers bill far fewer hours than they work.

3. Hourly rate = monthly target ÷ billable hours.

For example, if you need NPR 60,000 a month and can bill 80 hours, your floor is NPR 750 an hour. That is the lowest you can charge, not the price you should charge.

Three ways to charge

Hourly. Good for ongoing work where the amount changes, such as support or maintenance. On Alwass you can show an hourly rate in the Availability & rate section of your profile.

Per project. Good when the result is clear, such as a website or a logo. Estimate the hours, multiply by your rate, then add a margin for revisions.

Fixed-price packages. Good for services you deliver again and again. You can publish up to three tiers (Basic, Standard, Premium), each with a price in rupees, delivery days and what is included. See setting up service packages.

Make the tiers work for you

• Basic should be complete but simple, not a trap.

• Standard is the one you want most clients to pick. Make it the clearest value.

• Premium adds speed, extra revisions or extra deliverables.

Always say what is included

"NPR 8,000 for a logo" invites arguments. "NPR 8,000: two concepts, three rounds of changes, final files in PNG, SVG and PDF, delivered in 5 days" does not.

Remember the platform fee

Alwass deducts a platform fee when a milestone or order pays out, and clients pay nothing extra. Check the current rate in the freelancer payment rules and price with it in mind.

Raise your prices on purpose

• Raise them for new clients first, after every few good reviews.

• Keep existing clients on their rate for a while, then give notice.

• If you are always booked, your price is too low.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate my freelance hourly rate?

Divide what you need to earn in a month by the hours you can actually bill in a month. Treat the result as your minimum.

Should I charge per hour or per project?

Per hour for ongoing work with changing amounts; per project or fixed packages when the result is clearly defined.

Are service package prices on Alwass in rupees?

Yes. Package prices are set and shown in NPR.

When should I raise my freelance prices?

After a run of good reviews, or when you are regularly fully booked. Raise them for new clients first.

Start freelancing on Alwass

Create your free account, switch your profile to freelance, and add your skills, a portfolio and up to three service packages. Then browse the freelance marketplace and send proposals. Bidding is free and there is no limit on how many projects you can bid for.