Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: How much do you earn on average through software freelancing?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

121–129 of 129 posts

Re: Ask HN: How much do you earn on average through software freelancing?

#121

Post by tluyben2 »

ddorian43 wrote: post #117
tluyben2 wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least where I am from it is very strange for people to talk or write about what they earn. No one would tell you even if you would ask usually. Not that anyone would ask. But yes, have made that and know plenty of seniors that do. They would not boast about it though while, but that is the HN echo chamber maybe, everyone in the US spends solid amounts of time talking and worrying about it?

(it's the same in my country, about not showing wages). That just makes things worse for us software-people. I didn't write about knowing anyone personally, just about reading on the web. Your message is the first one that I've seen. Since you have a .nl domain, I'm a little surprised about it. (was excepting something like London/SW).

To be fair most of my paid work is DE or UK or NL enterprise. Those all pay well in my experience.

Re: Ask HN: How much do you earn on average through software freelancing?

#122

Post by ddorian43 »

xyzzyz wrote: post #120
ddorian43 wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Go remote across the ocean to the promised land of USA. Things in EU suck for software-people. Source: Have you ever read of someone making 200K+ in EU ? Me neither.

It is not so easy to legally immigrate to the US. It is long and involved process, and then you're usually more or less stuck with the company that sponsored you, at least for a while.

I meant it for remote. Which is also hard in it's own way.

Re: Ask HN: How much do you earn on average through software freelancing?

#123

Post by akulbe »

jtmcmc wrote: post #76
uniclaude wrote: post #72

Before reading patio11: 75usd/hr After reading patio11: 200 Then again, I don't only do software consulting, I ship (or fix, or optimize) solutions on time to help my clients make way more than I cost them.

what is patio11?

Someone who speaks LOTS of value, often. You would do very well to read his blog posts (kalzumeus.com) and follow his comments here on HN.

He wants others to be successful in their efforts, and gives lots of good info on how to do just that.

Re: Ask HN: How much do you earn on average through software freelancing?

#124

Post by eatplayrove »

daxfohl wrote: post #105

I quit my 120K job for a long-term $75/hr gig. Turns out I'm making way less than I used to. Taxes are way higher and take too long, no benefits or vacation, have to spend more time on non-billable work. Client is a startup that's now running into financial issues of its own, so a raise is unlikely. This is in Kalamazoo. I have young kids and so can't put in a ton of hours to make up the difference. Haven't spent eno…

I mean, don't get me wrong, everyone makes mistakes, but you quitting cannot be a financial decision right? To make 120k, you need 15k day*rates to go. At 75$ for your rate, that's 200 days. With ~260 actual available days to work, you expect 77% efficiency? With the taxes, insurance and most importantly, the presumed availability of work .. There is no way.

I have been doing consulting for a while and as an advice, I would take the efficiency to be at most 50% so in OP's case would not accept less than $115/hour to quit my $120k job.

Re: Ask HN: How much do you earn on average through software freelancing?

#125

Post by daxfohl »

eatplayrove wrote: post #124
daxfohl wrote: post #105

I quit my 120K job for a long-term $75/hr gig. Turns out I'm making way less than I used to. Taxes are way higher and take too long, no benefits or vacation, have to spend more time on non-billable work. Client is a startup that's now running into financial issues of its own, so a raise is unlikely. This is in Kalamazoo. I have young kids and so can't put in a ton of hours to make up the difference. Haven't spent eno…

I mean, don't get me wrong, everyone makes mistakes, but you quitting cannot be a financial decision right? To make 120k, you need 15k day*rates to go. At 75$ for your rate, that's 200 days. With ~260 actual available days to work, you expect 77% efficiency? With the taxes, insurance and most importantly, the presumed availability of work .. There is no way. I have been doing consulting for a while and as an advice,…

No, I figured I'd be closer to 90% efficiency. Little did I know. Also I was thinking I'd be able to bring on new clients at higher and higher rates, but it hasn't worked out that way.

Haven't spent enough time looking for new work, and whenever I get a new client it seems like my primary client suddenly has a big deluge of work that I don't want to forfeit.

There were other "life" considerations as well, but I thought the financial would be better than it is.

Re: Ask HN: How much do you earn on average through software freelancing?

#126

Post by ddorian43 »

NicoJuicy wrote: post #71
ddorian43 wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You'll kill/burnout yourself with 16 hours/day.

I hope it's only temporary, sunk too much time in Pokémon and my webshop ( got in the news 5 times, so it all had to go fast -- webshop + pokémon events - pokemon news - marketing - communication - following up/helping players). I had a month delay on my projects because of it. The situation will improve soon in a month or 2. I also have a stressfull job fulltime ( team leader + .Net architect), but i can handle it.…

Just because doctors kill themself working doesn't mean you have to. You can always be a gamedev if you want though.

Re: Ask HN: How much do you earn on average through software freelancing?

#127

Post by Guest98123 »

NicoJuicy wrote: post #71
ddorian43 wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You'll kill/burnout yourself with 16 hours/day.

I hope it's only temporary, sunk too much time in Pokémon and my webshop ( got in the news 5 times, so it all had to go fast -- webshop + pokémon events - pokemon news - marketing - communication - following up/helping players). I had a month delay on my projects because of it. The situation will improve soon in a month or 2. I also have a stressfull job fulltime ( team leader + .Net architect), but i can handle it.…

> At least i'm able to take a break when i can. I just want it all finished on time.

If I learned anything working for myself the past decade, it's that you're never finished. You need to set aside time for yourself and others today, and every day.

Re: Ask HN: How much do you earn on average through software freelancing?

#128

Post by tuckerwales »

mobiuscog wrote: post #101
tuckerwales wrote: post #20

I'm a 21 year-old who has recently gotten into contracting to supplement my primary income (a Software Engineering Apprentice for a Defence contractor). I earn £12 an hour for my contract work, which I'm quite happy with at the moment because 10 hours a week means I get an extra £500 per month (which is considerable at my age, it pays my rent and bills and some). I know it doesn't seem much, but I think I'm actually…

How do you get into something like that, whilst working elsewhere as a day job ? I'm curious how you'd start - I mean do you have an agent, or did you just start marketing yourself ?

I was referred by somebody that I know from Twitter...

Re: Ask HN: How much do you earn on average through software freelancing?

#129

Post by Axsuul »

ashnyc wrote: post #118

I come from the other side. I hire programers for my side projects and i have seen it all. As an entrepreneur the only thing i care about is that i have a working software. Some programers think they should be paid a lot of money but have very poor skills. If you are good at what you do, people will recognize that and you will be paid a higher wage. Just be good at your job and everything will workout.

Hey there, how can we connect? My email is in my profile
Post reply on HN