Side-Hustle Pricing Solver
This free tool calculates your side hustle's price floor. The lowest price you can charge and still pay yourself fairly. It factors in materials, hidden time, running costs, and tax. Most side hustles are quietly losing money without this number to check against.
Why does your side hustle need a price floor?
Most creators and freelancers end up paying themselves minimum wage without realising it. Skip the hidden hours and skip the tax, and what looks like profit is just cash moving through your hands. Your price floor is the number below which you're working for free. Find that number first.
A real example
Say you make candles for weekend markets. One batch costs $20 in materials and running costs, takes 4 hours including packing, and you want $35 an hour with 25% set aside for tax. That's $160 before tax, close to $200 once the buffer is added. Sell below $200 and you're paying yourself less than minimum wage to make candles.
Common Questions
What is a price floor for a side hustle?
Your price floor is the lowest price you can charge and still pay yourself a fair wage. It accounts for materials, running costs, tax, and every hour of hidden work, not just the hours spent making the product. Charge below it and you are working for less than minimum wage without realising it.
How do I calculate my side hustle's true price floor?
Add your direct materials and running costs, then add your production time plus admin and hidden time at your target hourly wage. Add a tax buffer on top, usually 20 to 30 percent. The result is the minimum you can charge before you start losing money.
Why does hidden time matter in side hustle pricing?
Hidden time includes admin, packing, replying to messages, and travel. Most side hustlers price only the visible production time and skip this. Left out, your real hourly wage drops far below what you think you are earning.
How much tax buffer should I set aside?
A tax buffer of 20 to 30 percent is a common starting point for side hustle income, though your actual rate depends on your total income and structure. Setting money aside as you earn avoids a shortfall at tax time.
What if my price floor is higher than what competitors charge?
A high price floor is a signal, not a problem to hide from. It means the hustle is not viable at current prices, or costs and hours need to come down. Selling below your price floor is a slow way to work for free.