US Freelancing: Fees, Pricing & Taxes in One Place
Freelancing in the United States means juggling payment-platform fees, honest project pricing and a tax bill with federal, state and sometimes city layers. This hub collects every US-focused guide and calculator on FreelancerMetrics.
Updated October 24, 2026 · By Javed Niamat
Estimate your US tax bill — live
Enter your revenue, expenses, state and city to see federal SE tax, income tax, state and local tax, quarterly payments and take-home update as you type.
Getting paid in the US
What Venmo and Stripe actually take from a US client payment — and how to price creative services like podcast editing so the fee never eats your margin.
Client payments
Venmo Fee Calculator for US Freelancers
Business-profile and goods-and-services fees, the fixed $0.10 charge on small invoices, and what the optional Instant Transfer really costs your net proceeds.
Invoicing
Stripe Invoice Fee Calculator for US Freelancers
US domestic card processing plus the Starter or Plus invoicing charge — two separate layers, one honest net-proceeds estimate.
Service pricing
Podcast Editing Cost Calculator for US Freelancers
Price each episode from raw audio, editing hours, revisions and deliverables — with a worked $290 quote and a published provider comparison.
Federal tax guides
The federal layer is the same in every state: 15.3% self-employment tax plus income tax. Start here before adding your state's rules.
Freelance Self-Employment Tax Calculator
The 15.3% SE tax, the 92.35% base, the deductible half and quarterly payments.
Freelance Income Tax Calculator
Federal income tax on freelance profit after expenses and the standard deduction.
Free Tax Calculator USA
A full federal estimate: income tax, SE tax, standard deduction and what to reserve.
Freelancer Tax Withholding Calculator
How much to hold back from every invoice so April never surprises you.
State-by-state tax guides
State income tax, city earnings taxes and local business rules, each with a worked quarterly-payment example.
Compare five states side by side in the self-employed tax hub.
US freelancing FAQs
What fees do US freelancers pay to receive client payments?
It depends on the payment method. A direct Venmo business-profile payment costs 1.9% plus $0.10; a Stripe domestic-card invoice combines 2.9% plus $0.30 of processing with a 0.4% or 0.5% invoicing charge. Each guide here shows the worked math before you quote.
How much should a US freelancer save for taxes?
At common profit levels of $50,000 to $110,000, most US freelancers should reserve roughly 25% to 32% of every payment, depending on state. The live US tax estimator calculates your exact federal, state and local layers as you type.
Which US states have no income tax for freelancers?
Texas, Florida and Washington have no state income tax, though Washington's B&O tax and local business licenses can still apply. Every state guide here covers the federal SE tax layer plus the state-specific rules.
Are these calculators free to use?
Yes. Every guide and calculator on FreelancerMetrics is free, with worked examples you can copy into your own quotes and invoices.