Source: https://deftridge.com/guides/how-to-price-a-task/ Title: How to price a task | Deftridge Summary: Start from the market wage, add the contractor premium and decide your floor. Written by Catherine Doyle, Head of Rates and Data. Rates · **Updated November 3, 2026** # How to price a task Start from the market wage, add the contractor premium and decide your floor. By [Catherine Doyle](https://deftridge.com/team/catherine-doyle/), Head of Rates and Data · Data reviewed by [Ben Hargreaves](https://deftridge.com/team/ben-hargreaves/) · Edited by [Helena Voss](https://deftridge.com/team/helena-voss/) · Published 1 November 2026 ## Start from the market Find the median wage for your role and place on our [rate pages](https://deftridge.com/rates/). That is what an employee earns per hour, before the costs a contractor carries. ## Add the contractor premium A contractor pays for leave, benefits, equipment and social contributions. Our rates apply a premium of 1.45 for a regular role, 1.50 for a bundle, 1.65 for a one-off task and 1.90 for an expert hour, then scale for level. ## Decide your floor Work out the lowest rate you would accept for five hours a week, including the time spent on questions and handovers. If a task pays less, decline it politely. Your recruiter can show you where a rate sits against the market. ## What the numbers look like The table shows the median employee wage and the typical Deftridge contractor rate for a senior professional, per hour, in local currency, for six common roles. Figures are from our rate tables for October 2026. Two patterns matter when you price. First, the premium over the wage is largest in the roles where employees get the most paid leave and benefits, because that is what a contractor gives up. Second, in lower-wage roles the country floor often decides the rate: for a bookkeeper in the US the formula and the floor meet at $35, so specialists and seniors see the same number. Quote above the floor when the deadline is short or the scope is unclear. Compare countries in local currency, not after conversion: the same role can sit high in one market and near the floor in another. The [rate pages](https://deftridge.com/rates/) list every role by country, state and region, and the [open data file](https://deftridge.com/data/rates-2026-10.csv) has every row. | Role | US | Canada | UK | Germany | Poland | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Bookkeeper | $24 / $35 | CA$29 / CA$45 | £16 / £23 | €24 / €35 | €13 / €19 | | FP&A Analyst | $62 / $90 | CA$45 / CA$65 | £28 / £40 | €35 / €50 | €17 / €25 | | Data Analyst | $66 / $95 | CA$51 / CA$75 | £24 / £35 | €32 / €45 | €13 / €18 | | SEO Specialist | $48 / $70 | CA$44 / CA$65 | £21 / £30 | €28 / €40 | €11 / €16 | | Paralegal | $32 / $45 | CA$35 / CA$50 | £15 / £23 | €20 / €32 | €9 / €13 | | Contract Recruiter | $48 / $70 | CA$43 / CA$60 | £18 / £25 | €26 / €40 | €10 / €15 | ## Questions Should I quote higher for urgent work? Yes, a short deadline is a reason to price above the typical rate. Tell your recruiter and they will frame it with the company. ## Keep reading - [Check your contract before you take side work Four clauses decide whether side work is allowed, and how to read them.](https://deftridge.com/guides/check-your-contract-before-side-work/) - [How to read a task brief Eight lines to check in a task brief before you say yes: outcome, load, tools, scope and acceptance.](https://deftridge.com/guides/how-to-read-a-task-brief/) - [Side income and tax: the basics What contractors in the US and UK usually have to think about. General information, not tax advice.](https://deftridge.com/guides/side-income-and-tax-basics/) - [Fractional, part time or freelance? Fractional, part time and freelance sound alike. Here is what each one means on Deftridge and which fits you.](https://deftridge.com/guides/fractional-vs-part-time/)