Freelance Copywriter Rate Calculator
Calculate competitive rates for freelance copywriting and content writing. Compare per-word, per-project, and hourly pricing across different content types — from blog posts to sales pages.
Calculate Your Rate
Recommended project price (1,500 words)
$120 — $600
Midpoint: $225 | Blog Posts/Articles
Rates by Content Type
| Content Type | Per Word | Hourly | Typical Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blog Posts/Articles | $0.08-$0.4 | $40-$150/hr | $150-$800 |
| Landing Page Copy | $0.15-$0.75 | $60-$200/hr | $500-$3,000 |
| Email Sequences | $0.1-$0.5 | $50-$175/hr | $500-$2,500 |
| Social Media Copy | $0.1-$0.5 | $35-$125/hr | $500-$2,000/month |
| Technical Writing | $0.1-$0.6 | $55-$200/hr | $750-$5,000 |
| SEO Content | $0.08-$0.45 | $45-$150/hr | $200-$1,000 |
| Sales/Direct Response Copy | $0.2-$1.5 | $75-$300/hr | $2,000-$15,000+ |
US market rates for mid-level copywriters. Specialized niches (finance, medical, legal) command 25-50% premiums.
Which Pricing Model Should You Use?
Per Word
Best for: Blog posts, articles, long-form content. Transparent for clients. Downside: Penalizes concise writing.
Per Project
Best for: Defined deliverables (landing pages, email sequences). Rewards speed. Downside: Scope creep risk without clear contracts.
Hourly
Best for: Retainers, unclear scope, ongoing work. Fair for both sides. Downside: Caps earning potential as you get faster.
Monthly Income Scenarios
| Scenario | Volume | Rate | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blog writer (entry) | 20 posts x 1,000 words | $0.10/word | $2,000 |
| Content writer (mid) | 12 posts x 1,500 words | $0.20/word | $3,600 |
| Copywriter (experienced) | 8 projects | $750/project avg | $6,000 |
| Conversion copywriter | 3-4 landing pages | $2,000/page | $7,000 |
| Sales copywriter (senior) | 2 sales pages + emails | $5,000/project | $10,000+ |
Copywriter Rates Per Word
Per-word is how most copywriting work gets quoted, and the spread between tiers is wider than in almost any other freelance field. The table below shows typical US-market per-word ranges for the four formats copywriters are asked to price most often.
| Copy Type | Beginner (0–2 yrs) | Mid-level (3–7 yrs) | Senior (8+ yrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blog / article copy | $0.05 – $0.10 | $0.12 – $0.25 | $0.30 – $0.60 |
| Email copy | $0.10 – $0.20 | $0.30 – $0.75 | $1.00 – $3.00+ |
| Landing page copy | $0.15 – $0.30 | $0.50 – $1.25 | $1.50 – $5.00+ |
| Ad copy (paid social, PPC) | $0.20 – $0.50 | $0.75 – $2.00 | $2.50 – $10.00+ |
Ad copy carries the highest per-word figures simply because the word counts are tiny — a 40-word Facebook ad at $2/word is an $80 deliverable, which is why almost nobody prices ads per word in practice. Treat the right-hand columns as a sanity check on a flat fee, not as a quoting method. Specialized niches (finance, medical, legal, SaaS) sit 25–50% above these ranges.
Want the same view across editing, ghostwriting, and white papers? See freelance writing rates per word. For how the beginner/mid/senior split plays out across freelancing generally, see freelance rates by experience level.
Copywriter Project Rates
Most experienced copywriters quote flat project fees rather than per-word, because a tighter, better-converting page shouldn't earn less than a padded one. These are typical fixed-price ranges for the deliverables clients ask for by name.
| Deliverable | Typical scope | Beginner | Mid-level | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homepage copy | 400–800 words, 2 revisions | $300 – $750 | $1,000 – $2,500 | $3,000 – $8,000 |
| Landing page | 500–1,000 words, single offer | $300 – $500 | $750 – $1,500 | $2,000 – $5,000+ |
| Email sequence | 5 emails, welcome or nurture | $400 – $750 | $1,000 – $2,500 | $3,000 – $7,500 |
| Long-form sales page | 2,000–5,000 words, research included | $750 – $1,500 | $2,500 – $6,000 | $8,000 – $15,000+ |
| Case study | 800–1,500 words, 1 customer interview | $300 – $600 | $750 – $1,800 | $2,000 – $4,000 |
| Website copy (5 pages) | Home, about, services, pricing, contact | $1,000 – $2,000 | $3,000 – $7,500 | $10,000 – $25,000 |
Ranges assume the copywriter handles messaging strategy and research, not just drafting. Quote the revision count in the fee — unlimited revisions is where project pricing turns into unpaid hourly work.
Try it with a real scenario
A SaaS copywriter with six years' experience quoting a 900-word landing page — the calculator above, prefilled:
Load the SaaS landing page scenario →It returns roughly $216–$1,098, because it scales a per-word rate by word count. The project table above puts the same page at $750–$1,500. That gap is the whole argument for project pricing: a landing page is 900 words of output on top of research, positioning, and offer structure that per-word math never sees. Use the calculator's upper end as your floor on conversion work, not its midpoint.
Change any input to model your own quote — or swap model=hourly in the URL to see the same job as an hourly estimate.
How to Set Your Copywriting Rates
Copywriting rates vary dramatically based on the type of content, your experience, and the value you deliver. Here's how to position your pricing:
- Content writing vs. copywriting — Content writing (blog posts, articles) typically pays $0.08-$0.40/word. Conversion copywriting (sales pages, emails) pays $0.20-$1.50/word because it directly drives revenue.
- Niche expertise commands premiums — Writers who understand finance, healthcare, SaaS, or legal topics earn 25-50% more than generalists because their content requires less client-side editing and review.
- Speed improves with experience — A senior copywriter may write 800 words/hour while a junior writes 300. This means per-word pricing rewards experienced writers who have internalized best practices.
- Value-based pricing — If your sales page generates $100K in revenue, charging $5,000 is a steal for the client. Always try to tie your pricing to business outcomes when possible.
Copywriter Rates by Content Type
Blog posts/articles ($0.08-$0.40/word) — The bread and butter of content writing. Higher rates for researched, data-driven content vs. listicles. SEO expertise adds value.
Landing pages ($500-$3,000 per page) — Conversion copywriting that requires understanding of user psychology, objection handling, and CTA optimization. Price per page, not per word.
Email sequences ($100-$500 per email) — Welcome sequences, nurture campaigns, and sales emails. Pricing per email or per sequence. Proven email copywriters charge $500+ per email.
Sales/direct response ($2,000-$15,000+) — The highest-paid writing specialization. Long-form sales pages, VSL scripts, and direct mail. Often includes royalty arrangements on top of flat fees.
Technical writing ($0.10-$0.60/word) — Documentation, white papers, and case studies. Requires subject-matter expertise and clear communication of complex topics.
How to Move from $0.10/word to $0.50+/word
- Pick a niche— "SaaS copywriter" earns 3-5x more than "freelance writer". Deep expertise lets you write faster and produce better results.
- Show results — Track conversions, traffic growth, and revenue impact. A portfolio of results beats a portfolio of writing samples.
- Move up the content ladder — Blog posts pay less than landing pages, which pay less than sales pages. Develop conversion skills progressively.
- Work with bigger clients — Enterprise companies pay 2-5x more than small businesses for the same deliverable. Build case studies to access enterprise budgets.
- Switch to project pricing — Per-word pricing caps your income. Project pricing lets you charge based on value and earn more as you get faster.
Recommended gear
Tools for serious copywriters
Books on the craft, books on the business of charging for it, and the one piece of gear your wrists will thank you for. Affiliate links — buying through them helps fund this calculator.
The Adweek Copywriting Handbook
Joseph Sugarman
The definitive direct-response playbook. Sugarman's chapter on the 'slippery slide' alone has lifted thousands of writers' conversion rates.
Ogilvy on Advertising
David Ogilvy
Decades-old, still the clearest writing on what makes ads work — research, headlines, body copy, voice. Read it twice.
The Freelance Manifesto
Joey Korenman
Written for motion designers, but the chapters on quoting, negotiating, and firing bad clients are the same job you're doing. The case for project fees over per-word, made bluntly.
The Wealthy Freelancer
Slaunwhite, Savage & Gandia
Written by working copywriters. The most useful part is the client-getting system — a full pipeline is what lets you turn down $0.08/word without flinching.
Ergonomic split keyboard
Kinesis Advantage2 / Keychron Q11
If you write for a living, your wrists are the asset. A split keyboard pays for itself the first time it heads off a flare-up.
As an Amazon Associate this site earns from qualifying purchases. Links are sponsored.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much do freelance copywriters charge per word?
Freelance copywriters charge $0.08-$1.50 per word depending on content type and experience. Blog posts average $0.10-$0.30/word, while sales copy and landing pages range from $0.25-$1.00+/word. Specialized niches (medical, legal, finance) command 25-50% premiums.
How much should I charge for a 1,000-word blog post?
A 1,000-word blog post typically costs $100-$400 from a mid-level freelance writer. Entry-level writers charge $50-$100, while experienced writers with SEO expertise or niche knowledge charge $300-$800. The price reflects research depth, originality, and optimization requirements.
Is per-word or per-project pricing better for copywriters?
Per-project pricing is generally better for experienced copywriters because it rewards efficiency and allows value-based pricing. Per-word works well for straightforward content (blog posts, articles) where scope is clear. Avoid per-word for conversion copy — a 200-word email that drives $50K in sales shouldn't cost $60.
How much do landing page copywriters charge?
Landing page copywriters typically charge $500-$3,000 per page. Junior copywriters start at $300-$500, mid-level at $750-$1,500, and conversion specialists with proven track records charge $2,000-$5,000+. Pricing should reflect the potential revenue the page will generate.
How much does a copywriter charge for homepage copy?
Homepage copy typically costs $1,000-$2,500 from a mid-level freelance copywriter for 400-800 words with two revision rounds. Beginners charge $300-$750, while senior copywriters who lead the messaging strategy charge $3,000-$8,000. A homepage costs more per word than a blog post because the work is positioning and message hierarchy, not drafting.
How much should I charge for a 5-email sequence?
A 5-email welcome or nurture sequence runs $1,000-$2,500 at mid-level, $400-$750 for beginners, and $3,000-$7,500 for senior copywriters with proven conversion results. Quote the sequence as one project rather than per email — the strategy work of mapping the sequence is where most of the value sits, and it doesn't scale with email count.
How can I increase my copywriting rates?
Specialize in a profitable niche (SaaS, finance, health), build a portfolio showing measurable results (conversions, traffic, revenue), move from content writing to conversion copywriting, target larger clients with bigger budgets, and raise rates for every new client while maintaining existing agreements.