How to Price a Project When You Have No Idea What to Charge
6 min read·Updated June 2026
Start from a real market range
Do not invent a number out of thin air or fear. Begin with the typical range for your kind of work, then position yourself inside it based on your experience and the value at stake. Use the free calculator to get that starting range.
Estimate the work honestly, then add margin
Sketch the real hours the project will take, including revisions and the parts that always run long. Price above that, because the estimate is always optimistic and the surprises are always yours to absorb.
Factor in what it is worth to them
A logo for a hobby is not a logo for a funded startup. The same work can carry very different value depending on what it unlocks for the client, and your price can reflect that.
Quote a single confident number
Give one clear price, not a nervous range that invites negotiation down. If you must show options, anchor with a higher package first so the one you want looks reasonable by comparison.
Get your number first
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