Project Fee Calculator
Compare hourly billing with a fixed fee.
Enter your values
ⓘ Live results
Results
- Effective hourly rate
- $107.14
- Hours with overrun
- 84
- Hourly billing total
- $9,240.00
- Better option
- Bill hourly
Quick answer
A fixed fee beats hourly only if your effective hourly rate stays above your target after overruns.
Effective rate = fee ÷ (estimate × overrun)
How to use the Project Fee Calculator
- 1Enter the fixed fee on the table.
- 2Estimate hours honestly and add your typical overrun.
- 3Compare against your target rate.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Fixed project fee9000 $
- Estimated hours70
- Typical overrun20 %
- Target hourly rate110 $
Results
- Effective hourly rate$107.14
- Hours with overrun84
- Hourly billing total$9,240.00
- Better optionBill hourly
Frequently asked questions
Why include overrun?
Fixed-fee projects almost always take longer than the estimate.
When is fixed fee best?
When scope is tight and you are faster than average.
About this calculator
- Built and reviewed by James Whitfield · How we build and test calculators
- Report an error
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.