How to use the rush fee calculator
- Enter your standard price.
- Choose One percent and type the rush percent, or Notice tiers and list the tiers by days of notice with a percent for each.
- For tiers, enter the days of notice the client gave. The tier that matches is applied.
- Optionally add a flat rush charge in More options. Read the fee, the total and the multiple of the standard price.
Formula
rush fee = standard price x percent / 100 + flat charge
total = standard price + rush fee
tier = the tier with the smallest notice that is at least the days of notice given
If the notice is longer than every tier, no percent applies. The fee is rounded to the cent, half up.
A $1,000 project
With a single 25% rush percent the fee is $1,000 x 0.25 = $250, so the total is $1,250.00, or 1.25 times the standard price. With a flat $40 charge on top of 12.5%, the fee is $125 + $40 = $165.
With tiers of 50% for 1 day or fewer, 25% for 3 days or fewer and 10% for 7 days or fewer, a client who gives 3 days of notice pays the 25% tier ($250), one day gives $500, and 10 days is longer than every tier so there is no rush fee.
Setting your own rates
Every percent on this page is an example. A rush fee is a price you choose to cover the extra cost of interrupting other work, working at odd hours or paying for faster delivery. There is no standard number, and what clients accept varies by field and by how much disruption the work causes.
Tiers make the rule clear to the client: the less notice, the higher the percent. Put the tiers and the point at which a rush fee applies in your quote or contract before work starts. For more on pricing a project, see the Project Price Quote Calculator and the Freelance Rate Calculator.
Checking the margin
A rush fee only helps if it covers what the rush costs you. If the job needs overtime or a subcontractor, price that in as the flat charge. The Markup Calculator can help check that the new total still leaves the margin you want.
Assumptions and limits
- The percent is figured on the standard price you enter, before tax.
- Tiers match on days of notice, and a tier applies when the notice is that many days or fewer.
- Tax and any contract terms are not included. The percents shown are examples only.
- Money is rounded to the cent, half up.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate a rush fee?
Multiply the standard price by the rush percent and add it to the price. A 25% rush fee on $1,000 is $250, for a total of $1,250. Add any flat charge to the fee if your rush costs a fixed amount too.
What percentage should a rush fee be?
That is for you to decide. The percents on this page are examples, not recommendations. A rush fee should reflect what the faster delivery costs you in lost time, overtime or other work you must push back.
How do notice tiers work?
You list tiers such as 1 day or fewer at 50%, 3 days or fewer at 25%, and 7 days or fewer at 10%. The page finds the tier that matches the notice the client gave, using the smallest tier that fits.
Should the rush fee be on the invoice separately?
It helps clients to see it as its own line with the percent or reason. Agree it before work begins, in your quote or contract, so the fee does not come as a surprise when you invoice.