Real Hourly Earnings Calculator
What you actually keep per hour, once fees, costs and unpaid time are counted.
Commission and card fees. Leave empty for none.
Every hour, including waiting, travelling and admin.
What you spend per week to earn it
Shows what you keep from each job.
Licences, insurance and registration rules differ by country and place, so check yours before you start.
Type what you bring in and the hours you spend, and what you really earn an hour appears here.
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Enter what you bring in each week, any cut an app or platform takes, your weekly costs and every hour you spend. This shows what you really earn per hour and per month.
Headline pay looks bigger than it is. A delivery or rideshare week may show a good total, but fees, fuel, servicing and the hours spent waiting between jobs all take their share. This tool shows the number that matters: what is left for you for each hour of your life that the work takes.
How it’s worked out
- After fees is what you bring in minus the platform's or customer's cut.
- What you keep is after fees minus your weekly costs.
- Real hourly earnings are what you keep divided by every hour you spend, including waiting, travelling and admin.
- Per month is the weekly figure times about 4.33. Per job is what you keep divided by the jobs done.
$900 a week brought in, 20% taken by the platform, $215 of costs and 40 hours: you keep $505 a week, which is about $12.60 an hour for real, against $22.50 an hour on paper.
Common mistakes
- Only counting the hours you are paid for. Waiting and travelling between jobs are hours you spend too.
- Forgetting wear and tear. Set aside something each week for servicing, tyres and replacement.
- Ignoring fees. A cut of 20% turns $900 into $720 before any cost.
- Comparing the headline rate with a normal wage. The real hourly figure is the fair comparison.
Questions
Which costs should I include?
Anything you spend because of the work that you would not otherwise spend: fuel, charging, servicing and tyres set aside, insurance and phone for the work, supplies, stall or card fees.
What about tax?
It is not taken off here, so the result is before tax. Check what applies where you live.
Can I compare two apps or two jobs?
Yes. Run the numbers for each with its own fees, costs and hours, and compare the real hourly figures.
What next?
If the real hourly figure is lower than you hoped, check the rate you would need to charge, or how many jobs you need. The links under the result lead there.
Estimates only
These are estimates and general information, not financial, tax, legal or professional advice. Costs, pay, tax and licensing rules vary by country and place, so use your own figures and check the rules where you live.
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