This article was edited by Johnson Ishola and Chima Mmeje.
Earlier in 2024, I jumped on Upwork looking for a quick project. A client reached out asking for three eBooks, offering $200 per book — $600 total, well below the industry average.
Three years ago, I would have taken it. I would have told myself it was easy money, complained quietly, and done the work anyway.
This time, I replied calmly: “I typically charge a minimum of $1,000 per eBook. However, since I’m allowed to use AI to fast-track the process, I can do $2,500 for all three.”
That was more than four times what he offered, and I was fully prepared for him to say no.
But he didn’t. He agreed, we worked together, and I got paid my full rate.
This didn’t happen by accident. In this guide, I will show you why BIPOC freelancers undercharge, how I overcame it, and how you can too.
Why BIPOC freelancers undercharge (and how I charge my true worth)
We grew up hearing that wanting more was greedy.
“Half bread is better than none,” people would say. “Be content with where you are, even if it’s nowhere.”
At the time, it felt like wisdom, but later in my freelancing career, I realised how that lesson had shaped my view of money and my own value.
When it came time to quote my rates, hesitation was automatic.
- “Don’t scare them away.”
- “At least I’m earning in dollars.”
- “Others have it worse.”
- “Take the $20 gig, just in case.”
And sometimes clients reinforced it. One even called me greedy for my rate because “Nigerians don’t even make that much,” and even Googled the country’s minimum wage to justify paying me less.
That’s when I realised my rate wasn’t judged by the work I delivered, but by where I came from. Geography, race, and “gratitude” had turned undercharging into a responsible choice, even when it wasn’t.
But charging less didn’t just reduce my income, but also reshaped my whole business. I said yes too often, stretched myself too thin, and left no room to rest, improve, or pursue better opportunities.
Over time, the grind eroded my confidence, and I began to believe that low rates were necessary to survive.
The first crack in that belief came when I saw other freelancers—especially people of colour in communities like the Freelance Coalition for Developing Countries (FCDC)—charging what I had considered impossible.
And as Chima Mmeje said in one of her pieces: “To succeed as a Black freelancer, you have to have the audacity of an average white man.”
That insight changed how I approached every client conversation. (Read Chima’s full article here.)
I realised those charging more weren’t braver or luckier, they simply didn’t let doubt or guilt decide their worth. Seeing that made me question my own habits.
Once I treated audacity as a skill to practice, charging more stopped feeling reckless and became necessary.
How I calculate my freelance rates with confidence
There’s no magic number for what you should charge. A “good” freelance rate is mostly contextual.
Here’s what helped me stop pricing from fear and start pricing from reality.
1. I start with what I want to earn
I start with the amount I want to take home in a year, after taxes and business expenses. This number doesn’t have to be impressive; it only needs to be honest.
Maybe that’s $100,000, or it’s $20,000. Success as a freelancer isn’t defined by Twitter screenshots, but by whether your work supports your life.
Let’s say my goal is $40,000 per year.
2. I add a realistic buffer for taxes and expenses
Say I live in a place where taxes take 20–30%, I need a buffer for tools, admin time, healthcare, and time off.
So I add a 25% buffer to what I charge:
$40,000 ÷ (1 – 0.25) = $53,333 per year
That’s about $4,444 per month. Now, I’m no longer guessing.
3. I break it down into projects, instead of hours
I look at how well I work. If you’re a writer like me, that could be:
- 15 articles at $300 = $4,500
- 2 eBooks at $2,250 = $4,500
- A mix of content strategy + writing retainer
This is where honesty matters; no one will pay a ton of money for bad work. First, be valuable, then add tax.
One thing that helped me stay grounded was setting a personal minimum rate (the lowest amount I’d accept without feeling resentful).
If my minimum for a deliverable is $200, I quote $300. If a client negotiates me down to $250 or $200, I’m still fine. I never go below what feels fair to me.
However, if you are still unsure about what that might be, you can check what other freelancers are charging. If you are a writer, websites like “Who Pays Writers” can also give you an idea.
But knowing what to charge is one thing, growing those rates without losing clients is another, and that’s where the value-first approach changed everything.
How I raised my freelance rates gradually without losing clients (and how you can too)
In mid-2022, I started writing medical news articles for a long-term client. The job was to summarise existing articles or abstracts into 200–300 words.
I was paid $150 for six articles a month, and it took about three hours of focused work, which felt fair at the time.
By the end of the year, it didn’t. But instead of announcing a sudden price hike, I looked at the value I could add. I began sourcing the news myself, saving the client time and mental energy; she only had to approve the topics.
With that added responsibility, I renegotiated the contract to $500. Early in 2023, I expanded the scope again and raised my rate to $900.
Over time, as trust and value compounded, we landed at $2,400 per month. That’s a 1,500% increase, but it didn’t happen overnight.
Through that process, I learned that rates grow best when value grows first. Clients are far more receptive when the increase reflects the reality of what you provide, not just what you feel you “need” to earn.
But what if a client insists and pushes back?
This is where many freelancers get scared and shortchange themselves. My experience taught me that pushback isn’t personal, it’s just negotiation.
When my client pushed back, I stayed calm, explained exactly what I was doing differently, and why it justified the new rate. I offered to adjust the scope slightly rather than lowering my rate.
When clients couldn’t meet me there, I was ready to walk away, knowing I had a financial cushion (i.e. my savings, a pipeline of other clients, and a clearly defined minimum rate I’m willing to accept), which made it easier to negotiate boldly.
The $2,500 Upwork deal worked because of this mindset.
(Side note: While there’s no perfect “best time” to raise your rate, I’ve found that certain seasons, like the end of a year or quarter, can make conversations smoother and more natural. So take note. See the screenshot below for example)
In essence, gradual growth, a focus on value, and clarity on your personal minimum make all the difference.
Final thought: Start before you feel ready
You don’t need a perfect plan to raise your rates. Pick a number that is 10 to 15% higher than what you’re charging now, and put it out there. Some clients will say yes, some will push back, and others will walk away.
That’s fine. Just keep improving your skills and mindset.
Believing you’re worth more often starts with borrowing audacity and surrounding yourself with people who treat fair pay as normal, like communities such as the Freelance Coalition for Developing Countries (FCDC).
It’s about time you raise and charge your worth.
Quick Templates to Raise Your Freelance Rates
1.
Hi [Client Name],
I love working on this assignment.
Just a quick heads-up, I’ll be adjusting my rates as of [Date] to [$X]. This helps me continue delivering top-quality work while balancing my time and other client demands.
Let me know if you’d like to discuss it further. I’m happy to find a payment structure that works for both of us.
2.
Hi [Client Name],
I’ve really enjoyed working together, and I’m proud of what we’ve been creating.
Over time, my process and skills have evolved, and I’m now adjusting my rate to better reflect that.
Starting [Date], my rate will be [$X]. I’m still fully committed to delivering quality work and keeping things efficient on your end.
Let me know if you’d like to adjust the scope or delivery schedule to match your budget. Happy to chat more.
If the client can’t afford an increase at the moment:
3.
Hi [Client Name],
I understand that budgets can be tight, so while my updated rate is [$X], I’m happy to offer a reduced scope of work to match your original budget.
Let me know what works best for you. I’d love to keep the collaboration going in a way that works for both of us.
