When choosing your rates, you can't charge too much or you won't get any clients. You can’t charge too little or you won't be compensated enough for your work. 

Guessing how much to charge will probably stress you out even more.

Luckily for freelancers, the South African Freelancers' Association (SAFREA) has put out an updated report on how much freelancers in South Africa should charge their potential clients for their work.

But wait! We think you've found a time capsule... Unless you're time travelling to 2023 soon, you should read our 2024 updated rate outline.

media update's Saads Abrahams has got you covered with the updated stats from the 2019-2020 SA Freelance Media Industry and Rates Report.

Let's take an updated look:

Writing and content development

  • Magazine writing: R3 to R4 per word / R400 to R500 per hour
  • Newspaper writing: R2 to R 3 per word / not exceeding R400 per hour
  • Corporate content: R2 to R4 per word / R400 to R600 per hour
  • Technical / specialist content: R4.00 or more per word / R400 to R700 per hour
  • Annual reports: R2 to R 3 per word / R450 to R550 per hour
  • Government documents: R2 to R 3 per word / R450 to R650 per hour
  • Textbooks: R1.50 or more per word / R400 to R450 per hour
  • Novels / books: R0.90 to R1.50 per word / R400 or more per hour, and
  • Ghost writing: not exceeding R5.00 per word / R550 or more per hour.


Advertising

  • Marketing material (brochures and adverts): R3 or more per word / R450 to R550 per hour
  • Advertorial: R3 to R4 per word / R500 to R600 per hour, and
  • Copywriting: R3 to R4 per word / R450 to R550 per hour.
  • Public relations and communications
  • Press release writing: R3 to R4 per word / R450 to R550 per hour / R1 500 to R2 000 flat rate
  • Strategy development: R3 to R4 per word / not exceeding R700 per hour
  • Speech writing: R4 or more per word / R500 to R600 per hour / R2 000 or more flat rate, and
  • Media relations: R450 to R550 per hour.


Online content

  • Website content: R2 to R2.50 per word / R450 to R550 per hour
  • Online consumer content: R2.50 or more per word / R400 to R500 per hour
  • SEO content: R2.50 or more per word / R450 to R550 per hour
  • Consumer / journalism blog content: R2.50 to R3 per word / R400 to R500 per hour
  • Content marketing: R2.50 to R3 per word / R450 to R550 per hour
  • Web-based content: R2.50 to R3 per word / R450 to R550 per hour, and
  • Email marketing content: R2.50 to R 3 per word / R450 to R550 per hour.


Social media

  • Social media content creation: not exceeding R250 per post / R2.50 to R3 per word / R350 to R450 per hour
  • Social media management / coordination: R400 to R500 per hour
  • Social media strategy development: R500 to R550 per hour, and
  • Online content development (for instance, blogs): R2.50 to R3 per word / R350 to R450 per hour.


Editing

General editing

  • Light copy editing: not exceeding R0.50 per word / R50 to R100 per page / not exceeding R400 per hour
  • Medium copy editing: not exceeding R0.50 per word / R50 to R100 per page / R400 to R500 per hour
  • Heavy copy editing: R1 per word / R100 per page / R400 to R500 per hour
  • Substantive / structural editing: R0.35 to R2 per word / R200 or more per page / R450 to R550 per hour
  • Developmental editing: R1 per word / R150 to R200 per page / R450 to R550 per hour
  • Proofreading: R0.30 per word / R50 to R150 per page / R350 to R450 per hour
  • Copy/sub-editing: not exceeding R0.50 per word / R90 to R120 per page / R400 to R500 per hour, and
  • Reference checking: R100 to R200 per page / R300 to R400 per hour.


Specific editing

  • Magazines: R1 or more per word / R65 or more per page / R350 to R450 per hour
  • Newspapers: R1 or more per word / R50 to R100 per page / R300 to R400 per hour
  • Academic theses: not exceeding R0.50 per word / R45 to R65 per page / R300 to R400 per hour
  • Corporate content: not exceeding R3.50 per word / R100 or more per page / R450 to R550 per hour
  • Technical / specialist content: R1 or more per word / R35 to R150 per page / R450 to R550 per hour
  • Government documents: not exceeding R0.50 per word / R100 to R200 per page / R400 to R500 per hour
  • Textbooks: R0.20 to R0.50 per word / R50 to R100 per page / not exceeding R400 per hour, and
  • Fiction: R0.20 to R0.50 per word / R50 to R100 per page / R350 to R450 per hour.


As stated in the report, "readers are reminded that the report does not advocate specific rates. The research merely reports on the frequency and averages that committed respondents share with us to help freelancers and clients benchmark and negotiate their own fees."

As a freelancer, how do you decide how much to charge clients? Let us know in the comments section below.

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If you are thinking of starting a career in freelancing, check out these Five benefits of freelancing [Infographic].

*Image courtesy of Canva