Price your first client on a scoped project fee with a deposit, not an hourly rate. Hourly pricing punishes you for getting faster and invites scope disputes.
TL;DR
- Price the outcome where you can, the hour where you must.
- Charge a deposit, always.
- Raise rates with each completed project, not annually.
Scope, deposit, milestones
Define what is included in writing, take a deposit before starting, and split delivery into milestones. This protects both sides and it is the norm internationally, so asking for it signals competence rather than distrust.
Most first-client disasters are scope failures, not skill failures.
Raising your rate
The moment to raise is after a completed project with a documented result, not on an annual schedule. Each case study is evidence that justifies the next number.
Say the new number plainly, without apology or elaborate justification.
Frequently asked questions
What if the client refuses a deposit?
Treat it as information about how the rest of the engagement will go.