Survey to assess freelance rates in SA opens for comment

28 Aug 2013

Following a recent snap survey by Freelancentral, it appears that the rates for freelancers in South Africa have not improved since 2009 and may have gone backwards.

Jo Duxbury

In order to widen the survey, the website is requesting all freelancers in the design, communications and marketing industries and related fields to submit information by 15 September 2013.

According to Jo Duxbury, who founded the site in 2006, an enquiry came from a freelancer who spotted that the guideline rates on the site dated back to 2009. "She asked if we could update them so we went to take a look and see what they were."

Freelance guideline rates (2009)

Junior (1-3 years' experience) - Hourly rate: R 150-200 Daily rate: R 1,100+

Middleweight (3-7 years' experience) - Hourly rate: R 200-350 Daily rate: R 1,750+

Heavyweight (7-15 years' experience) - Hourly rate: R 350-500 Daily rate: R 2,400+

Super-heavyweight (15+ years' experience) - Hourly rate: R 500+ Daily rate: R 3,000+

"The worrying thing is that as far as we know, these rates haven't changed much, if at all, in the last four years. Sure, someone who was middleweight four years ago is likely a heavyweight now and will be charging accordingly these days. We did some quick number crunching, based on the writing and design freelancers who currently have live portfolios on the site."

Average rates 2013 vs 2009: (2013 figures based on a quick, unscientific exercise)

Junior - Hourly rate 2009: R 150-200 Hourly rate 2013: n/a
Middleweight - Hourly rate 2009: R 200-350 Hourly rate 2013: R 266
Heavyweight - Hourly rate 2009: R 350-500 Hourly rate 2013:R 352

"These results are not good news for freelancers. Not only have the rates not increased in four years, but they are also sitting on the lower end of the 2009 guideline ranges in 2013. One third of heavyweight freelancers in our 2013 snap survey is charging middleweight rates.

"We would like to know if the reason for not putting up the rates is that there is too much competition in the marketplace, or that freelancers are not good at talking about money. We urge all freelancers, not only those registered on the site, to take the survey."

For more information, go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/P325BV8.