How much should an illustrator charge? Project rates vs day rates

Figuring out what to charge clients can be the biggest headache for freelance illustrators. There's no universal published price list. There isn't a handy calculator that spits out the "right" number. Plus, whatever you decide on has to cover all the things that cost you money every month, like studio rent, or even keep you going during the quieter months. Quote too low and you're going to struggle. A quote too high without explanation is a surefire way to say goodbye to that lovely project.

When chatting about the challenges of freelance illustration, the question we hear most often is: Should you charge a project rate or a day rate? So we asked two people who price illustration for a living to talk us through it, along with everything else worth weighing up before you send that quote.

We invited Jon Cockley, co-founder of Handsome Frank, an illustration agency representing artists like Matt Blease and Molly McCammon, and Clara Marcus from The Jacky Winter Company, an agency in London that represents illustrators such as Adam Parata, Lauren Martin and Jay Cover. Together, they help set prices for work every day. Here's their advice on charging what you're worth.

Start with the inputs: how to arrive at a number

Before you think about a single figure, get clear on what's driving the price. And usage is almost always the biggest factor.

Clara's starting point is to decide how you're calculating the work itself. There are two common approaches: a creation fee, based on the time required to make the work, or value-based pricing, which focuses on what the work is worth to the client rather than the hours involved. Either way, she'd add a separate usage fee based on the licence the client needs.

That licence is where Jon spends most of his attention. "Usage is of course the main factor," he says, so Handsome Frank looks at the media the work will appear across, the territory, and the duration of the licence. The broadest agreement – all media, worldwide, in perpetuity – is also the most expensive, and his advice to clients is to be more specific wherever they can, so their budget goes further. He also factors in the client's profile and size, since that affects how many people will see the work and what it does for the artist's reputation. Even when exclusivity isn't requested, he points out, taking one high-profile client in a sector can quietly close the door on competitors, so it's worth considering.

Then there are the practical realities of being an illustrator – something both agents bring up. How busy is the artist? How long will the work take? Will it mean late nights or lost weekends?

Clara's key piece of advice is to build a pricing structure that works for you. "If your costs are based on a logical calculation rather than just pulling figures from the sky," she says, "you'll feel more confident when you propose them to the client."

Project rate or day rate – which serves you better?

In most cases, a project rate will serve an illustrator better in the long run, but there are clear moments when a day rate is the fairer choice.

"I would venture to say that in most scenarios, a project rate will serve an illustrator better than a day rate in the long term," says Clara. But she flags two big exceptions. The first is the large production houses doing brilliant work, who will only engage artists on a day rate with a work-for-hire agreement – opportunities that are hard to turn down. The second is any project where the scope keeps shifting, with deliverables added and dropped so often it's hard to keep track. There, an agreed day rate can be far less painful than constantly reworking and re-approving estimates. Her tip: bake a licence fee for the intended use into that day rate so usage isn't forgotten.

Jon pitches the day rate as kicking in once the goodwill of a project fee runs out. Handsome Frank's standard contract includes three rounds of feedback and amendments, all wrapped into the agreed price. If a job sails past those three rounds and still needs changes, they pivot to a day rate. It's fairer on the artist, and it has a useful side effect: "Once a client realises they're paying for the artist's time," he says, "it tends to bring things to a quicker resolution." Paying by the day focuses minds and stops endless tinkering.

What is a fair rate?

A fair rate is a sustainable one – it covers your real costs and lets you breathe easy between jobs. There are also a few benchmarks to anchor to.

Clara is quick to point out how much this depends on your location and the kind of work you do. The aim is to avoid wildly under- or over-charging, but what matters most is a rate that genuinely covers your overheads, like studio rent, software subscriptions, and insurance, while allowing you to take a break without too much anxiety.

Her best advice is just talk to your peers. "We are generally very, very bad about talking about our own finances," she says, "but if we can open up these conversations, we'll be in a much better position to push back on awful budgets and build a stronger and fairer creative industry."

Jon is willing to put a number on it. He's seen day rates vary wildly over the years, and while everyone is entitled to price themselves as they see fit, he's clear about a floor. "In 2026, I would advise any experienced illustrator to be charging at least £500 a day," he says. "This can go up to £1,000 per day or well beyond, depending on the artist's profile and the demand for their time."

The most common pricing mistakes – and how to avoid them

As you'd expect, the biggest mistakes happen at opposite ends: underpricing to win the work, and overpricing by charging for usage the client doesn't really need.

For Clara, the root cause of both is the same. "Not understanding the client's expectations is the easiest way to over- or underprice," she says. Beyond being clear on the scope so you can predict the time involved, she suggests digging into the client's vision: how they want the project to benefit their business, and how hands-on they'll be along the way. That tells you how much value they're placing on the work and, therefore, how much they're willing to invest.

"I think the most common mistake is to price a job lower than you think it's worth, because you really want to win the project," says Jon. The temptation to go low is strong, but knowing your value and agreeing on a fair price up front sets the whole project off on a respectful footing.

Overpricing, Jon says, usually comes from the other direction – a client asking for a broader licence than they truly need. Handsome Frank is often asked to quote for a buy-out, only to find, on closer inspection, that the work will run in only one territory or for only a limited time. "My advice to clients is not to pay for usage they don't need," he says. Charge for what's actually being used, and you avoid overpricing yourself out of the job.

What to do when a client asks about rates before the brief

Although it's tempting to give a flat figure before you understand the job, you should always give the client a careful, caveated anchor instead.

"How long is a piece of string?" Jon bluntly asks. Because he thinks it's near-on impossible to price a project without a brief. Handsome Frank will sometimes talk ballpark figures to get things moving, but every quote carries a clear caveat that the prices are subject to a final brief and may change.

Clara takes a similar line. She's sympathetic to why clients do it – usually they're short on time and want to know you'll fit their budget before committing to a longer conversation. The trouble is, name a figure before you really understand the job and it tends to come back to bite you.

She's also seen clients ghost when faced with questions about scope – which tells her that budget sits above style and suitability in their priorities, and they may not be the right creative partner anyway.

Her practical workaround is to ask yourself the absolute minimum you need to give a ballpark, and only ask those questions – respecting the client's time while still giving yourself something to anchor to. If they offer nothing at all, provide a heavily caveated range, or an example from past work: "As a guide, an illustration of this complexity with a 12-month, online-only, UK licence and two rounds of revisions would sit between £X and £Y."

How do you raise your rates with existing clients?

Quoting for an existing client puts you in a strong position, not an awkward one, because they've already shown they value you by coming back.

Clara sees this as a sweet spot. If a client didn't rate you or trust you to deliver, they wouldn't return. You've proven you're an asset, and now your rates should reflect that. Yes, it may mean a slightly awkward conversation – but that's far better than working with the same client for a decade without ever raising your fee. "Make it about you, not them," she says: it's perfectly reasonable to explain that your rates have risen over the past year as your experience has grown, and to use the moment to show off some of the great work you've been doing.

Both agents agree on the cost-of-living argument. "It's fine to say that the cost-of-living crisis has impacted your rates," says Clara – everything else is getting more expensive. Your fees need to keep pace with the wider economy, or freelancing becomes unsustainable.

Jon's take is to be "fair and transparent without being too pushy and unreasonable." Most clients, he finds, are respectful and open to the conversation, especially when you point out that a rate has stayed unchanged, for a while. "Clients are generally empathetic to the fact that rates need to reflect inflation," he says.

The reassuring thing to always keep in mind

There's no single right number, but there is a right way to arrive at one. Work out your costs logically, price usage for what the client needs, lean on a day rate when feedback or shifting scope makes a project fee unfair, and don't be shy about raising your rates as your experience grows.

Perhaps the most useful advice of all, from Clara: talk to your peers about money. Because the more openly we do it, the fairer the whole industry becomes.