Charging for freelance writing in Canada works best as a per-project price built from the hours a piece really takes (research, drafting, and revisions) at a billable rate, then expressed per word or as a monthly retainer if the client prefers. Job Bank lists employed authors and writers at $25.48 (low), $36.81 (median), and $53.00 (high) an hour nationally. A freelancer prices above that employee wage because pitching, admin, software, and both halves of CPP are unpaid. This guide suits writers who will time a few pieces before publishing a rate.
How to start is in the freelance writing side hustle guide. Tools and a portfolio site are in freelance writing startup costs. Turning a rate into a signed brief is in your first freelance writing client. More remote work sits in the online freelancing hub.
What do writers earn per hour in Canada?
Employed writers in Canada earn a median of $36.81 an hour, according to Job Bank’s writer wage page (NOC 51111, authors and writers except technical, reference period 2023–2024, updated November 19, 2025). The same NOC covers copywriters. Those are employee wages; a freelance rate should sit above them.
| Area (Job Bank, writer) | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $25.48 | $36.81 | $53.00 |
| Ontario | $25.82 | $40.38 | $53.00 |
| British Columbia | $20.75 | $36.44 | $68.75 |
| Alberta | $20.00 | $38.56 | $55.00 |
| Quebec | $26.92 | $36.00 | $53.00 |
This guide does not publish an average per-word rate in Canada because no current public Canadian survey we could verify collects one. Rates vary widely by niche, format, and client size.
Which pricing models work for freelance writing in Canada?
Freelance writing in Canada is usually priced per project, per word, hourly, or on a monthly retainer for a set number of pieces. Per-project pricing protects you best because it prices the research, not the length.
| Model | How it works | Works well for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per project | One price for a defined piece, with a set number of revision rounds | Blog posts, case studies, web pages | Scope creep: write the brief into the quote |
| Per word | Rate × final word count | Publications, content agencies | Research-heavy short pieces that underpay |
| Hourly | Rate × hours | Editing, interviews, unclear scope | Clients who want a fixed number |
| Monthly retainer | Set number of pieces per month at a set fee | Ongoing content clients | Unused pieces rolling over forever |
| Add-ons | Interviews, SEO briefs, uploading to the CMS, images | Real extra work | Including them by default |
Name the number of revision rounds and what counts as a new piece. Rights and bylines are part of the price too; say who owns the work and when.
How do you calculate a freelance writing rate in Canada?
Calculate a freelance writing rate in Canada from a target hourly pay, your billable share, and the hours a piece actually takes from brief to final revision. Divide by word count only after you know the project price.
Step 1: Set a target hourly pay
Use the Job Bank table as a floor. A freelance target below the employee median rarely survives a year.
Step 2: Estimate billable share
Pitching, invoicing, and learning a client’s style are unpaid. Measure your split over a month.
Step 3: Time a piece end to end
Research, outline, draft, edit, revision round, and formatting. Time three similar pieces.
Step 4: Price the project, then convert
Project price = hours × billable rate. Per-word rate = project price ÷ words.
Step 5: Hold back tax and CPP
Self-employed people pay both CPP shares; see CPP contributions and the tax set-aside guide.
Illustrative example
This is a teaching sketch with assumed numbers, not a quote, average, or survey. Suppose your target is $45 an hour, between Job Bank’s national median of $36.81 and high of $53.00. Suppose 65% of your working time is billable. The billable rate is $45 ÷ 0.65 = $69.23 an hour.
Suppose a 1,200-word researched blog post takes 4 hours, including one revision round. The project price is 4 × $69.23 = $276.92, which you might quote as $275. That works out to $275 ÷ 1,200 = about $0.23 a word for this kind of piece.
A 600-word product page that needs a 1-hour interview and takes 3 hours in total is 3 × $69.23 = $207.69, or about $0.35 a word. Same writer, different per-word figure, because research and interviews do not scale with length.
What does a sample freelance writing rate sheet look like in Canada?
A freelance writing rate sheet in Canada lists project types with what is included, a retainer option, and add-ons. The table is an illustrative example built on the $69.23 billable rate and assumed hours, not a market average.
| Service (illustrative) | Assumed hours | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Blog post, about 1,200 words, 1 revision round | 4 h | $275 |
| Web page, about 600 words, with a short interview | 3 h | $210 |
| Case study, about 1,000 words, with an interview | 6 h | $415 |
| Newsletter issue, about 800 words | 2.5 h | $175 |
| Monthly retainer: 4 blog posts (4 × $275 = $1,100, less about 5% for the commitment) | 16 h | $1,050 |
| Extra revision round | hourly | $70 per hour |
| Rush (under 3 business days) | — | +25% |
Prices are before tax. State the number of revision rounds, the delivery format, and when rights transfer (often on payment).
When should you raise freelance writing prices in Canada?
Raise freelance writing prices in Canada when your calendar is full, when pieces keep taking longer than priced, or when your published samples move you into a better-paying niche. Change new-client rates first and give retainer clients notice before the next term.
A short, specific note works: the new project prices, the date, and what is included. Raising per project type is easier to explain than a percentage.
What freelance writing pricing mistakes are common in Canada?
Common freelance writing pricing mistakes in Canada are quoting per word for research-heavy work, offering unlimited revisions, and starting without a deposit. Each turns a profitable piece into an unpaid one.
Write the brief into the quote. Charge for interviews. Take a deposit from new clients. Do not compare your rate with content mills; you are pricing a different product.
How do GST/HST and income tax affect freelance writing prices in Canada?
Freelance writing income in Canada is self-employment income reported on Form T2125. GST/HST registration becomes required after you pass the $30,000 small-supplier threshold in a calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters, across all your side hustles.
When registered, the rate depends on the place of supply, per the CRA’s charge and collect page. The GST/HST registration guide covers when voluntary registration makes sense, and the home office guide covers workspace deductions.
Deposits, retainers, and late reminders are easier from an invoicing tool. FreshBooks TODO-AFFILIATE can send a deposit invoice with the quote.
This is not tax, legal, or accounting advice.
Which guides sit next to freelance writing pricing in Canada?
Freelance writing pricing in Canada sits beside social media manager pricing, graphic design pricing, and ebook publishing for your own titles.
What are the common questions?
How much should a freelance writer charge in Canada?
There is no official rate. Job Bank lists employed writers at a national median of $36.81 an hour. A freelancer should price projects from timed hours at a billable rate above that, covering pitching, admin, and CPP, and then convert to per word if a client asks.
What is a good per-word rate for freelance writing in Canada?
This guide does not publish one because no current Canadian survey we could verify collects it. Work out your project price from hours, then divide by words. Research-heavy short pieces need a higher per-word figure.
Should I charge per word or per project?
Per project usually protects you better, because it prices research, interviews, and revisions rather than length. Per word is common with publications and agencies.
Do freelance writers charge GST/HST in Canada?
Only once registered. Registration is required after more than $30,000 of taxable supplies in a calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters, across all side hustles. This is not tax advice.
How many revisions should a writing quote include?
Name a number, often one or two rounds, and price extra rounds hourly. Unlimited revisions turn a fixed price into an open-ended job.
Which sources support this guide?
The rules, rates, and platform requirements in this guide are checked against these primary sources. Retail price ranges are labelled as ranges to verify locally, and they are not quotes.
- Writer in Canada: Wages — Government of Canada, Job Bank
- When to register for and start charging the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency
- Charge and collect the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency
- Form T2125, Statement of Business or Professional Activities — Canada Revenue Agency
- Contributions to the Canada Pension Plan — Government of Canada