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- A rush fee is an extra charge for finishing work faster than your normal turnaround. A kill fee is what a client pays when they cancel a project part of the way through.
- This calculator prices both: a rush fee as a fixed percentage or one that grows as the deadline shrinks, and a kill fee based on the work completed and a minimum.
- It also adds weekend or holiday charges, expenses already paid and any deposit you have received.
- The figures are starting points. A rush or kill fee should always be written into your contract before work begins.
How to use the rush fee and kill fee calculator
Pick rush fee or kill fee
Choose Rush fee to price urgent work, or Kill fee to settle a project the client has cancelled.
Enter the project fee
Type your normal price for the whole project. Everything else is worked out from it.
Fill in the details for your case
For a rush fee, enter the rush percentage or your normal and requested turnaround. For a kill fee, enter how much work is done and your minimum kill fee percentage.
Add extras if needed
Use the advanced options for weekend days, a minimum rush fee, expenses you have paid out and any deposit you have received.
How rush fees and kill fees are calculated
Fixed percentage rush fee
Rush fee = project fee × rush percentage
Total price = project fee + rush fee
Example: $2,000 × 50% = $1,000, so the total is $3,000
Many freelancers charge about 25% when a project is a few days faster and 50% to 100% for same-day or overnight work. Use the rate that fits your own market.
Rush fee that scales with the deadline
Rush % = maximum % × (1 − requested days ÷ normal days)
Example: 100% × (1 − 3 ÷ 10) = 70%
The shorter the deadline compared with your normal turnaround, the bigger the percentage, up to the maximum you set.
Kill fee
Kill fee = the larger of (project fee × work completed %) and (project fee × minimum kill fee %)
Balance due = kill fee + expenses − deposit received
The minimum protects you when a client cancels early, because the planning and reserved time are already lost.
Rush fee and kill fee examples
Example 1: fixed 50% rush fee
A client asks for a $2,000 project in 3 days. You normally need 10 days and charge a 50% rush fee.
- Normal project fee $2,000.00
- Rush fee (50%) $1,000.00
- Total price $3,000.00
The client saves 7 days, so the rush fee works out at about $143 per day saved.
Example 2: rush fee that scales with the deadline
The same $2,000 project, 3 days instead of 10, with a maximum rush fee of 100%.
- Rush percentage 70%
- Rush fee $1,400.00
- Total price $3,400.00
If the client could wait 7 days instead of 3, the percentage would drop to 30% and the rush fee to $600.
Example 3: rush fee with weekend work
A fixed 50% rush fee, plus 2 weekend days at $150 extra per day.
- Percentage rush fee $1,000.00
- Weekend charges (2 × $150) $300.00
- Rush fee $1,300.00
- Total price $3,300.00
Weekend charges cover the time you would otherwise keep for yourself.
Example 4: kill fee after 40% of the work
A $5,000 project is cancelled when 40% is done. You have paid $150 in expenses and received a $1,000 deposit. Your minimum kill fee is 25%.
- Value of work completed (40%) $2,000.00
- Minimum kill fee (25%) $1,250.00
- Kill fee charged (the larger) $2,000.00
- Expenses $150.00
- Deposit received −$1,000.00
- Balance the client owes $1,150.00
If only 10% had been done, the minimum would apply and the kill fee would be $1,250.
Where a rush fee and kill fee calculator helps
Quoting urgent work
Give a client a clear, fair rush price instead of a rushed guess.
Setting contract terms
Test your rush percentage and kill fee minimum on sample projects.
Handling cancellations
Settle a cancelled project with the work done, expenses and deposit in one view.
Protecting your schedule
Charge for displaced work, weekends and holidays so urgent jobs stay worth it.
Rush and kill fees are far easier to collect when the client agreed to them before the project started. State the percentages, the minimum and when they apply in your contract. These results are estimates, not legal advice. To set the base price, use the Freelance Project Quote Calculator or the Freelancer Hourly Rate Calculator.
Rush fee and kill fee calculator FAQ
How much should I charge for a rush fee?
There is no fixed rule. Many freelancers charge about 25% for a few days faster and 50% to 100% for overnight or same-day work. Consider the work you have to move, any overtime or weekend time, and whether the job is worth the disruption.
What is a kill fee?
A kill fee is a payment a client makes when they cancel a project after work has started. It compensates you for the time already spent and the other work you turned down while the project was booked.
How is a kill fee calculated?
A common method is to charge for the work completed, with a minimum percentage of the total fee so that early cancellations still pay. This calculator uses the larger of the two and then adds expenses and subtracts any deposit.
Can I charge a kill fee if it is not in the contract?
It is much harder. A kill fee should be agreed before the project starts, ideally in the contract or proposal. Without it you may only be able to bill for work already done. This is not legal advice, so check the rules that apply to you.
Should a rush fee be a flat amount or a percentage?
Both are used. A percentage keeps the fee in proportion to the project, while a flat amount is simple for small jobs. This calculator lets you add a minimum rush fee so small projects still make the disruption worthwhile.
What if the client already paid a deposit?
Enter it under the advanced options. If the deposit is more than the kill fee and expenses, the calculator shows the refund due to the client instead of a balance owed to you.