I think most freelancers don’t have a pricing problem — they have a confidence problem; they set low rates to “get experience,” hoping clients will eventually pay more.
Spoiler: they rarely do.
Once you start out cheap, you’re perceived as cheap.
And cheap clients? They’re not your stepping stone. They’re your anchor.
The bargain bin effect
You know those discount bins by the checkout — the ones overflowing with old DVDs nobody wanted ten years ago? They promise a bargain, but you don’t expect to find anything good in there. That’s the thing about cheap offers: they rarely inspire confidence.
It’s the same with your business. When you price low, you don’t look affordable — you look uncertain.
It’s the same with your business: when you price low, you don’t look affordable—you look uncertain.
The clients you attract will mirror that energy. They’ll question every line of your invoice, message you on weekends, and expect miracles on a shoestring budget.
You might think you’re being generous, but they might think you’re desperate and you need their business.
The irony is that these clients often turn out to be the hardest to please.
You can deliver great work, but because they never really trusted your expertise, they’ll still nitpick.
When you charge more, people assume you know what you’re doing — and they treat you accordingly.
Busy doesn’t mean successful
Low rates fill your calendar, not your bank account.
You end up working twice as much for half the pay, burning out while your best work gets buried under “urgent” requests from clients who don’t value it.
It’s the classic freelancer trap: you start freelancing for freedom, but end up chained to low-paying work that gives you less time and energy than your old job did.
You tell yourself it’s temporary — but unless you change your pricing, it isn’t.
High prices scare away the right people
You want to scare off the bargain hunters.
Serious clients aren’t looking for the cheapest option — they’re looking for certainty. When you state your price clearly and stand by it, you send a signal: “I’m the expert here, not a commodity.”
That quiet confidence is what gets you hired by people who actually value your input.
And when you finally work with clients like that, you’ll notice something: the work feels easier. Not because the projects are simpler, but because respect replaces resistance.
You’re trusted to do what you do best.
Raise your price or lower your standards
That’s really the choice. You can either charge more and work with people who trust you, or keep undercharging and spend your days firefighting.
Both paths are valid, but only one leads to a business that lasts.
The sooner you realise that “no” is not rejection but redirection, the faster your freelance career grows.
Every freelancer has to decide who they want to be: the discount option or the trusted expert.
Reflect on this: are your prices reflecting your skill, or your fear?
