Freelance software developers are IT specialists who operate independently rather than as salaried employees. This frequently permits these individuals to have more independence in their work and work environment. It’s critical to grasp freelancing prospects if you want to use your skills as a software engineer to do freelance job.

Freelance software developers operate on a contract basis for one or more companies. This means that they are not officially employees of the company, but rather work on certain projects or tasks that the freelancer and company agreed upon.

How much will you be earning if you decide to work as a freelance software developer? Let’s find out together.

How Much can you Make as a Freelance Software Developer?

Freelance software developers assist with the operation of websites and computer programs. They construct the “back end” of applications, which is the part of the application that users do not see, using coding languages and techniques. This means that these people create the underlying systems that allow websites and applications to work. Freelance software developers are frequently responsible for the following tasks:

• Designing application systems
• Recommending and applying software upgrades for clients
• Using code to develop websites
• Finding clients
• Communicating with clients to understand their needs
• Maintaining a personal portfolio or website

Because freelancers determine their own pricing, the incomes of these professionals can vary. The annual compensation for software developers is $105,738. For professionals with a bachelor’s degree and experience, some freelance software development gigs pay up to $90 per hour. In contrast, the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Although there is no current data on freelancing employment, it projects a 22% growth in the job outlook for software developers from 2019 to 2029.

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However, a freelancer’s income can fluctuate due to a variety of factors such as taxes and job availability. Because income tax is not deducted immediately from freelancers’ paychecks, they file their taxes differently from salaried employees.

Some freelancers have fluctuating work schedules, with some months having multiple assignments and others having a break from working. Both of these elements may have an impact on a freelance software engineer.

Number Of Freelance Software Developer Jobs By State

1	California	10,315	$135,788
2	Texas	5,138	$107,357
3	Virginia	3,492	$110,631
4	Washington	3,279	$124,683
5	New York	3,145	$115,695
6	Massachusetts	2,941	$113,850
7	Florida	2,879	$98,700
8	Illinois	2,667	$99,043
9	Pennsylvania	2,618	$107,232
10	Georgia	2,269	$101,295
11	Ohio	2,252	$101,142
12	Maryland	2,203	$112,905
13	North Carolina	1,876	$102,873
14	New Jersey	1,829	$114,720
15	Colorado	1,750	$96,042
16	Minnesota	1,621	$98,393
17	Indiana	1,568	$93,661
18	Michigan	1,548	$100,511
19	Missouri	1,404	$94,046
20	Wisconsin	1,276	$97,663
21	Arizona	1,226	$108,830
22	Oregon	1,164	$108,407
23	Utah	1,031	$115,335
24	Tennessee	963	$93,542
25	Alabama	836	$93,122
26	Kentucky	773	$89,507
27	Connecticut	695	$110,556
28	Kansas	691	$90,341
29	Iowa	670	$95,331
30	South Carolina	612	$107,349
31	Louisiana	583	$88,699
32	Arkansas	528	$93,921
33	Nevada	481	$102,808
34	New Mexico	455	$94,384
35	Nebraska	443	$82,108
36	Oklahoma	442	$95,343
37	Idaho	411	$97,355
38	Rhode Island	384	$107,069
39	Delaware	366	$116,642
40	New Hampshire	331	$111,662
41	West Virginia	304	$102,090
42	Mississippi	282	$95,598
43	Maine	280	$104,813
44	Montana	263	$97,394
45	South Dakota	245	$100,231
46	Vermont	234	$119,283
47	Hawaii	180	$85,831
48	North Dakota	170	$88,249
49	Wyoming	166	$94,679
50	Alaska	146	$86,991

How to Become a Freelancer for Software Development

Freelancing is frequently a one-of-a-kind experience. Because it is so dependent on the person, each professional may pursue a distinct freelance career path and achieve success in a variety of ways. However, for a broad grasp of how to become a software development freelancer, attempt the following steps:

1. Learn a niche skill

As a freelance software developer, having a particular talent might help set you apart from other freelancing professionals. Consider obtaining certification in a specific coding language or specializing in a specific type of job, such as application debugging. This allows you to develop a specific talent that employers value in a freelancer. This differentiation may also make you simpler to find, as you may appear in web searches conducted by employers.

While pursuing their bachelor’s degree, many freelancing software developers choose their specific speciality. This enables professionals to gain further coaching while strengthening their skills under the mentoring of a professor.

2. Set rules for your work

As a freelancer, you must establish ground rules for yourself. Creating a structure for your professional life can help you maintain healthy working habits. Consider working aspects such as:

• Working environment: Try to decide where you would like to work. Some freelancing professionals choose to set up a home office to help create separation from their professional life and personal life.
• Types of clients: Consider what types of clients you are comfortable working with. For example, you may only want to accept projects from smaller companies or only work in certain industries, such as food service applications.
• Number of clients: It’s important to understand your own capabilities regarding your workload. Try to determine how many projects you can work on at the same time and be sure to remember this amount when accepting clients.
• Work hours: It may be helpful for you to determine how many hours you want to work each week. While this likely varies depending on the projects you’re working on, having an idea of how many hours you plan to work helps when finding clients.
• Levels of service: Try to decide which types of services you offer and how you offer them. For example, you may want to be only available for consulting with a company or only work with existing software instead of creating new ones for clients.

3. Build a portfolio

You’ll need an internet portfolio to find clients. Include professional references and examples of your work in your portfolio. This allows clients to grasp your degree of expertise and may persuade them to engage you. Consider putting your portfolio on your professional website and including a link to it in your job applications.

4. Determine your rates for your services

Several things must be considered when considering how much to charge for your work. First, consider if you want to charge per job or per hour. It is critical to select a service charge that appropriately reflects your professional expertise while also allowing you to support yourself. Here are some things to think about:

• Experience level: Professionals with more experience often charge more, because they have taken more time to improve their skill, so their work may be of a higher quality.
• Time: If a task takes you a long time to complete, it’s important that you charge enough to appropriately compensate you for that time.
• Financial responsibilities: Be sure to consider your financial responsibilities when setting your rates. This ensures that you are able to address these responsibilities and live comfortably.
• Equipment: If you are using any special equipment for your work, such as your computer, it’s important that your rates reflect and compensate for the purchase of your equipment over time.
• Market value: try to research other freelance software developer rates to gain a better understanding of what is an average rate to charge.

5. Choose a target audience

Try to figure out which clients you’d like to work with the most. This can influence who you promote your skills to. When determining who your target audience is, consider your pricing. This is due to the fact that certain sorts of clients may be more willing to pay the rate you charge, but others may be unable to afford your charges. It is critical that you just target clients who pay your rates rather than compromising your compensation to attract clients.

6. Market your skills

Once you’ve determined who you want to work for, strive to promote your skills. You can do this by buying personal advertising, joining freelancing networking sites, or just applying to job postings. Marketing your expertise as a freelance software developer is critical to your success. Set aside a specific amount of time each workday for this.

7. Pick clients

Make sure you have faith in the clients you select to work with. When choose who to work for, try to remember the rules you set for yourself. Companies may approach you for work even if you apply for many tasks as a freelancer. When this occurs, make sure to ask the employer questions to ensure you’re a suitable professional match.

8. Create a contract

When you agree to work on a project, attempt to draft an employment contract before you begin. This helps to legally establish the ground rules for your freelance work with the company. These contracts frequently include details on how much the company pays you, the work you accomplish, and the terms of your partnership with the company. Look for employment contract templates online or ask the customer whether they have a standard contract for freelancers.

9. Learn new skills

As your freelance software development profession progresses, aim to continue your self-education in new abilities. This could entail seeking new credentials or updating your résumé on a regular basis. Increasing your skill set will help you locate new freelance possibilities and secure your career growth.

How to Get Started as a Freelancer for Software Development

Getting into freelance software development, like any other major undertaking, does not happen quickly. Given the tough competition, you’d want to be as prepared as possible in order to attract more clients.

That said, here are some steps you should take if you want to stand out.

Create an Online portfolio

We all know that first impressions are everything when it comes to job applications, and the best way to generate one is to create an online portfolio.

Given what potential clients are looking for, this is a no-brainer. They’re searching for someone who can deliver, not just someone with impressive credentials. Someone who can perform the job and go above and beyond.

There is no better way to persuade them of this than through an online portfolio.

Read Also: How Much do Software Engineers Make an Hour?

However, avoid bombarding them with colorful visuals. As long as they have everything they need, a simple design should suffice. Include screenshots of some of your most noteworthy projects, as well as a full description of the project.

Do Some Projects for Free

Now, this may sound strange, but working for free is a great strategy, especially for someone who is new to the profession.

With no projects and no reputation to back you up, you’d want to start your own, wouldn’t you?

Working for free allows you to not only create a reputation, but also obtain valuable experience, which potential clients highly value. It will also assist you in adding something to your web portfolio so that you can demonstrate your expertise through the projects you worked on.

If you’ve been in the industry for a while, this method may not be applicable to you, but if you’re just starting out, this is a must-do, especially if you haven’t worked on many projects yet.

Ask for Testimonials then Showcase Them

There is no better method to gain the trust of prospective clients than to show them what prior clients have said about you and the quality of your work.

Let’s face it: people are more likely to be hired through referrals than through job postings. By displaying these testimonials from previous clients, you’re providing your reputation a much-needed boost.

Testimonials are essential when it comes to gaining clients, so always request one after completing a project so you may use it later.

Market Yourself

Marketing, whether online or offline, will always play an important role in attracting potential clients. People will not know you exist until you go out of your way to make your presence known.

Blogging could be a useful strategy for selling your abilities. By creating blogs on your area of expertise, you are not only demonstrating your skills to potential clients, but you are also establishing your internet profile.

When it comes to online presence, don’t forget to sell yourself on social media. Participate in online discussions about your area of expertise.

By following these steps, you will gradually position yourself as an authority or expert in your profession, providing clients with more reasons to engage you over your competition.