Start freelancing
Choose an offer, define a first project, and set up the basics before taking on client work.
Your independent work, better organized
Build a freelance business that works for you.
Freelance Codex is a practical reference for independent freelancers, consultants, and one-person agencies in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. It covers the business side of client work: finding clients, setting rates, controlling scope, getting paid, and keeping tax records in order, with guides that explain each decision, templates you can adapt, and calculators for the numbers.
The practical part
What do you need to solve?
Each route pairs an explanation with something you can use. Start with the guide when the decision is unclear; open the tool when you are ready to apply it.
Find clients
Build a repeatable outreach and follow-up routine using your existing network, agencies, and relevant prospects.
Set sustainable rates
Work out a pricing floor, compare hourly and project fees, and account for the time you cannot bill.
Control project scope
Agree on deliverables, client responsibilities, revisions, and a process for changes before work begins.
Get paid and stay organized
Make invoices easy to process, follow up on late payments, and keep cashflow and tax records visible.
Protect your capacity
Set communication boundaries and realistic work limits so growth does not depend on constant availability.
A reference you can return to
Choose the level of help you need
Understand the decision
The guide library covers pricing, client acquisition, contracts, delivery, money, and workload. Use the summary for the main points, then follow the worked examples and checklists where you need detail.
Browse freelance guidesPut it into practice
Use editable templates, interactive checklists, and planning calculators for proposals, statements of work, invoices, pricing, and reserves. Replace example inputs with your own situation.
Open tools and templatesCheck a dated update
Radar collects dated updates and practical monitoring guides. Check the publication date, affected country, and linked sources before acting on deadlines or market figures.
Latest briefing: AI in client work: disclosure, confidentiality, and who owns the deliverables
Read freelance updatesWhat changed recently
Latest briefings and updates
New Radar briefings
- Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: 2026 to 2027 checkpoint for UK sole traders
- ACA Open Enrollment for 2027: health insurance for U.S. freelancers and the self-employed
- Freelance tax calendar, November 2026 to April 2027: U.S., UK, Canada and Australia
- Q4 2026 estimated tax payment: January 15, 2027 deadline for U.S. freelancers
- AI in client work: disclosure, confidentiality, and who owns the deliverables
Recently revised guides and tools
- Retirement plans for freelancers: SEP IRA vs Solo 401(k), UK pensions, RRSPs, and super
Published a retirement guide for freelancers with 2026 US limits (401(k) deferral, catch-ups, the $72,000 overall cap, IRA limit), SEP and Solo 401(k) deadlines, a worked comparison at $60,000 and $150,000 of profit, UK pension relief and allowances, Canada's 2026 and 2027 RRSP limits and the TFSA, and Australia's 2026–27 concessional cap and notice of intent rules. The 2027 US limits had not been announced at publication.
- Freelance tax deductions: business expenses you can claim in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia
Published a guide to freelance tax deductions with 2026 figures for the US (home office, the mid-year mileage rate change, Section 179, bonus depreciation, health insurance, QBI), UK allowable and simplified expenses, Canadian home, CCA and vehicle rules, Australian fixed rates and the instant asset write-off, a worked example, and record-keeping periods for each country.
- Health insurance for freelancers: US options, tax credits, and coverage in the UK, Canada, and Australia
Published a guide to health coverage for freelancers: US Marketplace plans and 2027 premium tax credits, the 60-day window after leaving a job, COBRA, a spouse's plan, HSA-eligible bronze plans, the self-employed health insurance deduction, disability cover, and notes for the UK, Canada, and Australia.
- Upwork vs Fiverr vs other freelance platforms: fees, fit, and how to win your first jobs
Published a comparison of Upwork, Fiverr, Contra, Toptal, Freelancer.com, and PeoplePerHour, with freelancer fees as checked on November 4, 2026, a worked fee example, first-job tactics, off-platform rules, and platform income reporting in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
- Cold email for freelancers: how to write emails that win clients
Published a guide to freelance cold email with five copyable templates, subject lines, a follow-up cadence, a worked reply-rate example, Google and Yahoo sender requirements, and a summary of cold email rules in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
- How to get paid by international clients as a freelancer
Published a guide to getting paid by international clients, with provider fees checked on official pricing pages on November 4, 2026, worked fee and exchange-rate examples, tax form basics, and VAT/GST notes for the UK, Australia, and Canada.
Already freelancing? Work on the constraint
More work is not always the answer. If projects keep expanding, improve scope and change requests. If your calendar is full but margins are thin, review your rates and capacity. If income depends on one client, work on your pipeline before adding another commitment.
The freelance game playbook connects these decisions through incentives, trust, negotiation, and repeat business. For a broad overview of the library, use the site map.
If cashflow or tax is the constraint, start with the money and tax guides: they cover invoicing, reserves, and record-keeping. The tax set-aside calculator estimates how much of each payment to hold back, and US freelancers can plan the next filing with the US federal tax return guide, which covers estimated payments and the April 15, 2027 deadline.
Before you use a guide or template
Where should I start if I have 20 minutes?
Choose one problem above. Read the guide summary, identify one action, and use its linked tool. If several problems overlap, the health check can help you choose what to examine first.
Can I use a template without changes?
Adapt names, scope, dates, fees, and responsibilities to the project. Examples are starting points. Contract terms and tax planning depend on your circumstances and jurisdiction; get qualified advice when needed.
How can I check the guidance?
Look for sources, caveats, review dates, and change notes on the page. The editorial standards, review policy, and disclosure policy explain the approach. Send a page URL and supporting source through contact if you spot an error.
Is this legal, tax, or financial advice?
No. The site provides educational information and planning tools. Consult qualified professionals for decisions about your legal or tax obligations. The terms explain these limits.