YunoJuno Freelancer Rates Report 2025: what it reveals about your ability to survive as a freelancer
What’s interesting about the freelance jobs market right now is this weird situation where companies are laying people off, yet they’re also struggling to find people with the right skills. It’s a hair-puller for those looking for more work, considering all the buzz around AI and how fast things are changing.
The last time I recall this sense of possibility was in the 1990s dot.com boom. But in today’s recruitment market, at least in the UK, companies have their hands tied by Labour Party-imposed national insurance employer taxes and the threat of US tariffs and project cancellations.
The findings of the YunoJuno 2025 Freelancer Rates Report solidify how these tensions are creating a freelancer job market where being adaptable and thinking strategically for yourself and your clients are just as important as having technical know-how.
“Interesting shifts” in freelancer hiring
YunoJuno CEO Runar Reistrup says the freelancer jobs platform has witnessed some interesting shifts over the past 12 months. After a period where there were loads of freelancers available, things started to pick up again towards the end of last year.
That said, booking activity is very sector and role-specific. For example, some roles see a spike in summer or at the end of the year whereas others see the exact opposite. Having that type of information is incredibly useful, especially for those freelancers who pitch for work independently versus those who go through a platform or recruitment agency
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Which direction are freelancer rates going?
Even though the cost of living has gone up, day rates haven’t moved much. This probably means freelancers are having to work harder to stand out from the crowd. But it also means there are some great opportunities for businesses struggling to find the right people.
It also means no matter what a report states as your role’s average rate, it doesn’t mean you have to accept it. Plus, many non-YunoJuno freelancers reading the report may be shocked to see that they were undercharging simply because they were keeping to old rates or what a client suggested was in their budget.
The freelancer rate outliers
Looking at the findings, which cover over 62,000 bookings, applications, and approvals, gives freelancers a clearer picture. The average day rate in 2024 was £390, just a 3% bump from the year before, and the average hourly rate was £49. But don’t let those numbers fool you.
There’s a big difference depending on what you do. Specialists are in high demand. If you’re in Strategy, you could be looking at £520 a day (£65 an hour), Market Research pays around £491 a day (£61 an hour), and Data specialists can earn about £469 a day (£59 an hour). This tells you what businesses are willing to pay for certain roles, experience and data skills.
How long are freelancer projects these days?
Another thing that was interesting is that projects are getting a bit shorter, down 4% to about 23 working days in 2024. It seems businesses are using freelancers for very specific projects. While projects are generally shorter, Data is an exception, with freelancers working for an average of nearly 11 weeks (54 working days). This reinforces the high demand for data expertise.
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AI: how are you skilling up?
What’s telling is the spike in the number of freelancers with serious artificial intelligence (AI) skills. Lots of them have spent the last couple of years getting to grips with AI, making themselves experts in this fast-moving area. They have carved out a new career for themselves. Can’t all freelancers do this?
You have always had to wear different hats as a freelancer but now it seems with the onset of AI integration you need to offer multiple services. You need to help clients navigate choppy waters even if you yourself feel like a skipper rather than a captain.
Take your existing skills and experience and see how you can amplify those within a chosen industry or role. Freelancers can future-proof their earning power by looking at the roles in the report that are demanding the highest rates. They can start to develop skills and opportunities within their existing projects and assignments that match those roles. For example, how can a business intelligence analyst also become a strategist or AI prompt engineer or trainer? How could a UX specialist look for more synergetic opportunities in client services?
Since businesses are still figuring out what AI means for them in the long run, hiring freelancers is a smart move. They get the expertise they need without having to commit to permanent hires.
Freelancers equally gain new opportunities to learn more on the job. They can take that expertise to future projects and highlight case studies in their portfolio.
For freelancers, this means if you want to succeed, you need to be seen as a strategic advisor, not just a tech whiz. Be present. Be social. Be that independent voice and listening ear.
You have to think like a business (because you are one)
Going forward, the freelance market is going to get even more sophisticated. It’s not enough to just have the technical skills anymore or the contacts. You need to be able to think strategically as a one-person business owner and make a genuine impact on your clients.
You have always had to wear different hats as a freelancer but now it seems with the onset of AI integration you need to offer multiple services. You need to help clients navigate choppy waters even if you yourself feel like a skipper rather than a captain.
Clients: stop making freelancers feel like Billy No Mates
Freelancers can no longer be Billy No Mates that fellow workers ignore. Businesses and hiring managers should educate their workforce to respect and include freelancers in their realm. They should strike up a conversation with them, hand out the occasional olive branch and invite them to join others for lunch.
If not, as a business or department head, you could have one of the best free thinkers or technical geniuses walk out your door at the end of a project and never consider working with you again.
For businesses, this means changing how they work with and think about freelancers. They’re not just filling in gaps anymore; they’re becoming partners, bringing specialist skills and fresh ideas to the table.
For freelancers, this means if you want to succeed, you need to be seen as a strategic advisor, not just a tech whiz. Be present. Be social. Be that independent voice and listening ear. Be adaptable, learn new things, and perhaps even rethink the services you can offer. But above all, show through your actions and productivity you can think strategically for yourself and your clients. This is the key to success and survival in the future of freelancing.
“Looking ahead, these trends point to an increasingly sophisticated freelance market where value is being defined not just by technical skills, but by the ability to deliver strategic impact,” says Reistrup.
Continuing he says, “Our 2025 report tells a compelling story about the continuing resilience, adaptability and foresight of the independent workforce.”
The rates revealed…
This is what the report found:
“From a comprehensive dataset encompassing 62,000+ bookings, applications and approvals, spanning across various disciplines, experience levels and contract lengths, the 2024 average day rate stood at £390, reflecting a +3% year-on-year increase. The hourly rate sat on average at £49 per hour. Notably, significant variations exist among disciplines, with the top-earning fields being Strategy (£520 average per day / £65 per hour), Market Research (£491 / £61 per hour) and Data (£469 / £59 per hour).
The average project length saw a slight decrease of -4%, bringing it to 23 working days in 2024 – just one day shorter than the 2023 average. This expanded dataset provides enhanced depth and insight into our freelancers’ engagement. In 10 out of 15 disciplines, there was a decrease in average contract length. In terms of project lengths, Data boasted the longest average, with freelancers being booked for just under 11 weeks (54 working days).”
Sector-focused example: Data
“In 2024, the average contract length was 54 working days (just under 11 weeks), a year-on-year increase of +38%, the biggest growth across all of the 15 analysed disciplines. Top 10% contracts averaged 94 working days (just under 19 weeks), reflecting a year-on-year increase of +1%. All role levels experienced an average year-on-year increase of +29%, with Lead roles seeing a remarkable growth of +64%. Data bookings experienced a slight decrease of -2% in bookings year-on-year. Bookings in the Data discipline fluctuated significantly throughout the year, with sharp peaks in July and December, and notable dips in April and June.”
Access the YunoJuno 2025 Freelancer Rates Report
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