Can I afford to go self-employed? Work out the number before you hand in your notice.
We'll compare what you take home now with what your business would need to generate — using your proposed price, realistic capacity, costs and cash buffer.
Put your actual numbers in.
Rough numbers are fine. The aim isn't to produce a perfect forecast — it's to find out whether the version of the business in your head is even in the right ballpark.
What are you replacing?
Your salary isn't the same as what lands in your bank. We'll estimate your current take-home so the comparison starts in the right place.
How much do you actually need to take home?
We've started with an estimate of your current monthly take-home. Change it if you could comfortably live on less — or need more.
What will people actually pay you?
Use the average amount you expect to collect for one chargeable unit — not your best-case job and not a promotional starting price.
How much can you actually sell?
This is where optimistic plans usually unravel. Use chargeable work only — admin, travel, quoting, cancellations and empty diary space don't count.
What does the business cost before it pays you?
Include the boring stuff. Software, fuel, insurance, materials, premises, phone, accounting, card fees and anything else the business has to carry.
Your result appears here.
Annual business revenue, including 10% headroom.
Annual revenue at the price, capacity and working weeks you entered.
After estimated sole-trader Income Tax and Class 4 NI.
Does the model cover what you need?
average price would give the model a safer amount of room.
chargeable units per week would give the model a safer amount of room.
What the business approximately needs before the extra 10% headroom.
Using your monthly take-home requirement as a rough personal-cash proxy.
Whether the version of the business you're planning can actually support you.
It compares the income you need with your proposed price, realistic working capacity, business costs and cash buffer. The result shows the revenue target you need to hit — and what would have to change if your current model falls short.
The revenue you need
You'll see an estimated bare-minimum annual revenue figure and a safer target with some headroom for imperfect weeks.
Whether your model can reach it
We'll test the price and daily capacity you entered against the days and weeks you realistically expect to work.
What still needs proving
The maths cannot prove that enough customers will buy at that price. Demand, competition and your route to customers still need pressure-testing.
The calculator gives you the number. The plan pressure-tests whether you can actually hit it.
A 30-minute call and a bespoke written plan built around your idea, pricing, market, setup and route to your first customers. The answer isn't automatically “go for it” — it's an honest view of what works, what doesn't and what to do next.
Useful enough to plan with. Not pretending to be your tax return.
Tax basis: the calculator uses the 2026/27 standard Personal Allowance and Income Tax bands, plus employee Class 1 NI for the salary comparison and self-employed Class 4 NI for the business comparison. Scotland is calculated using Scottish Income Tax bands.
- It assumes you operate as a sole trader, not through a limited company.
- It does not include pension contributions, student loans, benefits, Child Benefit charges, VAT, marriage allowance, other income or unusual tax circumstances.
- Your business target includes 10% headroom above the mathematical minimum to allow some room for quieter periods, late payments and imperfect weeks. It is still not a guarantee.
- Paid holiday, sick pay, employer pension contributions and other employee benefits are not valued in the comparison.
Official rates: GOV.UK Income Tax · GOV.UK self-employed NI · Scottish Income Tax.