Freelancers Experience Rising Hourly Rates Amid Financial Concerns

Freelancers in Germany have successfully increased their hourly rates, according to the latest findings from Freelancermap's Freelancer Compass. Currently, the average hourly rate stands at EUR104, a rise from EUR102 in 2024 and EUR100 in 2023. This translates to an estimated monthly income of approximately EUR8,022 before taxes, with nearly two-thirds of freelancers expressing satisfaction with their earnings.

Looking ahead, around 41% of freelancers intend to further raise their rates in the next year. The primary motivations for this increase include the impact of inflation (59%), greater professional experience (51%), and an effort to align with standard market rates (47%). Conversely, 52% of respondents plan to maintain their current rates, while 7% anticipate a decrease.

The survey involved 3,210 freelancers, with nearly half identifying as IT professionals (48%). The highest average hourly rates are found in consulting and management at EUR120, followed closely by the SAP sector at EUR117, and IT infrastructure at EUR102. The most lucrative industries include banking and finance (EUR112), aerospace (EUR111), insurance (EUR110), and healthcare, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals (EUR108).

Despite the positive trends in hourly rates, concerns regarding retirement savings and job stability have risen. The percentage of freelancers worried about their financial security in retirement has increased from 39% last year to 49%. Monthly savings for retirement have also climbed to EUR1,312, up from EUR1,108 the previous year.

Additionally, the cooling economic climate appears to be affecting freelancers as well. In 2024, 53% of freelancers described their economic situation as good or very good; this figure has dropped to 45% in 2025. Approximately one-third of freelancers expect an improvement in job opportunities, which is a slight decline from the previous year, while 38% anticipate no change and 29% foresee a deterioration in the job market.

A significant 79% of freelancers cite a lack of supportive political frameworks as a challenge in their work. A persistent issue remains the threat of bogus self-employment, with 68% of respondents calling for the elimination of related regulations, and a similar percentage advocating for reduced bureaucracy. Furthermore, 61% of freelancers support tax reforms.

The integration of generative AI tools has become commonplace among freelancers, with 77% reporting usage. Of these, 82% utilize these tools for text generation, 48% for coding, and 36% for client communication. When asked about the programming languages expected to gain importance in the future, Python leads with 61%, followed by TypeScript (36%), JavaScript (28%), Java (25%), and Rust (23%).

Overall, the Freelancer Compass presents an optimistic outlook: 81% of freelancers are satisfied or very satisfied with their freelance work, and 69% rate their work-life balance positively. While 34% cannot envision returning to traditional employment, 27% would consider it for an attractive salary.