How Much to Charge for Email Marketing Freelance Work (Without Guessing)

If you’re just starting out as a freelance email marketer, there’s one question that can keep you stuck for days: How much am I actually supposed to charge? You don’t want to scare clients away, but you also don’t want to work for pennies. And when you search for answers online, the range is so wide that it gets even more confusing.

Some people say $20 an hour is fair. Others won’t even open their laptop for less than $100. That’s why understanding email marketing freelance rates isn’t about copying numbers. It’s about understanding value, effort, and where you currently stand.

Let’s break down email marketing freelance rates in a more realistic and honest way.

Email marketing isn’t just “writing emails.”

A lot of beginners think email marketing is simply typing up a message and hitting send. That’s part of it, sure, but that’s not what clients are actually paying for.

When someone hires you for email marketing, they are paying for your thinking. Your research. Your ability to understand their audience. Your creativity in subject lines. And in many cases, they’re also paying for strategy.

You might be:

• planning sequences
• creating welcome emails
• building sales funnels
• doing A/B tests
• checking open rates and clicks
• fixing weak campaigns
• warming up cold lists
  

That’s not “simple writing.” That’s marketing. And marketing makes money. That’s why freelance email marketing rates are usually higher than normal content writing.

Why most beginners undercharge (and regret it later)

If we’re being real, most beginners charge too little at the start. They do this because they’re scared that clients will leave, or they feel like they “don’t know enough yet.”

But here’s what really happens:
They get stuck with low-paying clients who expect too much. They work long hours. They burn out. And then they start hating a skill they were actually excited to learn.

Low prices attract the wrong type of clients. Good clients don’t usually look for the cheapest option. They look for the one who understands their problem.

Instead of starting too low, it’s better to choose a fair beginner range and grow from there.

For someone new but serious, a realistic starting point is:

• Around $20–$40 per hour
• Or $50–$120 per email
• Or $400–$900 per month for basic ongoing work
  

These are not “high” rates in email marketing. They are normal. And they already place you inside standard email marketing freelance rates, not in the “cheap labor” category.

One important truth nobody tells you

Your price is not only about your skill. It’s about who you’re working with.

Writing emails for a local restaurant is very different from writing emails for an online business coach, a software company, or an e-commerce brand. If one email helps sell a $2,000 program, your work suddenly becomes far more valuable than an email that promotes a $10 burger.

This is why niche changes everything.

If you stay in low-budget niches, your freelance email marketing rates will always feel “stuck.” But if you move into higher-value industries, clients won’t even question prices that once felt impossible to you.

Same work. Different audience. Different money.

Different ways you can structure your pricing

You don’t have to lock yourself into a single method. Many smart freelancers mix them based on the client and project.

At the start, hourly pricing feels safe because it’s simple. You work, you get paid. But over time, hourly can limit you. If you become faster and better, you actually get paid less for doing a better job. That doesn’t make sense.

That’s why many email marketers slowly move into per-email, per-campaign, or monthly retainer pricing. These models reward skill, not time spent staring at the screen.

A few common examples:

• One-time campaign: $500 – $2,000
• Monthly email management: $1,000 – $3,000+
• Full funnel + automation: $2,000 – $6,000+
  

Those are real email marketing freelance rates for people who consistently deliver results. And the good part? You don’t need 10 years of experience to get there. You need results and confidence.

How to raise email marketing freelance rates (without feeling awkward)

Most freelancers wait too long to raise their prices. They think they need a special “moment” or permission. You don’t. You raise your rates when:

• You’re booked too often
• Your work starts bringing real results
• Clients are happy and returning
• Your skill level is clearly higher than when you started
  

The easiest way to prepare for higher rates is simple: track your wins.

If a client’s open rate went from 15% to 30%, write that down. If sales went up after your campaign, save that example. If someone thanks you for increasing engagement, keep that message.

Those small proofs are gold. They turn you from “someone who writes emails” into “someone who increases revenue.” And that is exactly what allows you to increase your freelance email marketing rates naturally without begging for approval.

Picking the right niche can double your income (without extra work)

One big mistake beginners make is trying to work with “everyone.” They offer email marketing to any small business that replies. That feels smart at first, but it usually keeps your rates low.

Different industries have very different money levels.

A fitness coach selling a $1,000 program can easily afford higher freelance email marketing rates than a local bakery selling $5 cupcakes. A SaaS company making thousands per month from subscriptions has a completely different budget compared to a small personal blog.

The smart move is not to work more hours. The smart move is to work in a better-paying niche.

Some of the higher-paying niches for email marketers are:

• eCommerce brands
• Online coaches & consultants
• SaaS companies
• Crypto & Web3 projects
• High-ticket course creators
• Health & supplement brands

If you focus even slightly on one of these areas and learn how their audience thinks, you’ll notice clients don’t argue over prices as much. Your email marketing freelance rates start to feel “normal” instead of “too high.”

Same work. Different industry. More respect for your time.

Why retainers are your best friend as a freelancer

One-off projects are nice. They bring quick money. But they also bring stress because you’re always hunting for the next client.

Monthly retainers change everything.

Instead of writing random emails for random people, you become part of their business every month. You plan, write, test, learn what works, improve it, and grow with the brand.

This is where your income becomes predictable.

A simple retainer might include:

• 4-8 emails per month
• basic performance tracking
• list management
• small improvements and testing

For this type of work, beginners can start around $500–$1,000/month, and then slowly move up to $2,000–$3,000+ as results improve.

Good clients prefer retainers because it means consistency. And you prefer them because it means stability. It’s one of the healthiest ways to grow your freelance email marketing rates without burning out.

Common mistakes that quietly kill your income

Even talented people struggle to earn properly because they make small but dangerous mistakes.

One common mistake is undercharging and then overdelivering. You promise way too much for way too little. The client gets used to it. Later, when you try to raise your rates, it feels awkward.

Another mistake is doing “free extras” all the time.
One more email. One more edit. One more version. It adds up. And soon, you’re working twice as much for the same money.

A simple fix: be clear about what’s included in your price from the start.

If it’s four emails, it’s four emails. If revisions are limited, say that politely in advance. Professional clients actually respect boundaries. It makes them trust you more, not less.

Protecting your time is part of increasing your freelance email marketing rates.

You don’t need to be an “expert” to charge properly

One of the biggest myths is that you need years of experience before you can charge good rates. Not true.

You need:

• basic skill
• good communication
• willingness to learn
• and real effort in each project

If you help a client get better opens, more clicks, or more sales, you are already valuable. Experience is built by doing the work, not waiting on the sidelines.

Start where you are. Charge fairly. Improve your results. Increase your value. Increase your rates.
That’s the real path.

Final thoughts

If there’s one thing to take away from this, it’s this:
Your price is not just about time. It’s about impact.

Email marketing can directly bring in money for a business. When you understand that, it becomes much easier to stop feeling guilty about your rates.

Whether you charge hourly, per email, per project, or via a monthly retainer, your goal is the same:
Fair pay. Good work. Healthy growth.

Email marketing freelance rates aren’t fixed. They grow with you. And the moment you start treating your skill seriously, others start to do the same.