Better Than a Spreadsheet — Free Calculators That Show Their Work
This page is for freelancers who are still running their pricing or tax planning out of an Excel sheet. The pain is never the first formula. It is the hidden upkeep, the fragile assumptions, and the fact that one broken cell can quietly throw off your entire quarter.
What makes Reise different
- Shows its math step by step so you can audit every number.
- Always free, with no account wall between you and the estimate.
- Built for 1099 contractors who need practical planning, not vague averages.
Featured calculator
Freelance Rate Calculator
What should you actually charge per hour? Account for taxes, health insurance, retirement, and the hours you can't bill — get the real number.
Simple comparison
| Feature | Reise | Spreadsheet |
|---|---|---|
| Shows its math | ✗ | |
| Always free | ✗ | |
| Built for contractors | ✗ |
FAQ
Why use Reise instead of a spreadsheet for freelance tax planning?
A spreadsheet gives you blank cells and full responsibility for the formulas. Reise gives you the finished calculator, shows each equation step by step, and removes the risk of a silent formula mistake changing your estimate.
Can I still sanity-check the numbers if I stop using Excel?
Yes. That is the point of ShowMath. You can expand the math panel and inspect the formulas with your own inputs substituted in, which makes the result easier to verify than a shared spreadsheet template.
Is a spreadsheet ever still useful?
It can be useful for raw record-keeping or custom notes. Most freelancers just should not rely on it as the primary source of truth for self-employment tax, contractor pricing, or quarterly-payment planning.