What to Charge for Your Time as a Maker
Pricing · Labor · Updated 2026-07-19
Set your hourly rate between $15 and $25 to start - the range most established handmade sellers use - and never price your time at zero. The Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild recommends soap makers pay themselves at least $20 per hour, and that is a sensible floor for any skilled craft.
Labor priced at zero is the single biggest cause of underpricing in handmade business. "Working for less than minimum wage" is the phrase that echoes through every crochet and maker community, and it always traces back to the same line item: hours that were never charged.
Why makers price their time at zero
Because the craft is enjoyable, because "people expect you to charge only for materials," and because adding real hours makes the price feel scary. But a price without labor is not a business price - it is a donation with extra steps. Your customer is not just buying wax or yarn; they are buying the hours you spent turning it into something.
Picking your number
| Situation | Suggested rate |
|---|---|
| New seller, building speed | $15/hr |
| Established seller, standard work | $18-22/hr |
| Skilled specialty work (custom, complex) | $25-35/hr |
| HSCG recommendation (soap and cosmetics) | $20/hr minimum |
When hours make the price impossible
Sometimes honest labor produces a price the market refuses - a 10-hour blanket is a $200+ item before materials. The fix is never to cut your wage. Instead: choose designs that work up faster, batch production steps, position for buyers who pay for craftsmanship, or treat that design as a premium commission piece. The crochet pricing guide goes deep on this exact bind.
Your rate, in every price. Set your hourly rate once in Craft Pricing Calculator Pro and every product price includes your time automatically - no more forgetting the most expensive ingredient. Learn more about Craft Pricing Calculator Pro.
Frequently asked questions
What hourly rate should I charge for handmade work?
Start at $15-25 per hour. Skilled or custom work justifies $25-35. Never zero.
Should beginners charge less per hour?
Charge a modest rate like $15/hr, not nothing. You will get faster, which lowers the labor cost per piece without lowering your wage.
Do I charge for design time?
For one-off commissions, yes. For repeatable products, spread design time across expected units like equipment amortization.
What if competitors charge less than my labor cost?
They are either faster, underpricing themselves, or mass-produced. Compete on story and quality, not on matching an unsustainable price.