Summary
- Hourly rates are $60–180 (US) or £45–140 (UK).
- A five-page website costs $1,200–3,500 or £1,000–2,800.
- A detailed brief with objections and proof saves revision rounds.
- Judge copy on specificity and defensible claims, not polish.
- Agree copyright transfer on final payment in writing.
Quick answer
Freelance copywriters charge $60–180 per hour in the US and £45–140 per hour in the UK, or project rates of $300–900 or £250–700 for a set of website pages. Experienced specialists in technical or regulated fields charge considerably more.
Typical 2026 prices
| Job | US | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate | $60–180 | £45–140 |
| Day rate | $500–1,400 | £400–1,100 |
| Website page | $250–700 | £200–550 |
| Full five-page site | $1,200–3,500 | £1,000–2,800 |
| Blog article, 1,000 words | $250–800 | £200–650 |
| Email sequence (5 emails) | $600–2,000 | £500–1,600 |
| Product descriptions | $30–90 each | £25–70 each |
| Brand tone-of-voice guide | $1,500–5,000 | £1,200–4,000 |
Avoid per-word pricing below the market floor — it usually indicates rewritten or AI-generated filler, which harms search rankings and trust.
The brief is the job
Good copy comes from good input. Provide:
Thirty minutes writing a brief saves two rounds of revisions.
How to judge copy
Working arrangements
Agree upfront: number of revision rounds (two is standard), whether research calls are included, deadline, format of delivery, and copyright transfer on final payment. For ongoing work, a monthly retainer of $800–3,000 or £650–2,400 typically covers a set number of articles or campaigns.
Do you need one?
For a five-page website and a handful of service pages, yes — copy is what converts visitors into calls. For social posts and short updates, write them yourself; your own voice is usually better than outsourced content, and it is faster.
Summary
Expect £45–140 or $60–180 hourly, and budget £1,000–2,800 or $1,200–3,500 for a full small-business site. Write a real brief with objections, proof and prices, allow two revision rounds, and judge copy on specificity, not polish.