USD to INR Freelance Rate Conversion: What Your Hourly Rate Is Really Worth

Your rate in rupees, at today's rate

Today 1 USD = ₹94.59 (live mid-market rate as of 22 Oct 2026 00:02 UTC). Here's what common hourly rates come to, per hour and over a month of 120 billable hours, which is a realistic full-time month once you leave room for admin, sales and gaps between projects:

For your own numbers (any rate, any hours, a yearly total), use the USD to INR rate calculator or the general Freelance Rate Calculator.

What reaches your bank account

The table above is the mid-market rate. What lands in your account depends on how you're paid:

GST on foreign clients: zero-rated, if you file an LUT

Services you provide to a client outside India, paid in foreign currency, usually count as an export of services. Exports are zero-rated for GST, but only if you've filed a Letter of Undertaking (LUT) on the GST portal before you raise the invoice. Without one, you charge 18% IGST and claim it back as a refund later, which ties up your cash.

• You need GST registration to file an LUT. Registration becomes compulsory above ₹20 lakh of turnover a year (₹10 lakh in some special category states).
• The LUT is filed once per financial year, so renew it before 1 April.
• Keep the bank's inward remittance proof (FIRC or bank credit advice) for every export invoice.

This is the general rule, not tax advice. Confirm your situation with a chartered accountant.

Setting a USD rate from the rupees you need

Work backwards. If you need ₹1,50,000 a month from 120 billable hours, that's ₹1,250 an hour, which is about $13 an hour at today's rate. Add 20% for fees, currency moves and unbilled admin and you get about $16 an hour. That's your floor, not your price: what clients in your market pay for your skills sets the ceiling.

When you invoice, bill in USD and add a reference line with the rupee amount. The Invoice Builder adds it using the live rate, and the USD to INR page shows the rate on its own.