Becoming a Freelance HTML Developer

What is an HTML developer?

Hyper Text Markup Language, or HTML, is the language that a developer uses to create web pages.

An HTML developer will take a website designer’s vision and transform it into a website, creating and controlling things like images, videos and interactive elements such as search boxes.

They might also take control of the parts of the website that you don’t see on the screen, for example, databases and servers.

Freelance HTML developer qualifications

There are a couple of different avenues you can take to become a freelance HTML developer – obtaining a degree in computer or data science, or a similar subject is a common place to start with this career.

However, it is also possible to teach yourself – but you would need to prove that you have these skills; you could do this by taking short courses or building your own websites to show to potential clients.

HTML developer rates of pay

As you can imagine, roles such as this are always in demand; you just need to ensure that you keep yourself up-to-date with any changes and developments within your sector.

This, plus the more experience you have, will be helpful should you wish to charge higher rates of pay.

When it comes to setting your hourly or daily rates, you’ll need to do your research, looking into what other contractors charge for similar skills. As an example, currently (2023) the average hourly rate for a freelance web developer in the UK is £48-£52.

Take a look at our Contractor take home pay calculator to get an idea of how much you could take home either working through a limited company or under an umbrella.

Benefits of becoming a freelance HTML developer

Rates of pay and flexibility are usually the top motives cited by people when asked why they want to join the self-employed sector.

Freelancers are often able to charge more than their permanent counterparts and there are several reasons for this – there’s the fact that a self-employed professional has usually dedicated so much time to achieve their specialist skillset, plus there’s the increased risk and not being entitled to holiday and sick pay to take into account.

They’re also able to claim back on expenses made for the running of their business, which will in turn reduce their tax bill at the end of each year.

For more information on expenses, read our Sole Trader Expenses and Subsistence Expenses pages.

With so many people now prioritising a better work/life balance, working for yourself is also perfect for giving you more freedom and flexibility compared to an employee – you’ll be able to choose the clients you want to work with, as well as picking the hours and days that you want to work.

Read our Benefits of Contracting page for more information on what you can gain from being self-employed.

If you’d like to sign up or need any further information, please give us a call on 01442 795 100 or you can email jaime.thorpe@dolanaccountancy.com. There’s also the option to contact us via live chat.