Unlock Top Freelance Earnings in Australia: Business Plan Writing Leads the Pack

A recent study by Honcho reveals that business plan writing is the highest-paid freelance skill in Australia, commanding an average hourly rate of AUD $31.19. The research analyzed nearly 100,000 job listings from Freelancer.com, highlighting that business, legal, and design work dominate the top-paying freelance tasks.

Top-Paying Freelance Skills

• Business plan writing: AUD $31.19/hr
• Packaging design: AUD $30.62/hr
• Recruitment assistance: AUD $30.53/hr
• Mac application development: AUD $30.40/hr
• Contract writing: AUD $30.09/hr

Interestingly, logo creation ranked just outside the top five at AUD $29.98/hr, showing that specialist commercial work attracts stronger rates than many broader digital categories.

Industry-Level Insights

At the industry level, Business, Accounting & Legal recorded the highest average hourly rate at AUD $29.22 across 2,182 listings. Other top industries include:

• Product Sourcing & Manufacturing: AUD $27.73/hr
• Mobile: AUD $27.28/hr
• Sales & Marketing: AUD $27.12/hr
• Trades & Services: AUD $26.92/hr

Despite generating the most listings (36,441), Design placed sixth with an average rate of AUD $26.74/hr, indicating that a crowded market limits pricing power.

Key Takeaways for Freelancers

According to Honcho COO Miralda Ishkhanian, the data challenges common assumptions: "Despite tech and design being some of the most in-demand roles, this data shows that business acumen—including writing plans, drafting contracts, and helping companies hire—is genuinely where the premium rates are sitting right now."

For freelancers looking to upskill, focusing on high-value business services could lead to higher earnings. Designers, in particular, may benefit from niching into specialized areas like packaging design to command better rates.

The study covered 99,550 freelance job listings, with all rates expressed in Australian dollars.