Direct day-rate sources
Sources with observed contractor prices from real market situations.
Direct takes priority over Proxy from five independent observations. Smaller samples have low confidence.
Day-rate methodology
How we derive a reliable day rate
In five steps, market observations become a decision range. Published expert rates take priority; market rates are selected using sample size and freshness.
The 5-step flow
01Collect market pricesWe capture sources with concrete prices: freelancer marketplaces, contractor job boards, and supporting surveys.
02Classify the sourceEach source gets a clear role: build the benchmark or help as a plausibility check.
03Make it comparableValues are aligned by country, role, seniority, period, and EUR per day.
04Check evidence strengthSamples, freshness, source mix, and coverage show how strong the evidence is.
05Show the rangeObserved ranges show p25, median, and p75. With unknown seniority, Junior, Intermediate, and Senior rates use model factors of 75%, 90%, and 100% of the market baseline.
Proxy rates and supporting sources
When Direct has fewer than five observations, Proxy replaces it only with at least five observations and evidence from the last 180 days. Otherwise Direct remains.
If Direct is missing, an available Proxy is used. Salary data and public statistics provide supporting context.
What you can use for your sourcing decision
Realistic budget rangeObserved quartiles describe the market price range. Modelled seniority rates use the stated factors and are labelled as estimates.
Benchmark confidenceMarket samples below five observations have low confidence. Five is a provisional safeguard, not proof of statistical reliability; sources, freshness, and mapping still matter.
Visible data gapsMissing evidence stays visible, so risks are clear before a location or partner decision.