← Back to Cobalt Studio
3-tier freelance packages: pricing Basic / Standard / Premium (2026)
If you’re still quoting one number after a call, you’re making your life harder. Sell options. Anchor value. Reduce scope fights.
why 3 tiers works (psychology + business)
- clients hate blank-page decisions. packages make it easy to say “yes.”
- you control scope. each tier has boundaries (revisions, support, deliverables).
- you stop negotiating price first. the conversation becomes “which option?”
- you increase average deal size without being pushy (Standard becomes the obvious choice).
the rule: same outcome, different levels of risk reduction
All three packages should aim for the same main outcome. The tiers change risk, speed, and polish.
basic
Minimum version that still delivers the outcome. Limited revisions. Short support window. Fewer meetings.
standard (recommended)
Add the stuff that prevents rework: strategy session, better QA, tracking/events, extra iteration.
premium
Add leverage: deeper strategy, priority turnaround, training/handoff, longer support, more collaboration.
what to include (steal this checklist)
- deliverables (what you will actually ship)
- timeline (calendar time, not “hours”)
- revision policy (1 / 2 / 3 rounds)
- support window (none / 7 days / 30 days)
- assumptions (client provides assets + approvals on time)
- scope change process (change request = new budget/time)
how to price tiers (simple math)
If you don’t have confidence in fixed pricing yet, start with an “anchor hourly rate” for your own math. Estimate the Basic hours. Then add margin for fixed-price risk.
- Basic: (hourly × basic hours) × ~1.3 to 1.5
- Standard: ~2× Basic
- Premium: ~3× Basic
That’s it. Later you can refine based on outcomes, urgency, and your positioning — but this gets you out of the hourly trap fast.
example: landing page package
Outcome: a conversion-focused landing page that books demos
- Basic: 1 concept + build + 1 revision round
- Standard: strategy workshop + 2 concepts + analytics events + 2 revisions
- Premium: competitive swipefile + 3 concepts + training + priority turnaround
Want this auto-generated for your niche? Use the free builder:
next: send a clean proposal + payment schedule
Once the client picks a tier, you want to lock it in with something simple:
Want the whole template pack?
Download the Freelancer Templates Starter Pack (free) — 10+ templates + coupons.