Contract vs full-time calculator

Bench-adjusted

A day rate only beats a salary once you have paid for your own time off, your own gaps between contracts and your own costs.

Contract day rateWhat you invoice per day

Salary on offerThe full-time alternative

Weeks off per yearHoliday and sick leave

Weeks between contractsBe realistic — this is the killer

Employer pension

Health cover valueWhat the employer pays

Figures: Skillsearch Games & Interactive Salary Survey 2024/25 (regional bands), GDC Salary Report 2025 (US discipline weighting, 562 respondents), ZipRecruiter Aug 2026 (QA percentiles). Contractor sentiment: GDC Salary Report 2025. Estimates, not offers — verify against live listings on the job board.