Business Plan Writing Is the Highest-Paid Freelance Skill in Australia According to New Research
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A study by Honcho analyzing nearly 100,000 freelance job listings on Freelancer.com found that business plan writing commands the highest average hourly rate among freelance skills in Australia at AUD $31.19. Packaging design came second at AUD $30.62, followed by recruitment assistance at AUD $30.53, Mac application development at AUD $30.40, and contract writing at AUD $30.09. The concentration of business, legal, and design work at the top of the list challenges the common assumption that technology skills represent the most lucrative path in freelancing. Honcho COO Miralda Ishkhanian said the findings reveal that business acumen, including writing plans, drafting contracts, and supporting hiring processes, is where premium rates are currently sitting despite tech and design being among the most in-demand categories overall.
At the industry level, Business, Accounting and Legal recorded the highest average hourly rate at AUD $29.22, followed by Product Sourcing and Manufacturing at AUD $27.73, and Mobile development at AUD $27.28. Ishkhanian described business and legal skills as foundational services that businesses always need, which likely explains the rate stability at the top of the market. The findings suggest that for freelancers considering where to invest their development time, specialist commercial work is generating stronger returns than many broader digital categories, and that the durability of demand for business support services provides a more consistent income floor than skills tied to technology cycles or trend-driven project types.
