And remember that the world of freelancing has long ceased to be a “digital frontier” where people run away from office rules. It is increasingly resembling a real global market. The winner in this marathon is not the one who can quickly write code or edit a video, but the one who notices the “big” news and immediately translates it into small but concrete steps. Adjust your direction, and political changes will not be a bolt from the blue, but just another factor that you have taken into account in your plan.
Trump 2025 Tariffs:
How Freelancers’ Daily
Costs Are Shifting
The United States is the largest customer of digital services in the world and a currency "beacon" for SaaS prices. When something changes there, everyone who sells design, code, or marketing online feels it. A new wave of tariffs, stricter visa rules, and cuts in federal spending is setting off a chain reaction that will be felt even by those working from a home office in Warsaw or Kyiv.
Visas and the "remote" format
The US wants to make it more difficult to issue H-1B visas, which are work visas for IT professionals and other specialists. It will be more expensive and difficult for companies to transport people to the United States.
What does this mean for us?
- More projects are being left in remote mode – you can work from home.
- Competition is growing: customers choose those with the rarest and most relevant skills (e.g., artificial intelligence).
New duties and prices
The US has already introduced a 10% universal tariff on almost all imported goods. In addition to this, the so-called “reciprocal” duties were added. The US sets their rate to match the level of barriers that a country holds against American exports.
- China – 145 %.
- Vietnam – 46 %.
- European Union – 20%.
- For “neutral” partners (Canada, Mexico, Australia, Chile), the basic 10% remains.
(Data from the White House infographic published by Yahoo Finance “Trump’s tariffs: what they mean for the economy and your wallet”)
How does this smell to a freelancer?
- More expensive hardware and software. A device assembled in China is subject to almost one and a half times the duty of a year ago. A product from Canada or Australia will rise in price by about 10%. As a result, a laptop, camera, or license can become 5-15% more expensive, depending on the country of origin.
- Services such as Adobe, Figma, or Zoom have already warned that tariffs and dollar fluctuations are the reason for raising prices. The solution is simple:
- Buy a subscription for 6-12 months at once, while the price is still lower.
- Or switch to free alternatives (GIMP, Blender) if you have enough features.
- The dollar exchange rate is jumping. It’s convenient to have a multi-currency wallet (Wise, Payoneer ) and convert your revenue into euros, which is what you actually pay for your life.
- New orders “within the United States”. When production is brought back from China, companies need local designers, engineers, and copywriters. If you are ready to work at their time (or a little earlier), you can pick up these clients.
The main thing is that the duty now varies from 10% to 145%, so prices will rise “sporadically”. Keep track of the countries from which your software or hardware tools come and adjust your price list before the price increase hits you in the pocket.
Reduction of public money in the United States
Trump’s #Project2025 plan cuts budgets for science and education. Fewer grants mean fewer contracts for copywriters, designers, and researchers who have worked with universities or nonprofits. The good news is that many of these projects are moving to the EU under programs like Horizon Europe. For European contractors, this is a “+” in the portfolio.
What are the possible scenarios for 2025-2026?
- Mild inflation. Tariffs remain, but without a hard escalation. Companies cut budgets by 5-10%, but still hire freelancers, as they are cheaper than staff.
- Tariff shock. The duty on Chinese goods jumps to 60%, and China retaliates. Prices rise, the US economy slows down. Clients freeze marketing, but look for specialists to help them transfer supplies from China to other countries.
- Fiscal scissors. The government is cutting budgets, and subsidies for health insurance for Americans are coming to an end. There are almost no government orders, and there is dumping on the exchanges. Those who survive are those who have clients in different countries and offer packages or subscriptions rather than one-time services.
Four practical steps to avoid losing money
- Keep money in your own currency. If you live in the EU, convert dollars into euros as soon as you receive them.
- Look for clients outside the United States. There are a lot of digital investments in the Middle East and Scandinavia. Tailor your portfolio to their culture: luxury for Dubai, eco and inclusion for Sweden.
- Don’t limit yourself to exchanges. Write directly to LinkedIn, join #SaaS partnership programs ( HubSpot Webflow), and ask for recommendations from old clients.
- Add #AI to your arsenal. A short course in rapid engineering and one case in your portfolio can result in a 20% higher rate.
Politics, tariffs, and exchange rates are not an abstract background, but variables in your working calculator. If you treat freelancing as a small business, everything looks easier.
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