The more useful answer is that per video is the wrong unit. A creator making one video for $225 and a creator making the same video for $225 plus raw footage plus 12 months of paid usage are earning very different amounts for the same afternoon. The second creator understands the card; the first is quoting only the first line of it.
The numbers
| Deliverabletypical, then low to high | Nanounder 5k followers | Micro5k to 25k followers | Mid25k to 100k followers | Established100k+ followers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production | ||||
| UGC video, 15 to 30sper finished video | $150$100 to $250 | $225$150 to $350 | $375$250 to $600 | $650$400 to $1,000 |
| UGC video, 30 to 60sper finished video | $195$130 to $325 | $295$195 to $455 | $490$325 to $780 | $845$520 to $1,300 |
| UGC video, 60s and overper finished video | $240$160 to $400 | $360$240 to $560 | $600$400 to $960 | $1,040$640 to $1,600 |
| Add-ons | ||||
| Raw footage add-onper video, 30% with a floor | $50$50 to $75 | $70$50 to $105 | $115$75 to $180 | $195$120 to $300 |
| Hook variationper extra opener, 20% with a floor | $30$25 to $50 | $45$30 to $70 | $75$50 to $120 | $130$80 to $200 |
| Rights | ||||
| Paid usage, 3 monthsper video, added to production | $40$25 to $65 | $55$40 to $90 | $95$65 to $150 | $165$100 to $250 |
| Paid usage, 6 monthsper video, added to production | $75$50 to $125 | $115$75 to $175 | $190$125 to $300 | $325$200 to $500 |
| Paid usage, 12 monthsper video, added to production | $150$100 to $250 | $225$150 to $350 | $375$250 to $600 | $650$400 to $1,000 |
2026 planning estimates from our calculator model and public rate cards. Not a quote, and not drawn from our creator database. Production rows are per finished asset, add-on and rights rows are per video. Every figure is derived from the same model as the UGC rate calculator.
Estimate your own brief
The same model as the table, with your inputs. Nothing is sent anywhere and there is no signup.
Length changes the figure predictably
Our model treats 15 to 30 seconds as the reference length. A 30 to 60 second video is 30% more, so at micro tier that is $295 instead of $225. A video over 60 seconds is 60% more, which is $360. The markup is less than proportional because the setup, the light and the travel are paid once regardless of runtime.
That has a practical consequence for how you quote. If a brief has three ideas in it, quoting a longer video earns more than quoting a short one and is easier to deliver well than trying to compress three ideas into 20 seconds. Reading the brief for its real length is worth money.
The add-ons are where the difference is
Raw footage is 30% of the video fee with a floor of $50, which is $70 per video at micro tier. Each hook variation is 20% with a floor of $25, or $45. Both are close to free work: the raw files already exist and an extra opener is one more take at the end of a shoot.
Then the rights. Three months of paid usage is 25% of production, six is 50%, twelve is 100%. Whitelisting is 30%. A micro creator delivering one video with 12 months of paid usage and whitelisting is looking at $225 plus $225 plus $70 rather than $225.
Why follower count matters less than you expect
The tier columns in our model do climb with followers, but they climb gently compared with influencer pricing, because a brand buying UGC is buying production rather than reach. The spread from nano to established on a 15 to 30 second video is $150 to $650, a multiple rather than an order of magnitude.
Our index backs that up: 24,032 UGC-qualified creators with a median of about 1,400 followers, and 22,393 of them on Instagram against 1,639 on TikTok. The market is overwhelmingly small accounts doing paid production work, which is exactly why portfolio quality moves your rate more than growth does.
What a brand is paying you for
Understanding the buyer explains the pricing. A brand commissioning UGC is buying creative variants for paid media testing, which means they need volume, speed and a hook that works, and they do not need a large audience attached. That is why the tier spread in our model is narrow compared with influencer pricing, and why the creators who earn most in this market are the ones who deliver reliably rather than the ones who grow fastest.
It also explains which of your skills to invest in. A better hook, a cleaner edit and a faster turnaround all raise what you can charge, because they raise the value of the asset to the buyer. More followers mostly does not, until you cross into the tier where an audience becomes part of the offer. Read the brief for what the brand will do with the video, and you will price it correctly.
Questions people ask
How much do UGC creators make per video?
Our model puts a 15 to 30 second video at $150 typical at nano tier, $225 at micro, $375 at mid and $650 at established. Bands run from $100 at the low end to $1,000 at the top.
Do UGC creators charge more for longer videos?
Yes, but less than proportionally. Our model adds 30% for 30 to 60 seconds and 60% for over 60 seconds, because the fixed costs of the shoot do not scale with runtime.
What is the fastest way to earn more per video?
Charge the rights lines. Adding 12 months of paid usage at 100% of production doubles a deal for no extra shooting, and raw footage at 30% is files you already have.