These are 2026 planning estimates from our calculator model and public rate cards, not a survey of what creators earn, which we do not collect. Use them as a floor you can justify line by line, then move up as your portfolio gives you evidence to move up with.
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 |
| Photo set (5 edited photos)per set | $175$100 to $250 | $225$125 to $350 | $350$200 to $550 | $550$300 to $900 |
| Raw footage pack (10 clips)per pack | $150$100 to $200 | $200$150 to $300 | $300$200 to $450 | $450$300 to $700 |
| 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 |
| Whitelistingper video, ads from the creator handle | $45$30 to $75 | $70$45 to $105 | $115$75 to $180 | $195$120 to $300 |
| Category exclusivity, 3 monthsper video, added to production | $40$25 to $65 | $55$40 to $90 | $95$65 to $150 | $165$100 to $250 |
| Category exclusivity, 6 monthsper video, added to production | $75$50 to $125 | $115$75 to $175 | $190$125 to $300 | $325$200 to $500 |
| Category exclusivity, 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.
Quote the whole card, not the first line
The production fee is one of nine lines. Raw footage is 30% of the video fee with a floor of $50, which is $50 at nano tier. Each hook variation is 20% with a floor of $25, or $30. Paid usage is 25% of production for 3 months, 50% for 6 and 100% for 12. Whitelisting is 30%. Category exclusivity uses the same three shares as usage. Rush delivery under seven days is 25% of the subtotal.
A nano creator who quotes $150 and then agrees to raw footage, a year of paid usage and whitelisting for free has delivered work worth $150 plus $50 plus $150 plus $45 and been paid for the first line only. Naming each line in the quote is not aggressive, it is how the category is priced.
The three mistakes that cost the most
Unbounded revisions. A fixed fee with unlimited rounds is an hourly job at an unknown hourly rate, and it is the reason a well priced deal turns into a bad one. Write the number of included rounds into every quote, two is normal, and price further rounds.
Free usage rights. Posting once and letting a brand advertise with it for a year are different products. Charging 100% of production for the second is not an upsell, it is the price. And undercharging to win a first client, which sets an anchor that client will refer to forever, and which attracts brands shopping on price rather than on work.
How to earn a higher rate
Evidence, volume and reliability, in that order. Three finished videos that look like the brief in front of you will support a higher figure than any follower count, and across our index of 24,032 UGC-qualified creators a visible portfolio is still the exception rather than the norm, which makes it cheap to stand out.
Then make the easy things easy: deliver on the date, name your revision policy up front, and offer a bundle price before you are asked. Brands reorder from creators who are uncomplicated, and a second order at your full rate is worth more than a first order won on discount.
What to say when a brand pushes back
Answer with scope, not with a discount. If the figure is above their budget, take something out: a shorter video, fewer hook variations, organic rights instead of paid, a longer deadline. Every one of those is a real reduction in work and it keeps your rate per unit of effort intact. Cutting the price while keeping the scope teaches the client that your first number was not real.
If they ask why you cost more than someone else, answer with evidence rather than with a defence. Point at two finished videos that look like their brief and name your turnaround and revision policy. Most brands buying UGC have been burned by a cheap creator who delivered late or not at all, so reliability is a genuine premium and the easiest one to prove.
Questions people ask
How much should I charge for my first UGC video?
Our model's nano tier figure is a defensible floor: $150 typical for 15 to 30 seconds, band $100 to $250. Quote the rights lines separately rather than discounting the production fee to win the job.
Should I charge less because I have no portfolio?
Discount once, explicitly, in exchange for the right to use the work as a portfolio piece. A permanent low rate does not become a higher one on its own, and it anchors every future conversation with that client.
How do I raise my rates?
With evidence and with the rights lines. Adding paid usage at 25% of production for 3 months and raw footage at 30% raises a deal without asking a client to accept a higher production fee.