The question behind "UGC creator rates" is really "what do I say when the brand asks for my rate." This guide is the number, by experience level and by deliverable, with the add-ons that should always cost extra. The bands are the same ones the free UGC rate calculator runs on, so you can check your exact setup in a few taps.
Rates per video, by experience
For a single short-form video, organic use only, with no add-ons:
| Where you are | Per video | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Just starting | $25–$75 | Building a portfolio, first paid gigs |
| Some experience | $75–$150 | A handful of brand deals done, a niche forming |
| Established | $150–$300 | Consistent work, tight turnarounds, brands come back |
Quote toward the top of your band when the brief is tight and the brand knows what it wants. Quote the middle when the brief is vague, and price the extra rounds of feedback that vagueness always costs.
Two things are not in this table on purpose. Your follower count, because UGC is content the brand runs on its own channels, so it is buying production, not reach. And the brand's size, because a big brand with a tight brief is often less work than a small one with none. Price the deliverable, never the logo.
Packs and retainers
Brands that want more than one video expect a per-video discount, and it is worth giving one: bulk orders mean one brief, one product, one setup. The multipliers most creators converge on, applied to your single-video rate:
- Photo set (a batch of lifestyle stills): about 0.5× a video.
- 3-video pack: 2.7× the single rate, a 10% discount per video.
- 5-video pack: 4.2×, a 16% discount per video.
- Monthly retainer (about four videos a month, ongoing): 3.6× the single rate, paid every month. The discount buys the brand predictability; the recurring invoice buys you a floor under your income.
A retainer is the best deal in UGC for both sides, and the easiest second conversation to open after a first video performs. See retainer vs one-off pricing for the pitch.
The add-ons that should always cost extra
Each of these is a separate line on the quote, added to the base rate:
- Full editing (captioned, sound-designed, ready to post): +30%. Raw-style UGC is the default; a finished edit is more work.
- 48-hour rush: +25%. Faster than your normal turnaround costs you other work.
- Raw footage (you hand over the source files): +20%. They are buying the ability to cut it themselves, forever.
- Ad or usage rights (they run it as a paid ad): +50% for a six-month term. Half that for one month, 1.5× for a year, 3× for perpetual. Whitelisting from your own handle is about +70%, and a full buyout is about 2.5× the base. The usage-rights guide has the full grid.
- Category exclusivity (you sit out competitors for a window): +40%. Total exclusivity, no other paid brand work at all, is +100%, and rarely worth it below a retainer.
Stacked, they add up fast, which is the point. A $100 base video with editing, rush, and ad rights is $205, and every line is defensible because every line is a real cost or a real right.
Worked examples
- New creator, one video, organic, no add-ons: $50. The middle of the starting band.
- Some experience, 3-pack, full editing: $120 base × 2.7 × 1.3 = about $420.
- Established, one video, ad rights for six months plus raw footage: $200 × (1 + 0.5 + 0.2) = $340.
- Established, monthly retainer, editing included: $200 × 3.6 × 1.3 = about $935 a month.
Run your own in the rate calculator; it rounds to the nearest $5 and shows the band, not just one number.
Niche changes the number
The bands above are the general market. Some categories pay more because the brand earns more per customer, and some pay less because the supply of creators is deep. Beauty and skincare sit near the general bands with a strong add-on market; food runs slightly under; fitness supplements slightly over; software and finance well over, because one converted customer is worth a lot. The niche guides carry the specific numbers: beauty, skincare, food, fitness, software, and Amazon.
Canvas UGC is a different model. A dedicated brand account with a video quota is usually paid per video plus a CPM bonus or as a monthly retainer, not from the table above. The Canvas UGC rates guide covers it.
How to quote it
Send the number as a short rate card, not a paragraph: the base rate, the pack options, and the add-on list with percentages. A brand that sees the structure trusts the number, and one that wants to negotiate negotiates the scope instead of the rate. The free rate card template is that structure, ready to fill in.
Then put the agreed version on a record before you film: deliverables, rate, usage type and end date, payment terms. On Plug Pro the quote becomes the deal page, the invoice comes from the same record, and the brand pays you directly with no cut taken, so the number you quote is the number you keep. The mechanics are in how to price your UGC.