How much to charge for a short-form UGC video
The vertical video under 60 seconds is the core UGC product — it's what most briefs ask for and what most brands run in paid social. It's also the deliverable where creators most often undercharge, because the base rate feels like the whole price.
It isn't. The licence attached to the video routinely doubles what it's worth, and the grid below shows exactly how much.
Rate table
Calculated for short video / reel / tiktok (<60s) at average engagement, one revision round, no rush and no exclusivity. These are starting points, not market quotes — adjust for your category, your market, and the value the brand is getting.
| Following | Organic only | Paid, 30 days | Paid, 90 days | Paid, 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5K | $120.00 | $150.00 | $180.00 | $240.00 |
| 5K–25K | $150.00 | $187.50 | $225.00 | $300.00 |
| 25K–100K | $195.00 | $243.75 | $292.50 | $390.00 |
| 100K–500K | $240.00 | $300.00 | $360.00 | $480.00 |
| 500K–1M | $300.00 | $375.00 | $450.00 | $600.00 |
| 1M+ | $375.00 | $468.75 | $562.50 | $750.00 |
Notice the jump across the columns rather than down the rows: the licence moves the number more than the follower count does.
Price your exact briefWhat moves the number
- Usage rights — The single biggest lever. The same video running as a paid ad for a year is worth roughly double the organic-only price, because it's directly generating revenue for the brand.
- Hook variants — Two or three alternate openings is how brands test creative. Include two in your base and price the rest — it's the most requested extra in short-form.
- Turnaround — Under five business days displaces other work. A flat 25% rush fee is standard.
- Exclusivity — If you can't shoot for a competitor for 90 days you're being paid to turn down work — 15–30% depending on how broadly the category is drawn.
Questions
How much should a beginner charge for a UGC video?
With organic-only usage, the calculated starting point for a creator under 5,000 followers is around $120, and most beginners with a solid portfolio quote somewhere between $150 and $250. Add the licence uplift on top whenever the brand wants paid usage.
Does my follower count change the price?
Less than you'd think. For pure UGC the brand posts the content, so reach is a modest multiplier rather than the main driver — a creator with 100K followers prices roughly 1.6× one under 5K for the same deliverable, not ten times.
What if the brand wants the raw footage?
Price it separately or decline. Raw files let a brand produce unlimited new cuts without you, which makes it a licensing question wearing a technical costume.
Put your rates somewhere brands can see them
Save a rate card, publish a media kit, and stop rebuilding the same PDF every time a brand asks what you charge.
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