The scariest message a new creator gets is four words long. "What are your rates?" You stare at it, type a number, delete it, type a lower one. Let's fix that today, so the next time a brand asks you already know your answer.
How much do UGC creators charge per video?
There is no single rate card, but the market does have a shape. In 2026 most UGC videos in the US and UK land somewhere in these ranges.
- Just starting, building a portfolio. Around $50 to $150 per video.
- A solid portfolio and a few happy brands. Around $150 to $300 per video.
- A clear niche, strong results, repeat clients. $300 and up, often much more for ads.
Photos usually sit lower, somewhere around $25 to $75 each, and are often sold in sets.
Treat these as a starting map. Your niche, your country and how polished your work looks will all move you around inside it.
What makes a UGC rate go up
A brand is paying for more than the minutes you spent filming. Each of these is a fair reason to charge more.
- Usage rights. If the brand wants to run your video as a paid ad, the content is working harder for them, so it costs more. Many creators add 30 to 50 percent for ad usage.
- Whitelisting. The brand runs ads through your own handle. That puts your face and your name on their spend, and it deserves its own line on the quote.
- Raw footage. Handing over your unedited clips lets the brand cut new versions forever. Charge for it.
- Length and complexity. A 15 second unboxing and a 60 second tutorial with three locations are different jobs.
- Extra hooks or versions. Three different openings for the same video is three times the testing value for the brand.
- Fast turnaround. If they need it in 48 hours, a rush fee is normal.
If any of those words are new to you, we explain them in plain English in UGC usage rights and whitelisting explained.
How to work out your own base rate
Start from your time, then sanity check against the market.
- Add up the hours for one video. Reading the brief, planning, filming, editing, sending, one round of changes. For most creators that is three to five hours.
- Decide what an hour of your work is worth. Be kind to yourself here.
- Multiply, then add what the job costs you, like props or products you had to buy.
- Compare the result with the ranges above and adjust.
Write the final numbers down in a note on your phone. One for a basic video, one with ad usage, one with raw footage. Now you never have to do maths under pressure again.
Should you ever work for free?
A free product in exchange for a video is a gifted collaboration. It can make sense once or twice at the very beginning if you love the brand and need the portfolio piece. It should not become your business model.
A better way to fill a portfolio is to film products you already own, on your own terms. You keep the footage, nobody owes anybody anything, and you practise without a deadline. We walk through it in how to build a UGC portfolio with no experience.
How to say your rate without flinching
Short and warm beats long and apologetic. Something like this works every time.
Thanks so much for reaching out, I love what you're doing with the brand. My rate for one 30 second video is $180, which includes one round of edits. Ad usage for 30 days is an extra $70. Happy to put a bundle together if you need more than one.
No "I hope that's okay". No discount before they ask. If they come back lower, you can meet them by removing something, such as fewer versions or a shorter usage window, instead of doing the same work for less.
When to raise your rates
Raise them when your calendar is filling up, when brands start coming back for a second campaign, or when your newest videos are clearly better than the ones in your portfolio. Small, regular increases are easier for everyone than one big jump.
The easy route, fixed prices up front
Negotiating is a skill, and it is tiring. On Bliss Social every campaign shows what it pays before you apply, with usage rights and raw files already counted in. You read the brief, you see the number, you decide if it's for you. No awkward back and forth, no chasing invoices.
UGC rates FAQ
Do I need followers to charge these rates?
No. UGC is content the brand posts on its own channels, so your follower count has very little to do with the price. Your portfolio does the talking.
Should I charge per video or per package?
Both. Keep a per video rate, then offer bundles of three or five with a small saving. Brands love testing several videos at once, and bundles mean fewer, bigger jobs for you.
How much should I charge for usage rights?
A common starting point is 30 to 50 percent of your base rate for 30 days of paid ads, more for longer periods. Unlimited or forever usage should cost noticeably more.
What if a brand says my rate is too high?
Thank them, and offer a smaller package instead of a lower price. If the budget still doesn't fit, it's fine to pass. The right brands for you can afford you.