UGC rate calculator

How this UGC rate calculator works

Most UGC rate cards online give you one number per video. That number is an average across creators, niches and deals that have nothing to do with yours, so it is either too low for you or too high for the brief. This calculator does it the other way round. It starts from what a video actually costs you to make, then adds a separate price for each thing the brand is buying on top.

That structure matters more than the final figure. When every part of the deal is its own line, you can negotiate on scope instead of on your rate. A brand that says the quote is too high can drop the raw footage or shorten the paid usage period, and your base rate stays where it is for the next brand.

1. Base rate: your production floor

Your base rate is hours per video multiplied by your hourly figure, plus your costs. Be honest about hours. A 30-second video often takes several hours once you count the brief, scripting, set-up, filming, re-takes, editing, captions, exports and the emails back and forth. Your hourly figure should reflect that you are self-employed: no holiday pay, no sick pay, no employer pension, and you pay your own tax and National Insurance.

The base rate includes one finished video, one round of reasonable revisions and short organic use. It is also your walk-away floor. Quoting below it means paying to work.

2. Usage rights: where the real money is

A video posted once on a brand's Instagram grid is worth far less to the brand than the same video running as a paid ad for six months. That is why usage is priced separately. The calculator charges paid usage as a percentage of your base rate for each month, multiplied by territory. Perpetual use is priced as a long fixed period, because the brand is buying your work forever. For a deeper explanation of usage terms, read UGC usage rights explained.

3. Extras: each one is its own line

• Extra hooks are alternative openings brands use to test ads. Each one is extra filming and editing.
• Cut-downs are shorter versions, for example a 15-second edit from a 30-second video.
• Raw footage lets the brand re-edit your clips as often as it likes, so it is priced well above a single edit.
• Exclusivity stops you working with competitors for a period. You are losing income, so price it per 30 days and define "competitor" narrowly in the contract.
• Rush delivery is a surcharge on the whole job for a tight deadline.
• Extra revisions cover rounds beyond the one included, or changes that contradict the original brief.

What about follower count?

For pure UGC, your follower count is not part of the price. The brand posts the content itself or runs it as an ad, so your audience never sees it. If a brand also wants you to post the video on your own account, that is influencer work. Price it as a separate service, on top of this quote.

Sending the quote

Press Copy quote and paste the line-by-line breakdown into your email. Brands respond better to a quote they can read than to a single number, and it makes clear exactly what usage they are getting. Put the same terms in your contract. If you need a starting point, see the UGC contract checklist and our guide to how much to charge for UGC in the UK.

This calculator gives general guidance, not financial or legal advice. Figures exclude VAT.

Questions creators ask

What is a fair rate for a UGC video in the UK?

There is no official rate card. A fair rate covers your production time and costs, then adds separate charges for usage rights, exclusivity and extras. This calculator builds the price from your own hours and hourly figure rather than an average.

How do I charge for paid usage rights?

Most creators charge paid usage as a percentage of their base rate for each month the brand runs the video as an ad. Pick a percentage you are comfortable with, use it every time, and charge more for longer periods, wider territories or perpetual use.

Should UGC rates depend on my follower count?

Not for pure UGC. The brand posts the video on its own channels or runs it as an ad, so your audience is not part of the deal. Followers only matter if the brand also wants you to post to your own account, which is influencer work and priced separately.

Should I charge for raw footage?

Yes. Raw files let a brand re-edit your work as many times as it likes, so they are worth more than a single finished edit. Charge for them as a separate line and keep the same usage terms attached.

Do I add VAT to my UGC quote?

Only if you are VAT registered. Below the registration threshold (£90,000 of taxable turnover at the time of writing, check HMRC for the current figure) you do not add VAT to your invoices.