As a beginner, a fair UGC rate starts with how long a video takes you, multiplied by an hourly rate you are happy with, plus add-ons for things like usage rights, paid ads, and raw footage. Published ranges for entry-level creators often start around $50 to $100 per video, but they vary widely. This guide shows you how to build your own base rate and a simple rate card you can send to brands.
This post is educational and is not financial, legal, or tax advice.
What is UGC?
UGC stands for user-generated content. In the creator world, it usually means short videos or photos made by everyday people for a brand, like an unboxing, a product demo, a “3 reasons I love this” video, or a before-and-after.
The big difference from influencer work: the brand usually posts UGC on its own pages or uses it in ads. You are paid for the content, not for access to your followers. That is why beginners with small accounts can still get paid UGC work.
What UGC creators charge: published ranges
There is no official price list for UGC, and rates change often. Here is what a couple of industry sources report, as a rough reference only:
| Source | What it reports |
|---|---|
| Billo, UGC Rates guide (June 2026) | Entry-level: about $50 to $100 per video. Mid-level: about $150 to $500. Established: $500 and up before licensing. |
| Collabstr 2025 Influencer Marketing Report, via Net Influencer | Average UGC asking price of $198.06, with an average actual payment of $177.68. |
Treat these as ranges that vary by niche, platform, deliverables, and what the brand wants to do with the video. Your own rate should come from your time and your costs, and then you can check it against the market.
What drives UGC prices
Two videos can take the same time to film and be worth very different amounts. These are the main things that move the price.
Deliverables
How many videos, how long they are, and how many versions. Extra hooks (different openings for the same video) are a common add-on, since brands like to test them in ads.
Usage rights and how long they last
Usage rights spell out where the brand can use your video and for how long. Posting it once on the brand’s own page (often called organic use) is usually part of your base rate. Longer periods, like 6 or 12 months, or use across many platforms, are usually priced higher.
Paid ads usage
If the brand plans to put money behind your video as an ad, it is working harder for them. Many creators charge more for paid usage than for organic use only.
Whitelisting (allowlisting)
This is when the brand runs ads through your account, so the ad shows your name or handle. Meta calls these partnership ads. Because it uses your identity and your account, it is usually a separate add-on with a clear end date.
Raw footage
Raw footage is all the unedited clips you filmed. It lets the brand cut many new ads from your work, so creators often charge extra for it.
Exclusivity
If a brand asks you not to work with competitors for a while, you are giving up possible income. Price that in, and put the time period and the list of competitors in writing.
Revisions
Decide how many rounds of changes are included (one round is a common choice) and what extra rounds cost. This protects your time.
How to calculate your UGC base rate
Start with time. Here is an example for one 30 to 45 second product video. Your times will be different.
| Task | Time |
|---|---|
| Reading the brief, writing a script | 1 hour |
| Setting up and filming | 1.5 hours |
| Editing, captions, and exporting | 1.5 hours |
| Emails, one revision, and invoicing | 1 hour |
| Total | 5 hours |
Now choose a target hourly rate. Let’s say $40 an hour.
Base rate = hours × hourly rate
5 hours × $40 = $200 per video
That lands inside the published ranges above, which is a good sign. If your number comes out far above or below them, look at your times first. As you get faster, your hours drop, and you can either keep the same price and earn more per hour, or offer more.
Don’t forget costs. If the product needs props, a new backdrop, or a paid app for editing, add those in or spread them over several jobs. Our free UGC Rate Calculator does this math for you.
Pricing add-ons: a worked example
A simple way to price add-ons is as a percentage of your base rate. The percentages below are example numbers to show the math, not an industry standard. Pick your own and use them the same way every time.
A brand asks for:
- 1 video (base rate $200)
- 2 extra hooks
- Paid ads usage for 3 months
- Raw footage
Using example add-on prices:
| Item | Example pricing | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Base video | 5 hours × $40 | $200 |
| 2 extra hooks | $25 each × 2 | $50 |
| Paid usage, 3 months | 30% of base: $200 × 0.30 | $60 |
| Raw footage | 25% of base: $200 × 0.25 | $50 |
| Total quote | $200 + $50 + $60 + $50 | $360 |
If the brand also wanted whitelisting or exclusivity, you would add those lines too, each with a time limit.
How to build a simple UGC rate card
A rate card is a one-page list of what you offer and what it costs. Keep it short and clear.
Include:
- Your name, niche, and contact info. One line on the kind of content you make.
- Links to 3 to 5 sample videos. Make samples with products you already own if you have no brand work yet.
- Packages. For example: 1 video, a 3-video bundle, and a photo set.
- What each package includes. Length, number of revisions, delivery time, and organic usage.
- Add-ons. Extra hooks, paid usage by time period, whitelisting, raw footage, and exclusivity.
- Terms. Payment timing (for example, half up front), and that pricing may change for large or rush projects.
Our UGC Media Kit & Rate Card template gives you a ready-made layout you can fill in.
Tips for your first UGC deals
- Get it in writing. Deliverables, due dates, usage rights, time limits, and payment terms should all be in an email or contract before you film.
- Always put an end date on usage. “Forever” or “in perpetuity” is worth much more than 3 months.
- Track every deal. Note the brand, what you delivered, the rate, and when you were paid. It helps you raise prices with confidence and makes tax time easier.
- Raise your rates as your portfolio grows. Review your base rate every few months.
Your first rate does not have to be perfect. It needs to cover your time, be easy for a brand to understand, and leave room to grow.