How to Price UGC Content

Setting your prices as a User-Generated Content creator can feel like guessing in the dark, but it doesn't have to be. Your time, creativity, and the value you provide to brands are worth real money. This guide will walk you through setting clear, confident rates for your work, covering everything from basic pricing models to a la carte add-ons that can significantly increase your income.

First Things First: No "Standard" UGC Rate Exists

Before we get into specific numbers, let’s get one thing straight: there's no official, universal rate card for UGC. Your pricing is unique to you and depends on a mix of factors. Anyone who tells you there is a single "right price" is oversimplifying things. Brands aren’t paying for follower counts, they're paying for authentic, high-performing content that resonates with their target audience.

Here’s what goes into determining your base price:

• Experience Level: Are you just starting out with a handful of portfolio pieces, or do you have a proven track record of creating content that converts? Experienced creators with strong portfolios can and should charge more.
• Content Quality: Do you use good lighting, clear audio, and crisp footage? High-quality production values demand a higher price.
• Niche or Industry: Specialized niches like finance, tech, or skincare often command higher rates because a deeper knowledge base is required to create authentic content.
• Scope of Work: Is the brand asking for a simple 15-second unboxing video or a complex, multi-scene video with a voiceover, text overlays, and a product demonstration? More work equals a higher fee.

Understanding these variables is the foundation. Now, let’s build your pricing structure on top of it.

Core UGC Pricing Models You Can Use

Most UGC creators use one of three primary pricing models. Many offer all three to give brands flexibility in how they want to work together.

1. A La Carte (Per Asset) Pricing

This is the most straightforward model and a great starting point for new creators. You simply set a flat price for each individual piece of content you create.

• How it works: A brand pays you for one video, three photos, or whatever specific asset they need. Clean and simple.
• Great for: Brands testing the waters with UGC, brands needing just one or two assets for a specific campaign, or for your first few collaborations to build your portfolio.

Example A La Carte Rates for a New Creator:

• 1 UGC Photo: $50 - $100
• 1 UGC Video (15-30 seconds): $150 - $250

Example A La Carte Rates for an Experienced Creator:

• 1 UGC Photo: $100 - $300+
• 1 UGC Video (15-30 seconds): $250 - $600+
• 1 UGC Video (30-60 seconds): $400 - $800+

Remember, these are just starting points! Don't be afraid to adjust based on the project's complexity.

2. Bundled Packages

Bundles are the sweet spot for UGC creators. You package together multiple assets for a slightly discounted rate compared to your a la carte pricing. This encourages brands to buy more content at once and provides you with a larger, more predictable payday.

• How it works: You create predefined packages like "Startup Spark" or "Growth Kit" that include a mix of photos and videos.
• Great for: Brands running consistent ad campaigns or those needing a small batch of content for their monthly social calendar. You get more work, and they get better value.

Example UGC Bundles:

• The Starter Pack: 2 UGC videos + 3 photos for $600
  (A slight discount from buying them all a la carte)
• The Content Kit: 4 UGC videos + 8 photos + 1 ad hook variation for $1,500
  (Offers more content and variety, making it an attractive mid-tier option)
• The E-Commerce Pro: 8 UGC videos + 15 photos + 3 alternative hooks for $2,800
  (Designed for brands serious about scaling with a steady stream of creative)

Creating tiers like this gives brands clear options and helps anchor your pricing, making higher-tier packages seem more valuable.

3. Monthly Retainers

A retainer is a recurring agreement where a brand pays you a fixed fee each month in exchange for a set amount of content. This is the goal for many freelance creators, as it provides stable, predictable income.

• How it works: The brand essentially has you on its team. For example, you agree to deliver 4 videos and 10 photos every month for a flat fee of $2,000.
• Great for: Your best, long-term clients. These are brands that trust your work and have an ongoing need for fresh content. Retainers build strong relationships and make forecasting your income much easier.

Typically, you’d only offer a retainer to a brand after completing one or two successful one-off projects with them first. Use bundled packages as a stepping stone to building that long-term partnership.

The Add-Ons: How to Price for Usage Rights & Extras

Your base rates are just the beginning. The real key to profitable UGC pricing is understanding and charging for the "extras." Brands often need more than just the content itself. These add-ons should be clearly listed on your rate sheet so brands know exactly what their options are.

Usage Rights: The Most Important Add-On

This is where many new creators leave money on the table. You are not just selling a video, you are selling the right to use that video. How the brand plans to use your content drastically impacts its value.

• Organic Usage: This is a brand posting your content on their own social media channels (e.g., their Instagram feed, TikTok profile). This should always be included in your base rate for a limited time, typically a 3-6 month license.
• Paid Media Rights (Whitelisting/Ad Usage): This is a brand using your content in paid advertising campaigns (e.g., Facebook Ads, TikTok Ads). This has a much higher value because it’s directly tied to generating sales for the company. Usage for paid media should always cost extra.

How to Price Paid Media Rights:

• Monthly Model: Charge a percentage of your base rate per month for a set number of months. A common rate is an additional 25-50% of the base price per 30 days the ad is live.
  • Example: If your video costs $300, paid usage rights might be an extra $150 per month.
• Flat Fee/Buyout: Charge a larger one-time fee for perpetual (forever) usage rights. This should be significantly higher, often 2x-3x the base price of the content, because you’re completely signing away your rights to that creative.

More Valuable Add-Ons to Offer

Beyond usage rights, here are other common services you can charge extra for:

Raw Footage: +50-100% of the Project Total

Brands will often ask for all the raw, unedited clips you shot. This gives their internal team the freedom to create dozens of their own ad variations. Because this provides so much value and saves them production costs, charging 50-100% of your initial project fee is standard.

Exclusivity: +20-30% of the Project Total

If a brand asks for exclusivity, it means they want you to agree not to work with their direct competitors for a specific period (e.g., 6 months). You are limiting your own client pool, so you should be compensated for that lost opportunity.

Rush Fee: +25-50% of the Project Total

Need it yesterday? A standard project timeline is typically 7-14 business days. If a brand needs content in 24-72 hours, it’s fair to charge a rush fee for bumping them to the front of your queue and rearranging your schedule.

Additional Hooks/Variations: Priced Per Variation

An easy way to increase project value is to offer additional "hooks" (the first 3-5 seconds of a video) or a slight variation on the Call-to-Action. You can offer these for a flat fee per variation, like $50 per extra hook, since the bulk of the filming is already done.

Building Your Simple UGC Rate Sheet

Now, let's put it all together. You don’t need a fancy design. A clean, simple PDF or one-page document works perfectly. Here’s what it should include:

1. Brief Bio: Two to three sentences about you, your niche, and the type of content you create.
2. Photos of You: Include a couple of professional-looking headshots so brands can see who they're working with.
3. Base Rates & Packages: Clearly list your a la carte pricing and your bundled packages. For example:
   • Single Video: $250
   • Photo Bundle: 5 photos for $350
   • Starter Kit: 2 videos + 5 photos for $800
4. A La Carte Add-Ons: List your valuable extras with clear pricing.
   • Paid Media Rights: +50% of base rate per 30 days
   • Raw Footage: +50% of project total
   • Rush Delivery (Under 3 days): +25% of project total
   • Exclusivity (6 months): +20% of project total
5. Contact Info & Portfolio Link: Make it easy for brands to see your past work and get in touch.

Having this document ready to send makes you look professional and streamlines your negotiation process. It shows you know your value and understand the business side of content creation.

Final Thoughts

Pricing your UGC content is a blend of understanding your own value, defining what you offer, and clearly communicating that to potential clients. By setting up a flexible pricing structure with per-asset rates, bundles, and retainers, and layering on valuable add-ons like usage rights, you create a professional system that helps you get paid what you're truly worth.

As creators, getting the content made is just one part of the job. For brands you work with (and maybe even yourself!), managing all that new UGC can be a whole other challenge. We built Postbase because we know modern social media, with its heavy focus on Reels and TikToks, requires a tool that's built for today. Our platform makes it simple to plan your content with a visual calendar, schedule everything across multiple platforms simultaneously, unify all your comments and DMs in one inbox, and see what's actually working - without the legacy clunkiness.