A UGC creator starting out in 2026 typically charges $80 – $250 per finished video, and a creator with a body of work behind them charges $150 – $400, before any add-ons. Both ends of each range are legitimate. The spread comes from what the video is for: a single organic clip is a different job from a scripted ad with three hooks that a brand will run as paid media for six months.
If you have ever quoted one number, said yes, and then discovered the video was running as an ad you were never paid for, this post is for you. Below is a UGC rate card template, the ranges brands see at each tier, how to price every add-on, and how to set your own numbers without underselling yourself.
The short answer
These are the base rates for content-only UGC (you film, edit and deliver the file, and the brand posts it), matching the ranges in how much UGC creators charge in 2026:
| Creator tier | Typical following | Base rate per finished video |
|---|---|---|
| Nano or starting out | Under 10k | $80 – $250 |
| Micro | 10k – 50k | $150 – $400 |
| Mid-tier | 50k – 250k | $300 – $900 |
| Macro | 250k+ | $800 – $2,500+ |
Two caveats before you screenshot that table.
First, these are observed rate ranges, not a published index. They reflect the briefs Scouty runs and the markets it runs them in, and they move with category, country and how hard the brief is to shoot.
Second, the following column is the weakest input on your rate card. A brand running UGC distributes the video itself, so a creator with 3,000 followers and twenty clean product demos can and should charge more than a large account that has never made an ad. Price on your portfolio and your reliability, then use the tier as a sanity check.
What a UGC rate card actually has to price
A professional rate card has two parts: a base rate that covers a defined job, and a short list of add-ons priced separately. Creators who quote one blended number tend to feel underpaid three revisions later, because the blended number never said what it covered.
The base rate should cover, and say that it covers:
- Concepting against the brand's brief
- Filming at your own location
- Editing to one finished, ready-to-post file
- One round of revisions
- Organic use on the brand's own channels for a limited window, often 3 to 6 months
Everything past that line belongs in the add-on section. These are the add-ons, priced the way brands usually see them:
| Add-on | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Extra hook or variation of the same video | +$25 – $75 each |
| Raw, unedited footage | +$50 – $150 |
| Posting to your own profile | +$100 – $500, scales with reach |
| Paid usage or whitelisting, 30 days | +25% – 50% of base |
| Paid usage, 6 months | +50% – 100% of base |
| Perpetual usage rights | +100% – 200% of base |
| Category exclusivity, 3 months | +30% – 60% of base |
| Rush delivery, under 5 days | +20% – 30% of base |
| Additional revision rounds | +10% – 20% of base each |
| Edited still images from the shoot | +$25 – $75 per image |
The five lines that move your UGC rate card
1. Usage rights are your biggest lever
Paid usage costs you no extra filming time, and it is the line that most raises what a video earns. "We will post this on our page" and "we will run this as a paid ad against cold traffic for six months" are different deals, because the second puts your face and voice in front of far more people. Price the window the brand actually asks for, and always ask the question if the brief does not say. UGC usage rights explained breaks down every clause from the brand side.
2. Exclusivity is a restriction on your future income
If a skincare brand asks you not to work with other skincare brands for three months, it is asking you to turn down work. Price it as lost income, and push for the narrowest version: "no direct competitors" is a much smaller restriction than "no beauty category."
3. Complexity changes the hours, so it changes the rate
A talking-head review at a kitchen counter is a two-hour job end to end. A five-scene lifestyle video with a wardrobe change, an outdoor location and props is most of a day. Your rate card can list a "standard" and a "complex" base rate, or you can quote complexity per brief. Either works, as long as the brand knows which one it is buying.
4. Bundles are a discount you control
A bundle is the one place a lower per-video rate makes sense, because concepting and setup are shared across the videos. A creator quoting $250 for a single video often lands near $180 – $200 each for a four-video package. Put the bundle on the rate card so the brand sees it as your offer, not as a concession.
5. Category and market set the ceiling
Regulated or expertise-heavy categories (finance, supplements, medical devices) price above general lifestyle, because the creator accepts more compliance work and sometimes more reputational risk. If you work in one of those niches, your rate card should say so. The best UGC niches in 2026 compares the categories side by side.
Your base rate is the number brands remember, but your add-ons are the number you earn. A creator who itemizes usage on every quote earns more per hour filmed than one who quotes higher and gives the license away.
How to set your UGC rates, step by step
A workable approach, in order:
- Start from your tier, then adjust for your portfolio. Pick a base rate inside the range for your stage. Move up if you have category experience and a portfolio that opens on strong hooks; stay in the lower half while you are building one.
- Define exactly what the base covers. Length, number of revisions, delivery time and the organic usage window. Write it at the top of the rate card in plain words.
- Price every add-on as a flat fee or a percentage. Use the table above as your starting point. Percentages scale with your base rate, which saves you rewriting the card every time you raise it.
- Add one bundle. A three or four video package at a modest discount gives the brand an easy upgrade.
- Raise your base after every three repeat bookings. A brand that keeps rebooking you is telling you the rate is comfortable. Adjust for new clients first, and give existing ones notice.
- Check your hourly rate, not just your headline. A $400 video that takes ten hours and three revision rounds pays less per hour than two $200 videos that take two hours each.
- Keep the tax line in mind. UGC income is self-employment income with nothing withheld, so setting aside roughly 25% – 35% of each payment is the habit that keeps April calm. Taxes for UGC creators explains the forms and deadlines.
A concrete example. A micro creator with a $200 base rate gets a request for one video with six months of paid usage, two extra hooks and raw footage:
- Base rate: $200
- Six-month paid usage at +50%: $100
- Two extra hooks at $40 each: $80
- Raw footage: $75
- Total quote: $455
If the same creator had quoted a flat $250 "all in," the brand would have the same video, the same license and the same hooks, and the creator would be $205 short. That gap is what a rate card is for.
When the brand has already set the rate
Not every deal starts with your quote. A brand can post a campaign with the rate, deliverable and usage terms already written. In that case, the posted rate is set by the brand and is not negotiable unless the brief itself says so. Your rate card still does its job: it tells you which posted deals are worth your time. If a deal pays less than your base for the work it asks, passing is a perfectly good answer.
UGC Rate Card FAQ
What is a UGC rate card?
It is a short document listing your base rate for a defined video, what that base includes, and separate prices for add-ons such as usage rights, extra hooks, raw footage and rush delivery.
How much should a beginner UGC creator charge?
Most creators starting out charge between $80 and $250 per finished video, moving toward $150 to $400 once they have a portfolio and repeat clients.
Should I charge extra for usage rights?
Yes. Paid usage is usually priced as a percentage of your base rate, commonly 25% to 50% for 30 days and 50% to 100% for six months.
Should my UGC rate card be public?
It works either way. Many creators share a starting rate publicly and send the full card when a brand asks for a quote.
How often should I raise my UGC rates?
Review them every few months, and raise your base rate when brands keep rebooking you at the current one. Give existing clients notice before a change.
Do followers affect UGC rates?
Less than most creators expect. Brands running UGC post the video themselves, so they pay for the content and your reliability more than your audience.
Should I offer discounts on UGC bundles?
A modest bundle discount is reasonable because setup is shared across videos. A four-video package often lands near $180 to $200 per video for a creator who charges $250 for one.
How Scouty fits
A rate card is the right tool when you quote brands directly. On Scouty, the quoting is already done: Scouty is a creator and UGC marketing services company, a team that runs creator programs for brands, so every deal that reaches you names the brand, the deliverable, the usage and the rate before you decide. The brand sets the rate, and you keep 100% of it: Scouty takes no commission and pays you on the brand's behalf, and your agreement is with the brand.
Joining the Scouty Creators Club is free. You text JOIN on iMessage (WhatsApp where iMessage is not available) and answer a few questions, including your rates, so be honest: a low number does not help you get picked, it only matches you to lower-paying deals. How much UGC creators make in 2026 shows how rates turn into a monthly income.
Put your rate card to work on deals that are already priced: start on the Scouty creators page.
If you are a brand reading a creator's rate card from the other side, see how Scouty runs creator programs for you.
Rate and add-on ranges in this post match the observed figures in Scouty's guide to how much UGC creators charge in 2026. They are guidance for creators, not an offer, a quote or a guarantee of earnings, and they vary by market, category and brief. Nothing here is tax advice.
Published November 14, 2026 by The Scouty Team.