UGC Pricing Rates in 2024: Detailed Study

Whether you are a UGC creator or a brand buying UGC, you may be wondering what the typical pricing for UGC currently is.

The average price for a single UGC video sits at $212. 

However, there are a large number of factors that impact this price including platform, content type & deliverables.

In this article we’ll explore exactly how much the average creator charges for UGC types.

What is UGC?

User-generated content (UGC) is original content created by real users of a product or service, rather than content created by marketing or in-house teams. 

UGC is all about users sharing real experiences that people across social media platforms believe in.

UGC has exploded in recent years because customers want to see authentic videos, testimonials & reviews created by real people to showcase the benefits of a particular product or service.

Additionally, a large amount of brands are creating UGC adverts with the content, because they feel much more natural than in-house adverts. 

👉 Below is an example of user generated content in action.

Now let's look at what brands are paying UGC creators for content.

UGC Pricing

The average UGC creator pricing rates range from $150 to $300 per piece of content.  

It's important to understand there's no one-size-fits-all answer for UGC rates. 

Keep in mind that this is just a starting point. Top UGC creators with significant reach can command much higher fees. Conversely, smaller creators or those offering bundled packages might have lower rates.

UGC Rate Structures

There's many different ways that UGC creators charge for their content, and also companies that buy up high volumes of UGC will make certain demands to creators as well.

👉 Here are the top 10 UGC pricing structures:

1. Flat Fee Structures - One time payment for each piece of content depending on complexity - This is the most common structure, but the downside is this doesn't scale well.
2. Hourly Rates - Payment based on time spent, which is good for comprehensive campaigns involving brainstorming and product research.
3. Revenue-Share & Performance Models - This is getting into the realms of a real partnership, since earnings are based on campaign success (e.g. percentage of sales driven).
4. UGC Bundle Rates - Discounts for purchasing multiple videos, for example 20% discount for 5 videos etc.
5. Multiple Concepts Discount - Discounts for buying multiple types of content, for example if a YouTuber is doing a long-form video, they may also throw in some images for Instagram, and some shorter video clips for TikTok.
6. Hook/CTA Variations - UGC creators will often charge additional extra for different 'hooks' or call to actions within the video, so that their client can test multiple versions. 
7. Usage Rights Extra Fee - Some larger UGC creators will charge 30-50% of the base rate for extended usage rights.
8. Raw Footage Fee - According to our research, some creators will charge an additional 30-50% of the base rate for unedited content.
9. Whitelisting/Spark Ads - Some brands will pay an extra 30-100% of the base fee per month for permission of running ads through the creator’s account.
10. Organic Concept - Trend led content costing $150-$200 more than the base fee - This is for highly creative work that might take a lot more up front research.

UGC Pricing Comparison

We've analyzed the most popular UGC marketplaces to compare the different costs of UGC content depending on the format and volume. 

1) UGC-Shop.com 

• 4 TikTok Reels for $1200
• 8 TikTok Reels for $2200
• 16 TikTok Reels for $4000
• $150-200 Per Image for Social

2) Billo 

• 6 UGC Videos for $500
• 14 UGC Videos for $1,000
• 37 UGC Videos for $2,500

3) Influee.co 

• Pay a subscription fee to get access to creators ($300-700/mo)
• Then average 30s UGC video costs $36

4) UGC Planet

• $100-200 per UGC video

5) Collabstr 

• $50 to $1000+ per UGC video depending on the creator.

6) Vidovo

• Subscription fee + typically $150-200 per UGC video depending on the creator. 

Pricing Based on Platform & Format

Additionally, it's important to know that prices may fluctuate significantly depending on what social media platform creators are making content for, and what format the content is.

For example, a very simple image being posted on Instagram won't take the creator particularly long, whereas a video advert with multiple hooks and variations requires some planning and preparation.

• Instagram Video: $50 – $500+
  • Filming & preparation time typically longer on Instagram.
• TikTok: $25 – $250+
  • Since TikToks are shorter, expect to pay less to UGC creators.
• YouTube: $100 – $1,000+
  • YouTube UGC videos can command higher fees since they’re longer-form content. 
• Twitter: $25 – $200+
  • Tweets are fast and easy for UGC creators, so prices are typically lower. 
• Images: $25  - 200+
  • Don't underestimate the power of images in your adverts! With that said, UGC images typically cost less because there isn't so much preparation and editing time required as with videos.

UGC Pricing Based on Follower Count

It’s also  important to recognize that UGC creators will charge different fees based on their follower count but typically follower count has a significant impact on pricing.

Other Factors Impacting Pricing

• Higher pay for content requiring special skills or effort.
• Examples: Detailed graphics, in-depth research, professional photography.
• Industry and Niche Dynamics:
  1. Higher rates in competitive or specialized industries (e.g., tech, finance).
• Collaboration Scope and Exclusivity:
  1. Higher rates for extended campaigns or exclusive content rights.
• If that creator is recognizable in your space, they will demand a premium. That’s because people will recognize them in your content and adverts, so there’s simply added value there. 

Here are some rough guidelines on UGC pricing based on follower counts:

• 0 - 1k followers - $155
• 1k - 10k followers - $178
• 10k - 100k followers - $248
• 100k+ followers - $568

Note: These prices are based on a standard 30-40 second video.

How Do UGC Price Rates Differ to Influencer Rates?

UGC pricing rates are based entirely on deliverables, and NOT the audience of the creator. You’re going to be paying for work completed - videos, usage rights, number of variations etc. You are paying for their experience and creative abilities, just in the same way that you might pay a graphic designer of a different skill level.

But on the other hand, influencer pricing rates are almost entirely decided by that influencer’s audience. Influencers that have a massive sway over consumer behavior and a huge following (like Kim Kardashian) are naturally going to command far higher fees, because brands know that if they pay those influencers, it will directly lead to sales. 

Other Factors Impacting UGC Pricing

Here's a few other cost factors that you should consider for UGC, besides what we've already mentioned:

• Complexity - If brands are paying for UGC that requires special editing skills, effort or professional photography, then of course that will impact pricing. 
• Industry and Niche Dynamics - Highly specialized industries like tech or finance will command higher UGC rates than something more accessible like fitness or beauty. 
• Collaboration Scope and Exclusivity - If a brand is negotiating exclusive content rights or official partnerships with a UGC creator, that may impact pricing. For example, many UGC creators will want long-term deals with their partners which may bring the cost down, but also gives them a very steady income stream that they wouldn't otherwise have with one-off deals. 
• Credibility - If a creator is famous in a particular space, they are going to demand a premium! In this case follower count is less important - Because in certain niches like tech or finance, influencers tend to have far less followers, but they're all extremely high value. So if people are going to recognize the faces in UGC, it's going to increase the price because of the added value there. 

Setting UGC Rates

Here's some tips specifically for UGC creators, and how they should think about setting their UGC pricing rates and negotiating those rates fairly with clients.

1) Understand Your Value

It's important that you have a clear understanding of the expertise and skills you can offer brands or agencies that may be looking to hire you for UGC.

• Do you have examples of how you've helped other brands in the past?
• Is your style unique?
• Do you have a particular set of editing skills that sets you apart from the competition?

If you're just getting started, then it's better to be transparent and not overprice UGC.

2) Benchmark Your Industry

You easily research average UGC rates in your niche using a number of different websites:

• TikTok creator marketplace 
• Collabstr 
• Vidovo

You'll be able to scan through different UGC creators and check out what prices they offer for different products.

This will give you a good starting point for setting your rate. You can also look at industry surveys and communites such as UGCCreators on Reddit for feedback from peers. 

3) Tailor Rates to Content Complexity

Most people advertise a one-size-fits all price for UGC videos or content.

But in our experience, the very best UGC creators will often tailor their pricing rates based on the complexity of the content.

So for example, you can charge much higher rates for multiple variations or more complex videos or photoshoots. 

4) Be Transparent In Negotiations

Many UGC creators are adverse to showing their rates, out of fear that you'll be immediately judged by price rather than performance.

In our experience it's best to be up front and openly discuss your UGC rates - After all, you are trying to build a long-term working relationship with your client. 

You should be open about deliverables & budget constraints, and be willing to adjust your rates based on the brand's budget and needs.

Let your client's know that you're acutely aware of what they're looking for, which is primarily high engagement rates & conversions from your UGC.

Lastly, it's all about building trust and ongoing collaboration - This can only be done if you show transparency whilst also valuing your own time and skills.

Wrapping Up

UGC pricing is all subjective, and it's all based around building real relationships between creators and brands.

• Creators should always know their worth, but at the same time in a highly competitive space they need to provide an incredible service to land brands and customers on long-term deals.
• Brands, show respect to the creators and aim to build lasting relationships with great creators that you truly want to represent your brand in a positive light. 

It's a balancing act to get pricing right, but we know that UGC is here to stay and that it's significantly more trusted nowadays compared to highly polished 'studio quality' videos.