How much to charge for a sponsored post
Price a sponsored post from your usual views, not your followers. The formula, a worked example, add-ons for usage rights and a rate card template.
To price a sponsored post, start from how many people usually see that format on your account. Divide your median views by 1,000 and multiply by a cost per thousand views (CPM). Then add your production time, the brand's usage rights and any rush fee. Follower count barely matters here: two accounts with 10,000 followers can get 2,000 and 20,000 views per reel.
Below are the formula, a worked example on a made-up account, the add-ons creators often forget, and a rate card template.
Why followers are the wrong starting point
Followers tell you how many people once tapped a button. A brand pays for the people who will see the ad now. That's why brands and agencies ask for views, and why they'll almost always ask for your stats.
One reel that went viral six months ago isn't a forecast for the next sponsored post. If you quote a brand your best post's reach, the ad will most likely get less, and there won't be a second deal.
The formula, step by step
Step 1 Find your median views
List the views of your last 15 to 20 posts in the format you're pricing: reels separately, stories separately, long videos separately. Sort them and take the number in the middle. That's the median, and one great or terrible post doesn't move it much.
For stories, use the reach of the first frame after 24 hours. For YouTube videos, use views after the first 7 days, since they keep growing longer than reels do.
Step 2 Pick a CPM
CPM is the price of a thousand views. There's no single market rate: it depends on your niche, platform and season. Three ways to find yours:
- Ask brands first. When a brand reaches out, ask about their budget before you name a price. A few answers give you a range.
- Ask creators you know. Real numbers from people in your niche beat any market average.
- Look at public rate cards. Some creators and newsletters publish their prices. Divide their price by their typical views.
Niches where the audience makes expensive purchases usually get a higher CPM: finance, real estate, education, software. Entertainment usually gets a lower one.
Step 3 Multiply
Base price = median views / 1,000 × CPM.
Say a home workout account gets a median of 9,000 views per reel over the last two months. The account and the numbers are made up. The creator settles on $12 per thousand views for their niche.
9,000 / 1,000 × $12 = $108. That's the base price for a sponsored reel before add-ons.
Step 4 Add production time
The base price buys reach. Writing, filming, editing and the brand's revision rounds are work on top of that. Count the hours a sponsored reel takes and multiply by your hourly rate.
If a sponsored reel takes 4 hours and your hour is worth $25, add $100. For the made-up account that's $108 + $100 = $208, rounded to $210.
What adds to the price
| Term | Why it costs extra | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Usage rights | The brand runs your video on its own pages or in ads, and you get nothing for those views | A separate line: rights for 1, 3 or 6 months |
| Exclusivity | You can't work with the brand's competitors for N days and turn down deals | A percentage per month of exclusivity |
| Rush delivery | The post is due in 2 or 3 days, and other shoots move | A fee for posting earlier than your usual lead time |
| Revisions | Each round is more editing time | One round included, extra rounds paid |
| Link in bio or pinned post | The ad stays visible longer than a normal post | A price per week |
| Stats report | Screenshots and numbers 1 to 3 days after posting | Included, with the report date written down |
A bundle of posts usually costs less than the same posts sold one by one. A reel plus three stories in the same week share one shoot, so part of the work happens once.
Pricing when you're just starting
Small reach gives small numbers, and that's fine: the price grows with your median. A few rules for smaller accounts:
- Don't work for "exposure." If a brand pays neither money nor product, it isn't a deal.
- Value gifted products at their real price. If the product is worth less than your rate, ask for the difference in cash.
- Charge for production from day one. With a small account the base price is low, but a reel takes the same time to make. Production is often the bigger line.
- Offer UGC. Brands buy videos for their own pages without a post on your account. Price those on production and usage rights only, since your reach isn't part of the deal.
A rate card template
Keep your rate card in a note or a one-page PDF and send it with your media kit. The prices below are for the made-up account from the example.
| Format | Median views | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsored reel | 9,000 | $210 | Script, filming, editing, one revision round |
| 3-story set | 2,500 | $80 | Link or tag, stats after 24 hours |
| Reel + 3 stories, same week | 9,000 and 2,500 | $260 | Everything above, one shoot |
| UGC video, not posted on the account | n/a | $150 | Up to 30 seconds, 3 months of rights |
| Usage rights on a sponsored video | n/a | +30% for 3 months | Use in the brand's paid ads |
Add three lines at the bottom: how far ahead a date needs booking, how many revision rounds are included, and when you expect payment. That answers half the brand's questions before they ask.
Disclosure and taxes
Sponsored posts need a clear label wherever you are. In the US the FTC expects a disclosure like "#ad" or the platform's paid partnership label, and the UK's ASA has similar rules. Rules differ by country, so check the ones where you live and where your audience is. Sponsored income is taxable income, and gifted products often count too.
How to answer "what's your rate?"
Brands almost always open with that question. A short answer works better than a long one:
- Ask about the format, the timeline, and whether they need usage rights or exclusivity.
- Quote the rate card price for that set of terms.
- Attach your stats: median views for the format and story reach for the last month.
If the brand asks for a discount, change the terms, not the price: fewer revisions, no exclusivity, one month of rights instead of three. A price cut for the same work is hard to undo later.
Where to keep the deal once it's agreed, and how to chase late payments, is covered in the guide on tracking brand deals.
FAQ
How much should I charge with 10,000 followers?
It depends on views, not followers. Take the median views of your last 15 to 20 posts in that format, divide by 1,000 and multiply by your niche's CPM. At a median of 3,000 and a $10 CPM the base is $30, and at 20,000 it's $200, before production and add-ons.
How much should a small creator charge?
What the formula gives, plus production time. On a small account production is often the bigger part of the price. Working for a tag alone doesn't help your next price.
Should my rates be public?
They don't have to be. Many creators send rates only on request, which makes it easier to change prices and build a bundle for each brand. A public rate card saves time if you get a lot of requests.
Is a gifted product enough payment?
It can be, if you want the product and it's worth at least your rate. A gifted post is still an ad, so the disclosure rules apply the same way.
How often should I raise my rates?
Recalculate your median every two or three months. If it went up by 20 to 30 percent, raise the price for new deals and keep the old price for brands you've already agreed with until the deal ends.
Where to start
Open your stats and write down the views of your last 15 reels or videos. Find the median and multiply by a CPM for your niche, and you have the first line of your rate card.
Read next: how to make a media kit, how to track brand deals and how to plan content for a month. A sponsored reel goes into your weekly content plan like any other post.
