Should I take this UGC deal?
One of the most common questions I get: "How do I know what to quote or whether to accept an offer?" Plug in the deal and see what it's really worth, the lowest you should accept, and a reply you can copy and send.
1Find your level and benchmark rate
Your projects and followers are saved on this device, so next time you can go straight to the offer.
2Your goal this month
*Taxes and fees aren't in these numbers. Set aside 25–30% of every payment for taxes (ask your tax preparer what fits you). If you're paid through a platform, its fee comes out of your money: Fiverr keeps 20%, Stripe and PayPal about 3%. Add it to your price if you want to take home the full amount.
From your goal and your hours
From your level
2What they're asking for
TikTok
3What the brand is offering
Blank if they asked for your rate.
Gifted UGC or gifted PR?
Do gifted products count as income?
What you quote
Don't go below this
At their offer
How to price a retainer
- The discount buys commitment. Brands get a lower creative fee because they promise steady work. Never discount usage rights.
- Three months minimum. Shorter than that is just a few one-time projects.
- Put the monthly details in writing: videos per month, delivery dates, and that unused videos don't roll over forever.
- Invoice at the start of each month, with payment due within 30 days.
- Pitch it after a win. When a one-time project goes well, offer a retainer. That's how one-off deals become long-term collaborations.
These are starting points, not rules. Tap an amount to change it or waive it. Your reply updates to match.
Your price, your call
Every number here is a starting point. You decide what a deal is worth to you. Going lower or higher is fine, as long as it's a choice, not an accident.
- A dream brand or a big name for your portfolio
- A brand likely to come back or offer a retainer
- You need the reps and the portfolio piece
- A product you already use and love
- A quick, simple brief that takes little time
- A slow month with open slots
- A testimonial, referral, or introduction in the deal
- Several videos booked at once
- A tight deadline
- A product that's hard to film or needs a lot of setup
- A strict script, a heavy brief, or lots of approvals
- Expertise in the niche, like years in skincare, nursing, or teaching
- Past videos with proven results
- A big brand with a big ad budget
- A category where your credibility is on the line, like supplements or health claims
- A fully booked calendar
- A brand that's difficult before you've even started
What will you do?
Your reply follows the calculator's advice. Pick one to change it.
Your reply
General guidance only, not legal, financial, or tax advice. Your price is your call. See the full disclaimer at the bottom of this page.
When you pick an answer or copy your reply, your answers are saved with your email to help Robynn improve this calculator. Privacy
Pricing disclaimer
This calculator is provided by RGA Creative Enterprises, LLC for general information and educational purposes only. The rates, percentages, benchmarks, and suggested replies are general guidance based on common industry ranges and my own experience. They are not a promise or guarantee of what any brand will offer or pay, and they are not legal, financial, or tax advice.
Every brand, deal, platform, and market is different. You are solely responsible for your own pricing, negotiations, contracts, and business decisions, including whether to accept, counter, or decline any offer. By using this calculator, you agree that RGA Creative Enterprises, LLC and Robynn Anton are not responsible for the outcome of any deal, offer, negotiation, or business relationship, or for any loss or damage resulting from your use of this calculator or its suggestions.
Before signing a contract, have it reviewed by a qualified attorney. For questions about taxes on your income or gifted products, talk to a tax professional.
Tax set-aside
Put this share of every payment aside for taxes. 25–30% is typical, but ask your tax preparer what fits you.
Your monthly goal is what you take home after taxes, so the calculator adds taxes back in when it works out what each video needs to pay you and how much of this deal you actually keep.
Gifted products technically count as income too, but small amounts rarely matter.
Do gifted products count as income?
Technically, yes, when you get a product in exchange for a video or post. In real life, here's what that means for most creators:
- Small amounts rarely matter. Brands only have to send a tax form once they give you $2,000 or more in a year, and most PR boxes never come close.
- Getting lots of PR? If you're getting a steady stream of boxes, or one brand is sending you a lot, ask a tax preparer how to handle it.
General US information, not tax advice.
Organic usage
The brand posts your video on its own pages (TikTok, Instagram, website) without paying to promote it. Lowest risk to you. Once it's posted, it usually stays up for good, so organic posting is included in your rate at every level, with no time limit. What you charge for is paid usage: when the brand spends money running your video as an ad.
Paid usage
The brand spends money running your video as an ad. This is where they make money from your face, so it's priced the highest.
Most UGC offers include paid usage, so 30 days is selected to start. Change it to match what the brand asked for. Brands most often buy 30, 60, or 90 days, and renew the videos that perform.
For beginners, paid usage is included in your rate too, for any length of time. When you're starting out, be glad a brand wants to use your video at all. Most ads stop running within about 90 days anyway. Exclusivity is the one exception: 30 days at most. And protect your face in writing either way.
Whitelisting / Spark Ads
The ad runs from your account, with your name on it. Your reputation is on the line, so it's charged per month.
For beginners: it's okay to include it for practice, even on gifted deals. Limit it to 3 months, with AI protection in writing.
Exclusivity
You can't work with competing brands for a set time. It costs you future deals, so it's priced by how long it lasts.
At every level: never give it away. Agree to 30 days at most on a one-time project. Anything longer is only for an ongoing paid collaboration.
For beginners: this most likely won't apply to you yet. Leave it as is unless a brand asks for it.
Turnaround
How fast the brand needs the finished video. Standard is 7 days or more. A rush fee covers moving your schedule around to deliver sooner.
For beginners: this most likely won't apply to you yet. Leave it as is unless a brand asks for it.
How this calculator works
Built for everyone doing UGC: the beginner looking at her first $75 offer, the creator ready to raise her rates, and the influencer getting offered paid partnerships and gifted PR who isn't sure what to do.
When a brand sends you an offer or asks for a quote, this calculator helps you price out the project and decide if it's worth it. It also gives you an easy copy-and-paste reply to send your client. Fill it in from top to bottom, and you'll see:
- Your level and benchmark rate, worked out from your followers and how many UGC projects you've completed.
- Your full price for this deal, with every add-on and usage right the brand is asking for, itemized.
- The lowest you should accept.
- A straight answer: take it, counter, or walk away, with coaching for your level.
- For gifted deals and gifted PR, how the offer compares to a TikTok Shop sample, and when a free post on your page stops being worth it.
- A ready-to-send reply that matches your price and protects your face and voice.
How your level is set
Two numbers decide where you start: how many UGC projects you've done, and how many followers you have. Projects set your level. Followers move you up inside it.
- Projects set your level
- 0–9 projects: Beginner, starts at $50. 10–24: Intermediate, starts at $250. 25 or more: Advanced, starts at $500.
- Follower boost: $100 per 1,000 followers, up to $200
- Brands don't pay for followers in UGC, but a bigger account tells them you're comfortable on camera. The boost stops at 2,000 followers, because past that your work, not your audience, sets your rate.
- Project boost: $10 for every project past your level's starting line
- Every project, paid or gifted, is proof. Gifted PR counts too: if you made a real, finished video for a brand, that's experience, whether or not anyone had to approve it. A Beginner with 6 projects gets +$60. An Intermediate with 16 gets +$60 (16 minus 10).
- Ceiling for each level
- Beginner tops out at $250, Intermediate at $500, Advanced at $1,000. To go past the ceiling, you move up a level by doing more projects.
Your experience can move you up or down a level. Years in sales, teaching, marketing, nursing, hair and beauty, or any work where you explain things to people all show up on camera. So can a niche you know inside out. A creator with 1,000 followers and 20 years in skincare may belong in Intermediate. Someone with 30 projects but no ad results or repeat clients to show belongs in Intermediate, not Advanced. The benchmark is your starting point. Change the level or slide the rate below if it doesn't match what you can deliver.
Beginner level
0–9 projects. You're building your portfolio. Most of your samples are videos you made on your own or for free products, and you're still getting comfortable with briefs, lighting, and editing. Your job right now is reps and proof. Say yes to low offers, but on smart terms.
Intermediate level
10–24 projects. You have steady paid clients and a portfolio of real brand work. You deliver clean edits and multiple hooks on time with few revisions, and some brands have come back for more. Stop taking practice deals.
Advanced level
25+ projects. Brands hire you for results. You have repeat clients, ads that performed, and you bring the strategy: concepts, scripts, and hooks written to convert. You can point to numbers.
Why set a monthly goal
Decide what this month is for before the offers land. When you know your number, every deal gets easy to judge: does it move you toward the goal, or just fill your calendar?
What each video needs to pay you
Your monthly goal divided by the number of videos you have time for. It comes from your life, not the market.
Compare it to your market rate. If your market rate is lower, raise your rate, find more hours, get faster per video, or lower this month's goal.
Volume discount
Projects with several videos get a small discount on the creative fee: 5% for 3–4 videos, 10% for 5–9, 15% for 10 or more. The discount is for guaranteed volume. Usage rights are never discounted.
Usage rights explained
- Organic usage
- The brand posts your video on its own pages (TikTok, Instagram, website) without paying to promote it. Lowest risk to you. Once it's posted, it usually stays up for good, so organic posting is included in your rate at every level, with no time limit. What you charge for is paid usage: when the brand spends money running your video as an ad.
- Paid usage
- The brand spends money running your video as an ad. This is where they make money from your face, so it's priced the highest. For beginners, it's included in your rate: be glad a brand wants to run your video at all, since most ads stop running within about 90 days. Protect yourself in writing either way.
- Whitelisting / Spark Ads
- The ad runs from your account, with your name on it. Your reputation is on the line, so it's charged per month. Beginners can include it for practice, limited to 3 months.
- Exclusivity
- You can't work with competing brands for a set time. It costs you future deals, so it's priced by how long it lasts. At every level: 30 days at most on a one-time project. Longer is only for an ongoing paid collaboration.
Two kinds of gifted
Gifted can mean two things. A gifted UGC deal is a free product in exchange for a video the brand uses. Gifted PR is a free product sent to influencers, usually 10K+ followers, hoping you'll post about it on your own page. Both are worth deciding on purpose.
Why your follower count matters
Brands don't hire UGC creators for their followers. They're paying for the video, not your audience. Your video runs on their page or in their ads.
But your follower count still helps set your rate. A bigger account tells brands you're comfortable on camera and know what you're doing, and brands pay less when they think you're new. That's why followers give you a boost here, up to 2,000 followers. Past that, your work sets your rate, not your audience.
Which number to use: whichever tells your story best, your largest account or all your platforms added up (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook).
How your benchmark is worked out
Enter your projects and followers to see your numbers here.
UGC projects completed
Paid or gifted. One brand deal = one project, however many videos. Gifted PR counts too, when you made a real, finished video for the brand, approval or not. Count the ones you'd be proud to show in your portfolio.
Market rate per video
Starts at your benchmark. What brands pay a creator at your level for one video. Creative only: one finished video, one hook, two rounds of revisions. Add-ons go on top.
Hours a week for UGC
Real, free hours. Not the ones you wish you had.
Hours per video
Start to finish: reading the brief, setup, recording, editing, and revisions.
Typical time per finished video:
- Beginner: 4–6 hours. Lighting setup, lots of retakes, and still learning your editing app.
- Intermediate: 2–4 hours. A set routine, fewer takes, and editing templates you reuse.
- Advanced: 1.5–3 hours. Batch filming, saved presets, and hooks shot in one sitting.
Add time when you're also writing the script. These are estimates, so adjust as you get faster.
Portfolio pieces I want this month
Beginners: your goal is proof, not just money. Finished brand videos you can show.
How many months?
A retainer is a set number of videos every month for a set time. The brand gets a lower price for committing, and you get steady income you can plan around.
Script
Ask upfront which one it is. Following a brand's script word for word takes more takes and approvals, and it costs you your natural voice. Writing the concept and script yourself is creative strategy, and that's the skill experienced creators get paid for.
For beginners: this most likely won't apply to you yet. Leave it as is unless a brand asks for it.
Your rate per 1,000 followers, per post
A common starting point is about $10 per 1,000. Strong engagement, a tight niche, or a loyal audience can justify more.
Platform or payment fee
Fiverr keeps 20%. Stripe and PayPal take about 3%. A direct bank transfer is 0%. This gets added on top so you still take home your full price.
Extra hooks
A different first 3 seconds on the same video, so the brand can test which grabs attention.
B-roll clips
Short extra shots of the product (pouring, unboxing, close-ups) the brand edits into its own videos.
Spark Ad on a video you already posted
A brand sees a video you already posted and wants to run it as an ad. You give them a Spark Ad code, and the ad runs from your account, with your name on it, exactly as you posted it.
How it's priced: 50% of your market rate per video, for every month the ad runs. Renewal is the same monthly price.
At every level, beginners included: charge for it. There's no new video to make, so there's no practice to gain. It's the easiest money in UGC.
Always set an end date for the code. If the brand wants changes or a new cut, that's a new project.
Raw footage
Every unedited file, so the brand can cut new videos without you.
For beginners: it's okay to include it for practice. Limit the rights to 3 months, with AI protection in writing.
Extra revision rounds
A revision is a change to your edit. If the brand changes the brief after you've filmed, the reshoot is a new video, not a revision. (Reshooting to fix your own mistake is on you.)
Posting to more than one account
Brands often ask for the same video on TikTok and Instagram, or on Facebook too. Posting it again doesn't take much: just the time to upload and write the caption.
So your posting fee covers one account, and 2 or more accounts add 10%.
The fee is priced by the followers you entered in Step 1. If you entered all your platforms added up, that number already counts your other accounts, so you can waive the 10%.
They want it posted on my page
A paid partnership: the brand pays you to post on your own account. They're buying your audience, so it's a flat fee per post based on your followers from Step 1, not your UGC level:
- Under 10,000 followers: $100 per post
- 10,000 to 50,000: $250 per post
- Over 50,000: $500 per post
Bigger account? Tap the amount in your price list and change it. These are starting points.
They want it posted on my page
On your own TikTok or Instagram, not just sent to them to use.
They'll give me an affiliate link
You earn a commission on every sale from your post, the same way a TikTok Shop sample works.
This is gifted PR for my page
They reached out because of your audience (often 10K+ followers), not just for a video.
I'd post about it even if it weren't free
You already use it, love it, or it fits what your audience comes to you for.
I can use it in my portfolio
You're allowed to show the finished video on your own portfolio or socials. Always ask. For beginners, this is the real payment.
How the math works
Your benchmark rate is your level's starting rate, plus $100 per 1,000 followers (up to $200), plus $10 for every project (paid or gifted) past your level's starting line, rounded to $25 and capped at the level's ceiling. Hooks, B-roll and raw footage are priced off your base rate. Usage, whitelisting, exclusivity and rush are priced off the content they apply to. Organic posting on the brand's own pages is included at every level, with no time limit. Beginners also get lighter pricing on hooks and revisions, and paid usage, whitelisting and raw footage (3-month rights) and 30 days of exclusivity are included in a Beginner's rate. Longer exclusivity is never included. Every line rounds up to the nearest $5. The lowest you'll accept is 20% under your full price. These percentages are common industry ranges, so adjust to your market.