Free UGC rates calculator
UGC rates calculator
What will your next video ad cost? Enter a creator’s rates or rate card, including ad rights, and compare it with Trueclip’s first-month price.
By Trueclip Updated
First-month total
For 3 selected videos
Your creator quote
$600
Trueclip
$239
Difference
Trueclip costs less in this example.
- Your quote
- 3 × ($200 creator + $0 rights + $0 editing) + $0 platform
- Trueclip
- $29 Collect + 3 × $70 selected clip
Each Trueclip clip includes $55 paid directly to the customer and a 12-month paid-ad license.
Worked example
See the math before you enter a quote.
This is an illustration, not an average market rate: a creator quotes $200 per video, including a comparable 12-month ad license and editing, with no platform fee.
| Videos | Creator quote | Trueclip | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $200 | $99 | −$10151% less |
| 3 | $600 | $239 | −$36160% less |
| 5 | $1,000 | $379 | −$62162% less |
Where the $239 goes for three clips
- Paid to customers directly
- $165
- Trueclip clip fees
- $45
- Collect month
- $29
Trueclip = $29 Collect month + $70 per selected clip. The creator quote = $200 × videos. These are different production routes: creator work may include planning and filming; Trueclip depends on customers choosing to record and agreeing to ad use.
Compare the whole job.
Use the same video count and a comparable paid-use term. Add each line item your creator quote charges so the first-month totals mean something.
Creator fee
Planning, filming, and delivering each finished video.
Paid-use rights
The channels and 12-month term you need for ads.
Editing
Extra cuts, captions, or revisions outside the base fee.
Platform fee
Any one-time sourcing or marketplace charge.
The estimate excludes ad spend, taxes, and outside production work. It compares spend, not video quality, creative planning, or campaign results.
UGC rates: how creators price their work
Most quotes combine a few of these models. Knowing them makes quotes easier to compare.
| Model | How it works | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Per video | A base fee for each finished video | What's included: hooks, edits, raw files |
| Bundle | A lower per-video price for several videos | Whether every video gets the same rights |
| Monthly retainer | A set number of videos each month | Minimum terms and rollover of unused videos |
| Usage add-on | Extra fee for paid ads, by term and channel | Renewal price when the term ends |
| Whitelisting | Fee to run ads from the creator's handle | Account access and approval process |
| Exclusivity | Fee to keep the creator from competitors | Category definition and period |
UGC rate card template
A clear rate card makes quotes comparable. Ask creators for these lines, or use them to build your own.
| Line item | What it covers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Base video | Concept, filming, basic edit, one deliverable | $ ____ per video |
| Extra hooks | Alternate first 3 seconds for testing | $ ____ per hook |
| Paid usage: 30 / 90 / 365 days | Running the video as an ad | $ ____ per term |
| Whitelisting | Ads from the creator's handle | $ ____ per term |
| Raw footage | Unedited clips for your own edits | $ ____ per video |
| Exclusivity | No competing brands for a period | $ ____ per period |
| Rush delivery | Faster than the standard turnaround | $ ____ flat |
Put the agreed lines in writing with the free UGC contract template. Customer clips through Trueclip cost $70 each with a 12-month paid license, so there are no add-on lines.
What affects UGC rates
Two quotes for “one video” can differ a lot. These are the usual reasons.
Experience
Creators with a portfolio of ads that performed tend to charge more.
Niche
Specialist categories like skincare or tech can command higher rates.
Deliverable
Length, number of hooks, voiceover and editing all add work.
Usage term
Longer paid-usage terms and more channels raise the price.
Turnaround
Rush delivery usually costs extra.
Exclusivity
Keeping a creator away from competitors is priced separately.
Usage rights, explained
Rights are usually the biggest surprise in a quote. Keep the signed permission and dates with every video.
Organic usage
Posting the video on your own social accounts and website.
Paid usage
Running it as an ad, usually for a fixed term like 12 months.
Whitelisting
Ads run through the creator’s own handle, with their access.
Exclusivity
The creator skips your competitors for a period, at extra cost.
Hired creators or real customers?
Many brands use both. The calculator compares spend, not which performs better.
Hired creators
- Briefed and filmed on your schedule
- Know formats that perform
- Base fee plus usage rights and extras
Real customers
- Already bought and used the product
- Credible to people like them
- $70 per clip you choose, rights included
FAQ
Questions.
How much does a UGC video cost?
Quotes vary widely by creator, niche and deliverables. Public rate guides and creator discussions in 2026 commonly put one UGC video somewhere between about $150 and $500, often before paid usage rights, extra hooks or edits. Always compare the full quote, not just the base fee.
What is a UGC rate card?
A creator's published price list: the base fee per video, plus add-ons such as paid usage rights by term, extra hooks, raw footage, whitelisting and exclusivity. Enter the lines you'd actually buy into the calculator to see the full cost.
What are paid usage rights?
Paid usage rights let a brand run a creator's video as a paid ad, rather than only posting it organically. They are usually priced separately, for a set period such as 30 days, 3 months or 12 months, and sometimes by channel.
Do UGC creators charge extra for ad usage?
Often, yes. Many creators quote a base fee for the video and add a separate fee, or a percentage of the base fee, for paid usage. Exclusivity, whitelisting and extra variations are also commonly charged on top.
What is whitelisting in UGC?
Whitelisting, also called creator licensing or partnership ads, means running an ad through the creator's own account or handle. It needs the creator's access and permission, and it is usually priced separately from the video itself.
How long do UGC usage rights last?
Whatever the agreement says. Common terms are 30 days, 90 days, 6 months and 12 months. Check whether rights renew, whether they cover every channel you plan to use, and what happens to ads still running when the term ends.
Is using real customer videos cheaper than hiring creators?
It can be. Customers who already bought the product can record without a creator fee, and you pay only for the clips you license. With Trueclip, each selected clip costs $70: $55 goes directly to the customer and $15 is Trueclip's fee. Customers choose whether to record, so volume is not guaranteed.
How does Trueclip's pricing compare in the calculator?
The Trueclip line is the Collect plan at $29 for the month plus $70 for each clip you select for ads, including a 12-month paid-ad license. It excludes ad spend, taxes and any outside production work.
How much should a brand pay for UGC?
Budget for the whole job, not the base fee: the video, paid usage rights for the term you need, extra hooks or edits, and any platform fee. Get two or three quotes for the same brief and compare them line by line in the calculator.
What are UGC rates per month?
Some creators offer monthly packages, for example a set number of videos each month at a lower per-video price. Compare the per-video cost and check that usage rights are included for every video in the package.
What is included in a UGC rate?
Usually the concept, filming, basic editing and delivery of one video. Paid usage rights, raw footage, extra hooks, captions, whitelisting, exclusivity and rush delivery are commonly priced as add-ons.
How are UGC usage rights priced?
Usually as an add-on to the base fee that grows with the length of the term and the number of channels. Longer terms, more platforms and exclusivity all push the price up, so ask for rights to be priced separately.
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