How much should I charge for a sponsored post?

Where do I start?

influencersAd doesn't set prices. Creators set their own rates, and each brand and creator agree the final price for every collaboration.

Start with what the market publishes, then adjust for your audience and the work involved. There is no official price list. The two industry rate guides we checked (Meltwater and impact.com, 2025 editions, checked October 2026) give very different ranges for the same follower size, so treat them as a band to place yourself in, not a single "correct" number.

These are industry ranges from cited sources, not influencersAd booking data. impact.com quotes US dollars. Meltwater quotes dollar figures without naming a currency. Nothing here has been converted to Canadian dollars.

What do creators like me charge?

One Instagram feed post:

Other formats (Meltwater):

If you're new to brand deals, you might start in the lower half of a range and raise your rate as you build a track record. If your audience is unusually engaged, or very focused on a niche that brands want to reach, you have room to price higher.

What should I charge more for?

Meltwater lists platform, engagement rate, content format, usage rights, exclusivity and the number of deliverables as the main things that change a price. impact.com adds audience fit, media quality, creative requirements, production costs, payment terms and timeline. Price each of these separately rather than hiding them in one number:

• Video vs. photo. Video takes longer to plan, film and edit. In both sources, YouTube videos are priced highest of all formats.
• More deliverables. A Reel plus three Stories is more work than one post. Price each piece.
• Usage rights. If the brand wants to reuse your content in its own ads, website or emails, that is extra value. Charge for it, and set a time limit (for example 3, 6 or 12 months).
• Paid ads from your account ("whitelisting" or partnership ads). Letting a brand run ads through your handle uses your name and audience. Price it as a separate line.
• Exclusivity. If you agree not to work with competitors for a period, you're giving up other income. Charge for that time.
• Rush deadlines and extra revisions. Include one round of revisions in your price, and charge for anything beyond it.
• Scripts and detailed briefs. The more the brand controls, the more planning time it takes.

Should I take commission or free products instead?

Sometimes. impact.com reports that brands often offer a flat fee plus a 10–20% commission on sales, and that four out of five creators prefer a mix of fixed and performance pay. A flat fee covers your work even if sales are slow. Commission rewards you when your audience buys.

Free products can be a fair trade at the very start, but they still count as payment. In Canada, gifted products must be disclosed (for example with #Gifted), and paid posts with #ad at the start (Ad Standards, 2025). Affiliate links need a label too, such as #affiliate or #CommissionEarned. Our #ad disclosure guide covers the details.

How do I build a rate card?

A rate card is a one-page price list you send to brands. Keep it simple:

1. Your audience: followers per platform, plus anything that sets you apart (city, language, niche, audience age).
2. Base prices for your main formats: feed post, Reel or TikTok, Story, YouTube video.
3. Add-ons: usage rights by period, paid ads from your account, exclusivity by period, rush delivery, extra revisions.
4. Packages that save the brand a little when they book several pieces together.
5. Terms: what's included (one round of revisions), payment timing, and that all paid content will be clearly disclosed.

Review it every few months, especially after a campaign goes well.

How do I quote a brand?

• Quote for exactly what they ask. Restate the deliverables, dates and usage terms, then give one total with the parts listed.
• Ask what they need the content for. If the answer includes ads, that's a usage-rights fee.
• Get it in writing before you start: deliverables, price, payment date, usage rights, exclusivity and disclosure.
• Don't drop your price to win the deal. If the budget is lower, offer less work (fewer pieces, shorter usage) instead.

What payment terms should I ask for?

Agree how and when you get paid before you start:

• When: for example half up front and half on delivery, or the full amount within a set number of days after posting.
• What counts as delivered: the post going live, or the brand approving the draft.
• What happens if the brand cancels after you've started, or asks for changes beyond the agreed revisions.
• Currency and taxes: state whether your price is in Canadian dollars, and whether sales tax is added on top.

How does influencersAd help?

On influencersAd you keep 100% of your rate. Brands pay a separate service fee on top, so you never see a deduction. Your profile is a public media kit at influencersad.com/c/your-name, with your niches, city, follower ranges per platform, reviews and best reels. You can share it in your bio, send it to brands, or turn it into a QR code or a Story image.

Your exact rates are shown only to subscribers, not to the public or search engines.