How much does UGC cost?

How much does a UGC video cost?

UGC (user-generated content) means a short video a creator films for you to use, usually as an ad, rather than a post to their own followers. If production quotes have put you off video, this is the affordable end of it. Roughly where prices sit, based on what UGC platforms publish for smaller creators:

So a founder testing UGC for the first time can get a handful of videos, with a few hooks to test, for less than they'd expect. Rights are the line to watch: a cheap video you can't legally run as an ad isn't cheap. The headline rate matters less than the cost per usable ad.

Is UGC cheaper than traditional video production?

Usually, by a distance. A traditional shoot means a crew, kit, a location and an edit, priced by the day. A UGC creator films on a phone at home, in their own voice, and the price covers the finished video. In our experience, one UGC video usually costs less than a single day of a traditional shoot, and you get several faces and angles to test instead of one polished film.

That isn't an argument against production. We make produced video too, and for a brand film or a TV-quality ad it's the right tool. For paid social, where you need new ads every few weeks and the scrappy one often wins, UGC is the cheaper place to start.

What changes the price of UGC?

Six things move the price. Treat this as a checklist for the conversation, not a rate card.

Exclusivity (the creator agreeing not to work with competitors for a period) and rush deadlines also add cost. There's no reliable published benchmark for either, so get them priced in writing.

The biggest one to get right is usage. If you plan to run the videos as ads, agree paid usage, the length of the licence and the channels before filming, not after the video performs. Our guide to whitelisting and creator licensing covers what the licence should say.

Are UGC packages cheaper than one-off videos?

Per video, yes: platforms price bigger orders lower. But a package only saves money if you use what you buy. A better first order is a handful of creators, each making one video with two or three hooks, which tells you which person and which opening line to buy more of.

• Buy one-offs when you're testing a product, an audience or a new platform.
• Buy a package when you have a winning format and need fresh versions every few weeks.
• Ask whether package prices include the same rights as single videos. They don't always.

Does UGC cost more in the UK or the US?

Published prices are close once you allow for the exchange rate. The bigger difference is the creator pool. Cast creators from the market you're selling to, because accent, prices on screen and the shops they mention all tell a viewer whether the video is for them.

UK buyers should check whether a price includes VAT, since some platforms list it excluded.

Are there rules for using UGC in ads?

Yes, and they apply to the brand as well as the creator. In the UK, the CAP Code requires marketers to hold documentary evidence that a testimonial is genuine, and contact details for the person who gave it (rule 3.47). In the US, the FTC's Endorsement Guides say endorsements must reflect the endorser's honest opinion, that someone shown using a product must really have used it, and that an ad presented as coming from "actual consumers" must use actual consumers or clearly say they aren't.

In practice: send the creator the product, let them use it before filming, don't script claims they can't stand behind, and keep the paperwork.

How we price UGC at TBC

We don't publish a rate card, because the right price depends on how many videos, which rights and which creators. What we do: you tell us the product, the audience and what a good result looks like, and we quote a fixed price before any work starts. Usage rights for paid ads are agreed with each creator up front and written into that quote, so there are no surprises when a video starts to work.

• Creators are cast from the TBC Creator Network roster, 1,000 to 1,000,000 followers, by niche and audience.
• We check every draft before you see it.
• You get edited files in 9:16 and 1:1 with captions, ready for TikTok, Reels and Meta ads.
• If you also want creators to post on their own accounts, that's priced separately from making the video.
• You own the videos once they're paid for, within the usage terms agreed with the creator.

More on the service at UGC videos, or start a brief and Mel will reply within one working day.

Questions

Why is UGC cheaper than an influencer post?

Because you're paying for the video, not the creator's audience. Marketplace data shows UGC videos typically priced well below an influencer collaboration, where the creator's audience is part of what you buy.

Do I need usage rights to run UGC as ads?

Yes. Agree paid usage in writing before filming, including how long you can run the video, on which channels and in which countries. Some platforms include it in the price; others charge a percentage on top.

Is raw footage worth paying for?

If you have an editor and plan to make several cuts, yes. If you only need the finished video, skip it and pay for extra hooks instead, which is a cheaper way to test openings.

How many UGC videos should a first order be?

Enough to compare. We'd start with several creators, one video each, with two or three hooks per video, rather than many videos from one creator.