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ProudStage EditorialUpdated July 10, 20267 min read

How Much to Charge for Custom Content: A Rate-Card Method + Calculator

Custom requests are the highest-margin work most creators do — and the most underpriced, because prices get invented one DM at a time. Here's a method instead, and a calculator that applies it.

Why per-request guessing underprices you

When the price is invented inside the conversation, it's anchored by the buyer's enthusiasm and your fear of losing the sale — both push it down. A rate card flips that: the price exists before the DM does, it's consistent between buyers (which protects you when buyers compare notes), and saying “my rate for that is…” is a very different negotiating position than “uh, how about…”.

The method: a time floor, then multipliers

Start with the only number that's objectively yours: time. Estimate the real hours a request costs — shooting, editing, and the back-and-forth — and multiply by the hourly rate below which the work isn't worth doing for you. That's the floor; going under it means paying to work. Then multiply for what the buyer is really purchasing beyond your time: exclusivity (content you can never resell costs more than content you can), usage rights (a video they'll post is marketing for them, priced accordingly), and urgency (a this-week deadline reorders your life). The multipliers in the calculator (+20–50%) are starting points — tighten them to your market, but keep the structure: floor first, multipliers second, never the reverse.

The calculator

Exclusivity
Usage rights
Delivery
Time floor (2h × $50)$100
× exclusivity 1, usage 1, delivery 1$100
Ask price$100
What reaches you after the 20% platform cut$80

Every number here is yours to set — including the platform fee, since platforms change their cuts (check yours; our fee comparison below has the verified current numbers). The calculator is method, not financial advice.

Three rules that protect the price

  1. Deposit before work. Half up front through the platform. A buyer who won't pay a deposit was never going to pay the balance.
  2. Scope in writing. One message that restates length, content, exclusivity, usage and delivery date — before the deposit. Every “could you also just…” afterwards is a new line item.
  3. The rate card is public, discounts are private. Reward loyal fans off a stable public number, never by lowering the number itself — a price that moves under pressure teaches buyers to apply pressure.

FAQ

How much should I charge for a custom video?
Price from your time floor: real hours (shoot + edit + messages) × your minimum hourly rate, then multiply for exclusivity (+20–50%), posting rights (+25%) and rush delivery (+25%). The floor is the rule — never price below your time cost.
Should I ask for payment upfront for customs?
Yes — at minimum a 50% deposit through the platform before you start, with the scope confirmed in writing. Serious buyers don't hesitate at deposits.
Do custom prices include the platform fee?
Your ask price should be set so the amount after the platform's cut still clears your floor. The calculator shows both numbers — what you ask and what actually reaches you.
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