← Glossary
Influencer Marketing
Rate Card
A creator's standard pricing for different types of sponsored content (a post, a story, a video), used as a starting point for brand negotiations.
What it means
A rate card lists a creator's baseline prices by content type and platform. A feed post usually costs less than a dedicated video, and Stories often sit somewhere in between. It gives brands a clear reference point and speeds up negotiations, though most creators treat published rates as a starting point, not a fixed price, adjusting for usage rights, exclusivity, and campaign scope.
Examples
- •A creator's rate card lists $500 for a Story set, $1,200 for a feed post, and $3,000 for a dedicated YouTube video.
- •A brand uses a rate card to budget a multi-creator campaign before outreach.
- •A creator raises rate card pricing after a follower and engagement growth spurt.
Use cases
- •Setting expectations early in brand outreach, avoiding wasted negotiation time.
- •Checking whether an inbound offer from a brand is fair.
- •Standardizing pricing across a creator's different partnership types.
Why it matters
Creators with a clear, confident rate card negotiate from a stronger position and close deals faster than those quoting prices ad hoc. It signals the relationship runs as a business.
Common questions
A common starting formula: a base rate per 1,000 followers, adjusted up or down for engagement rate, platform, and content format. Our sponsored post rate calculator gives a starting estimate.