Influencer Rate Card: How to Build One and When to Share It
Build a clear influencer rate card: deliverables, usage rights, bundles, add-ons and terms, plus whether to publish prices or send them only when brands ask.
On this page
- Key takeaways
- What a rate card is (and how it differs from a media kit)
- The core lines: deliverables and starting prices
- Add-ons: usage rights, exclusivity, whitelisting and more
- Packages and bundles
- Terms: payment, revisions and cancellation
- Publish it or share on request?
- Fill-in rate card template
- Where brand deals fit in your income
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
An influencer rate card lists your deliverables, their starting prices, add-ons such as usage rights and exclusivity, and your terms for payment, revisions and cancellation. Many creators share it only after a brand describes the campaign, so the quote matches the real scope. Others publish "starting at" prices to filter out budgets that don't fit. Either way, a brand should understand it in a minute and know exactly what each price includes.
Key takeaways
- A media kit shows who you are and who watches you. A rate card shows what your work costs and on what terms.
- List each deliverable with what's included and a "starting at" price, then add-ons as separate lines.
- Usage rights, partnership ads, exclusivity, raw footage, rush delivery and extra revisions should never be free by default.
- Two or three packages make it easy for brands to say yes, and a short terms section protects you.
- Publishing prices saves time, while sharing on request keeps quotes tied to scope. A middle path is to publish a few starting prices.
What a rate card is (and how it differs from a media kit)
A rate card is your price list for brand work. It answers three questions: what can I buy, what does it cost, and what are the rules?
A media kit answers different questions: who are you, who is your audience, and what results have you had? Our creator media kit guide covers that document. Some creators add the rate card as the last page of their media kit. Others keep it separate so they can send the media kit widely and share prices only with brands that are a good fit.
The core lines: deliverables and starting prices
Start with the formats you actually want to make. Each line needs three things: the deliverable, what's included, and a starting price.
- Instagram reel: one concept, script, shoot, edit, caption, one revision round, posted on your account within an agreed window.
- Story set: a set number of frames, with a link sticker if the brand needs one.
- Carousel post: a set number of slides, design and caption.
- Link-in-bio placement: the product on your link page for a set period, with a coupon code if the brand provides one.
- UGC video: a video the brand posts on its own channels, not yours.
- Cross-posting: the same video on YouTube Shorts or another platform.
Work out each starting price with a consistent method rather than copying someone else's numbers. Our brand deal pricing formula builds a price from your typical views, your production time and any add-ons. We don't list market rates here, because they vary widely by niche, audience and format, and published figures are rarely verifiable.
Add-ons: usage rights, exclusivity, whitelisting and more
Add-ons are the easiest part of a deal to give away by accident. Put each one on its own line, priced as a flat fee or a percentage of the base price.
| Add-on | What the brand gets | How to price it |
|---|---|---|
| Usage rights | Reposting your content on its own pages, website or packaging | Per channel, per month |
| Partnership ads (whitelisting) | Running paid ads with your content and handle | Per month, with an end date |
| Exclusivity | You avoid competing brands for a period | Per category, per month |
| Raw footage | Unedited clips for its own edits | Flat fee |
| Rush delivery | A deadline shorter than your normal turnaround | Percentage of the base |
| Extra revisions | More rounds than your base price includes | Per round |
Partnership ads deserve a clear line of their own. As of October 2026, Instagram's Help Centre says Meta's Creator Marketing Hub, which brands open in Meta Business Suite or Ads Manager, lets them find creator content to boost into partnership ads, so expect brands to ask about it.
Packages and bundles
Packages turn a menu into a decision. Two or three is enough:
- Starter: a story set and a short link-in-bio placement. Good for a first test with a new brand.
- Standard: one reel, a story set and a link-in-bio placement.
- Campaign: two reels, story sets across the campaign, a longer link-in-bio placement and a short usage-rights period.
Price each package slightly below the sum of its parts so the brand sees value, and say what's not included, such as exclusivity, unless it's added.
Terms: payment, revisions and cancellation
A short terms section prevents most disputes. Cover these points:
- Payment timeline. An advance before you start, with the balance within a set number of days of posting.
- Invoices and tax. Prices in rupees, with tax shown as your accountant advises. Ask a professional whether you need GST registration. Our roundup of brand deal management tools covers invoicing and deal tracking options.
- Revisions. How many rounds are included and what counts as a revision versus a new concept.
- Approval timeline. How long the brand has to approve a draft before the posting date moves.
- Cancellation. What you're paid if the brand cancels after you've started, for example a percentage of the fee.
- Posting window and duration. When the post goes live and how long it stays up.
- Disclosure. Paid and gifted posts carry a clear label such as "Ad" or "Paid partnership".
- Reporting. Which numbers you'll share after the campaign and when. Our guide to KPIs for affiliate creators helps you choose metrics brands understand.
Publish it or share on request?
| Publish "starting at" prices | Share on request | |
|---|---|---|
| Saves time | Yes, filters out small budgets early | No, every enquiry needs a reply |
| Fits the scope | Less, the brand sees a generic price | More, you quote after reading the brief |
| Room to negotiate | Less, the public price anchors talks | More |
| Best for | Simple, repeatable formats like UGC or story sets | Campaigns with usage, exclusivity or travel |
A middle path: publish starting prices for two or three simple formats and say "custom quote" for campaigns.
If you use QKAP's inbox, partnership and sponsorship requests can include the brand name, website, offer type and budget, so you can see what's on offer before you share rates. Save your rate card link as a quick reply, and picking it from Quick replies drops it into your answer, ready to send.
Fill-in rate card template
Copy this structure and fill in your own prices and limits.
| Item | What's included | Starting price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram reel | 1 concept, script, shoot, edit, caption, 1 revision round | ₹____ | Posted within ____ days of approval |
| Story set | ____ frames, link sticker | ₹____ | |
| Carousel post | ____ slides, design, caption | ₹____ | |
| Link-in-bio placement | Product on your page for ____ days, coupon if provided | ₹____ | |
| UGC video | 1 video for the brand's channels, 1 revision round | ₹____ | Usage priced separately |
| Usage rights | Brand's organic channels | ₹____ per month | |
| Partnership ads | Paid ads with your handle | ₹____ per month | End date required |
| Exclusivity | No competing brands in ____ | ₹____ per month | |
| Raw footage | All usable clips | ₹____ | |
| Rush delivery | Delivery within ____ days | +____% | |
| Extra revision | One more round | ₹____ | |
| Terms | ____% advance, balance within ____ days of posting | Cancellation: ____% after work starts |
Where brand deals fit in your income
A rate card makes brand deals repeatable, which makes them a steadier income stream alongside affiliate commissions. Our guides to diversifying affiliate income and what affiliate creators earn show how paid deals, commissions and your own products fit together.
Frequently asked questions
Should my rate card show "starting at" prices?
Yes, if you publish prices at all. "Starting at" makes it clear the final quote depends on scope, so a campaign with usage rights or exclusivity can cost more without surprising the brand. Always list what the starting price includes.
How often should I raise rates?
Review your rates every few months, and raise them when your typical views grow, your calendar is full, or almost every brand accepts your first quote. Tell repeat clients about changes before their next campaign.
Do UGC creators need a different rate card?
Yes. UGC videos are posted by the brand, not on your account, so your audience size doesn't drive the price. Price UGC on production time, the number of videos and edits, and above all usage rights: which channels, paid or organic, and for how long.
Can I offer discounts?
You can, but tie them to something, such as a multi-month commitment, a bundle or a longer lead time. Cutting the price for nothing makes your rates look arbitrary next time.
Should I quote brands in rupees or dollars?
Quote Indian brands in rupees. For international brands, agree the currency and payment method before you start, and check how you'll receive the money and what it costs.
Sources
Checked on 17 October 2026:
- Instagram Help Centre, Meta Creator Marketing Hub: help.instagram.com
- QKAP inbox (our product): qkap.app/features/inbox