What should a video editor charge in 2026?

Price the piece, not the hours

A 45-second social cut and a 15-minute YouTube episode are different products even if the hours land close. Quote per piece and keep the day rate for when a client wants your time in a room.

• Short social cut, under 60 seconds: $200 to $600
• Long-form YouTube edit, 10 to 20 minutes: $600 to $2,000
• Podcast episode, video and audio: $200 to $500
• Brand film or commercial edit: $1,500 to $5,000
• Event or wedding highlight: $800 to $2,500

The lines people forget

• Revision round past the two included: $100 to $250
• Color grade, as its own line: $300 to $1,200
• Captions and delivery in three crops: $50 to $150
• Rush under 72 hours: 30 to 50% on top

Two rounds of notes are in the price. The third is a line item. Say it before the first cut, not after the third round.

Retainers for creators and podcasts

Four episodes a month is a retainer, not four projects: about 20% under the same work bought one at a time, paid on the first, three months minimum. It is the steadiest money in editing and the reason to get good at one show.

When the market beats your math

If the year you want works out to a lower day than the market pays for your level, quote the market. The gap is a raise you are owed. If your math is higher than the market, that is fine when the work is, and the reason to show the work before the number.

Keep reading

• How much to charge for a sponsored post in 2026
• How much should a DJ charge for a wedding, a party, a corporate event?