How Much Do YouTubers Charge for a Sponsored Video? (2026)

A reasonable rule of thumb is $20 to $40 per 1,000 views a video usually gets. A channel averaging 10,000 views per video would ask roughly $200 to $400 for a sponsored mention. Very small channels often take $25 to $100 or a free copy of your product, and channels with a million subscribers can ask for thousands. These figures are estimates, not a price list, because every creator sets their own rate.

Sponsored video rates by channel size

There is no official rate card on YouTube. The table below uses the median views per video for each size tier in UGC Finder's directory of 6,254 creators, multiplied by a planning range of $20 to $40 per 1,000 views. Treat the prices as our estimate of what a typical integration might cost, not a quote.

Read these as starting points. Many nano creators charge a flat minimum instead of a per-view rate. Big channels often charge more than the formula suggests, because they bring audience trust and a managed process. A dedicated video, where your product is the whole topic, usually costs more than a 60-second mention inside a longer video.

How to work out a fair price: the CPM method

CPM means cost per 1,000 views. It lets you compare a $150 deal on a small channel with a $1,500 deal on a bigger one. Here is how to use it:

1. Open the creator's channel and look at the last 10 to 15 long videos. Ignore the one viral outlier and the weakest upload.
2. Pick a typical number. The median is better than the average.
3. Divide it by 1,000 and multiply by $20 to $40 to get a planning range.
4. Compare it to the creator's quote. If they ask for far more, ask what is included (see the list below). If they ask for less, check that the audience actually fits your product.
5. Decide your maximum before you start emailing, so you aren't improvising when a creator replies.

For example, a creator whose videos usually get 12,000 views would have a planning range of $240 to $480. If they ask for $400 and include a pinned comment and a link in the description for 30 days, that is a normal deal. If they ask for $1,200, you need a clear reason, such as a very strong audience match or extra usage rights.

Tip Check the video's views against the channel's subscriber count. A channel with 200K subscribers whose videos get 8,000 views will not perform like a 200K channel getting 40,000. Pay for views, not for the subscriber number.

What pushes a rate up or down

Two creators with the same views can quote very different prices. These are the usual reasons:

• Format. A dedicated video costs more than a mid-roll mention. A Short usually costs less than a long video, since it earns the creator less and is watched more quickly. That is our estimate, so ask each creator for their Shorts price.
• Placement. A mention in the first 60 seconds is worth more than one at minute 12.
• Audience fit. A creator who has played ten games like yours can charge more, and is worth it, because viewers already trust their taste.
• Usage rights. If you want to reuse the video in ads or on your store page, expect to pay extra.
• Exclusivity. Asking them not to cover competing products for a few weeks raises the price.
• Edits and approvals. Scripts, review rounds and rushed timelines all add cost.
• Contact route. Creators with a business email often work with agencies or managers, and those rates tend to be higher than for creators who respond directly.

What indie developers can offer instead of cash

Most indie budgets are small, and a lot of creators know that. Cash is not your only tool, especially at the small end:

• Free product keys. For games, this is the standard opening offer. Many small creators will play a game they like without a fee, but they are under no obligation to cover it, and you shouldn't promise coverage in exchange.
• Flat fee plus key. A small payment of $50 to $150 for a micro creator often works as a good-faith commitment to a video.
• Affiliate or revenue share. Some creators will accept a cut of sales or sign-ups from a tracked link. It works better for apps and subscription products than for a $5 game.
• Early access and extras. A beta build, a named in-game item or a direct line to you can matter to a creator with a fan community.
• Multiple small deals. $600 spread across five micro or nano creators can reach more people than one $600 deal with a single mid-size channel. It also spreads the risk if one video flops.

Be clear about which kind of deal you are offering. A free key with no strings is a gift. A paid sponsorship has deliverables, a deadline and disclosure requirements. Mixing the two is where most misunderstandings start.

How to find creators who fit your budget

Good price data is only useful if you can reach creators at the right size. Here is a simple process you can run in an afternoon:

1. Set a budget per video, then use the CPM range above to work out the views you can afford. For a $300 budget, that is roughly 7,500 to 15,000 views.
2. Filter for creators whose typical views are in that range, in your niche and language, who posted in the last 30 days.
3. Check the topic. If you built a roguelike, someone who covers indie games is a better bet than a general gaming channel.
4. Look for a business email or another social account, and check that the channel is still active.
5. Shortlist 20 to 30 channels and expect a reply from only some of them.

The size of the pool matters here. In UGC Finder's directory, 53% of the 6,254 creators have under 100K subscribers, and in gaming, 67% of 507 creators do (27% nano, 40% micro). The same data says 96% of gaming creators posted in the last 30 days, so most are active. Only 34% list a business email, so expect to use other contact routes for the rest. You can run all of this on UGC Finder's discover page, or browse by niche, such as Gaming YouTubers, Apps and Productivity YouTubers or Coding and Indie Dev YouTubers.

How to ask for a rate and negotiate

Ask for the price first, and make it easy to answer. A short email gets a better response than a long pitch. Here is wording you can adapt:

"Hi [Name], I'm [you], the developer of [Game]. I've watched your [specific video] and thought your audience might enjoy it because [one real reason]. I'm looking for a sponsored mention or dedicated video and have a budget in mind. What are your rates for a [dedicated video / 60-second integration], and what does that include? Happy to send a free key and a press kit first."

When a rate comes back, check these points before you reply:

• Is it a dedicated video or a mention, and how long is it?
• Where in the video does it appear?
• How long will the link stay in the description or pinned comment?
• How many revisions or approvals are included?
• Can you reuse the video, and for how long?
• When will it go live, and what happens if it doesn't?
• Will the creator disclose the sponsorship? In many countries this is required, and YouTube has a paid promotion label for it.

If the price is above your range, don't just say it's too much. Ask for a smaller package (a shorter mention, no reuse rights) or offer a key plus a lower fee. If a creator says no, thank them. You may want to work with them later.

Tip Agree the details in writing, even if it is only an email thread. Include the price, the format, the posting window and the payment date. Paying half upfront and half after publishing is common and fair.

Mistakes that waste your budget

• Paying for subscribers instead of views. Check what recent videos actually get.
• Skipping the audience check. A cozy game sponsored on a horror channel will underperform whatever you pay.
• Spending it all on one creator. Spread the budget over a few smaller channels first, then put more behind the format that worked.
• Not tracking results. Use a unique link or code for each creator so you know who sent real players or users.
• Pitching without having watched the channel. Creators can tell, and generic emails get ignored.
• Treating the first rate as final. Most creators expect some back-and-forth, within reason.

If you are weighing up tools for this, UGC Finder's plans start with a 7-day pass for $10, which is enough to build and contact a first shortlist.