Pricing Guide
How much does video editing cost?
Video editing quotes vary wildly because the work behind them does. This guide breaks down what actually drives the price, what different formats typically cost, and how to brief an editor so the quote you get is the price you pay.
What you're actually paying for
Editing price is driven by editing hours, not video length alone. A 60-second ad with motion graphics, sound design and three rounds of revisions can take longer than a 20-minute podcast cut with two camera angles.
- Footage volume — three hours of raw material takes longer to review than 20 minutes.
- Edit complexity — jump cuts and captions are quick; motion graphics, 3D and heavy VFX are not.
- Turnaround — same-day and 24-hour delivery carry a rush premium almost everywhere.
- Revision rounds — most studios include one or two; unlimited revisions get priced in up front.
- Volume — a monthly retainer of 8–20 videos costs less per video than a one-off.
Typical price ranges by format
The ranges below reflect what creators and brands commonly pay outsourced editors and studios. Use them as a sanity check on quotes you receive, not as fixed rates.
| Format | Typical range per video | What's usually included |
|---|---|---|
| Short-form (Reels, Shorts, TikTok) | $40 – $150 | Cuts, captions, hook, music, 9:16 export |
| Talking-head YouTube video | $80 – $400 | Story cut, B-roll, captions, thumbnails on request |
| Podcast / long-form multicam | $100 – $500 | Angle switching, cleanup, audio mix, clips |
| Product or UGC ad | $150 – $600 | Scripted cut, graphics, sound design, ad variants |
| Corporate / brand film | $300 – $1,500+ | Story edit, grade, motion graphics, licensed music |
Framevo's editing starts at $43 per video for short-form work, with per-project and monthly retainer pricing for everything above. Final pricing depends on video length, editing complexity, motion graphics, turnaround and the number of videos.
Freelancer vs marketplace vs studio
- Freelancer: cheapest per video and often excellent, but single-threaded — holidays, illness and other clients affect your schedule.
- Marketplace gigs: fast to start, highly variable quality, and brand consistency is hard to maintain across orders.
- Studio or editing partner: costs more than the cheapest gig but gives you a consistent style guide, backup editors and predictable turnaround.
If you publish more than four videos a month, a retainer with a studio almost always beats re-briefing a new freelancer each time — the savings come from not re-explaining your style.
How to get an accurate quote the first time
- Share two or three reference videos in the style you want.
- Say how long the raw footage is and how long the final should be.
- State the platform and aspect ratios you need delivered.
- Name the deadline and whether it repeats weekly or monthly.
- Flag anything specialised: motion graphics, 3D, subtitles in other languages, brand kits.
With that brief, a serious editor can quote within a few hours instead of guessing high to protect themselves.
Want a real number for your project?
Send us your footage details and reference style. We'll come back with a scoped, fixed quote — no discovery-call gatekeeping.