CollabRateQuick answer: Usage rights are the brand's permission to run your content as paid ads. Charge them as a percentage of your content fee that grows with the length of the window. CollabRate's defaults are +25% for 30 days, +50% for 90 days, +100% for 12 months and +150% for perpetual use. Organic posting on the brand's own pages is included in the base rate.
Usage rights pricing by duration
The calculator above starts with 2 videos and 90 days of paid usage. Change the window and the uplift updates. Here's what each window adds to a single $200 video at the default percentages:
| Paid usage window | Default uplift | Suggested range | On a $200 video |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | +25% | 20–30% | +$50 (total $250) |
| 60 days | +40% | 30–50% | +$80 (total $280) |
| 90 days | +50% | 40–60% | +$100 (total $300) |
| 6 months | +75% | 60–90% | +$150 (total $350) |
| 12 months | +100% | 80–120% | +$200 (total $400) |
| Perpetual | +150% | 100–200% | +$300 (total $500) |
The ranges are CollabRate's suggested negotiating band, not market data. Type your own percentage into the tool if you price differently; your percentage then shows on the quote.
Organic use vs paid usage
Organic use means the brand posts your video on its own social pages or website without paying to promote it. Most UGC creators include this in the base rate. Paid usage means the brand spends money to show your content as an ad, often to far more people and for longer. That's worth more to the brand, and it ties your face and voice to its advertising, which is why it's priced separately.
How to price usage rights in 4 steps
- Ask what the brand plans to do. Organic only, a short ad test, or a long campaign? Which platforms?
- Pick the window. Match it to the campaign rather than defaulting to perpetual. Thirty days suits an ad test, 90 days a full campaign.
- Apply the uplift to the whole content fee. Hooks and photos run in ads too, so they're included.
- Write the window into the quote. Add a rights start date and the quote states the exact first and last day, for example “90 days (1 Nov 2026 to 29 Jan 2027)”.
What a usage clause should say
- Where: the channels and ad platforms covered.
- How long: the number of days or months, and when the clock starts (delivery date or first ad).
- What happens at the end: the brand stops running new ads, or renews at an agreed rate.
- Whether the brand can edit: cutting new versions is usually fine; using your likeness in unrelated ads usually isn't.
Renewals and extensions
When a brand wants to keep running an ad after the window ends, quote a renewal for the new period at the same uplift. Save each quote to Saved deals with a rights start date and download the calendar file: you'll get a reminder the day before paid usage ends, which is the natural moment to offer an extension.
When perpetual usage makes sense
Perpetual rights mean the brand never has to come back to you. If you agree to it, charge for it: the default is +150%, with a suggested range of 100–200%. Many creators prefer to offer 12 months with a renewal price instead, and the quote's optional usage options table lets the brand compare both.
FAQ
Does usage start on delivery or when the first ad runs?
Either can work, so agree it in writing. Starting on delivery is simpler to track. If you use the first ad date, ask the brand to confirm it by email so you have a record.
Should I charge usage rights on extra hooks and photos?
Yes. Hooks exist to be tested in ads, so they're part of the paid usage. The calculator applies the uplift to the whole content fee.
Is organic use free?
Organic posting on the brand's own channels is included in your base rate in CollabRate's method. Some creators also charge for it; if you do, raise your base rate.
What if the brand keeps running ads after usage ends?
Point to the end date in your quote, ask them to pause the ad or renew, and send a renewal quote for the new window.
More UGC pricing guides
Last updated · Written by the MiniTools team. Rates here are negotiating starting points, not financial, legal or tax advice. CollabRate isn't affiliated with any platform or brand named on this site.