Freelance Video Editor Rate Calculator
Long-form YouTube, short-form Reels and TikTok, ad creative or corporate video — price each one properly with rates drawn from the current freelance editing market.
Calculate my rate →How the video editor rate calculator works
Built specifically for freelance video editor rates. Every multiplier is tuned to real 2026 benchmarks.
Work across more than one discipline? Compare your number against the web developer hourly rate calculator, freelance mobile app developer hourly rate calculator and the ui ux designer hourly rate calculator.
- ✓Benchmarks for YouTube, short-form, ads, corporate and event video
- ✓Complexity multiplier for VFX and motion graphics work
- ✓Per-minute and per-project quote modes
- ✓Shows what long-form editors realistically earn on retainer
Freelance video editing rate questions, answered
How much do freelance video editors charge per hour?+
Entry-level editors charge $25–$45/hr. Editors with three or more years earn $70–$130/hr, and motion graphics specialists or retained long-form YouTube editors work out at $150–$220/hr equivalent.
Should I charge per finished minute or per hour?+
Per hour protects you on complex, unpredictable edits; per finished minute wins on repeatable YouTube-style content. Many pros use a per-minute base plus hourly for extra revisions.
How much should I charge to edit a 10-minute YouTube video?+
Typically $150–$600 depending on footage volume, b-roll, captions and motion graphics. Retainer editors handling four videos a month usually settle around $1,200–$3,000 monthly.
What should I charge for short-form Reels and TikTok edits?+
$40–$150 per clip, with bundles of 10–20 clips priced 15–25% lower per unit in exchange for guaranteed monthly volume.
How many revisions should a video editing quote include?+
Two rounds, defined as consolidated timestamped notes. Bill further rounds hourly — drip-fed feedback is the main reason editing projects stop being profitable.