By Kristen Bousquet, Contributor. Mar 20, 2025, 11:22am EDT
When it comes to influencer marketing, there’s no universal rate card. A brand might laugh off a creator’s rate, while another might approve it without hesitation, making it nearly impossible for creators to determine what they should charge. The lack of standardization leads to confusion on both sides, leaving brands to wonder whether they’re overpaying or underpaying and forcing creators to navigate a pricing landscape that feels like the Wild West.
Take, for example, Molly Nelson, a fashion creator with around 100K followers on TikTok and 27,000 on Instagram. She’s worked with brands of all sizes, but the rates she’s offered vary wildly depending on who’s on the other side of the negotiation.
To showcase the discrepancies in creator rates from multiple marketing professionals, we asked them how much they would pay Nelson for an Instagram Reel and a TikTok video. Not shockingly, the results were all over the place. Some offered just a few hundred dollars, while others suggested ten times higher rates. This showcases just how inconsistent the pricing structure is in influencer marketing.
Nelson’s Brand Partnership Experience
It’s clear from Nelson’s experience, like that of many other creators, that there’s no clear benchmark when it comes to pricing. Every brand seemingly has a different approach and aspects of a creator that they consider. In Nelson’s experience, agencies tend to offer more reliable payments while working directly with brands has been hit or miss.
Some brands are diligent about paying fairly and on time, while others entirely ghost after the work is done or almost offensive offer rates. In one case, she was promised payment for an ad she created but never received compensation despite following up for months.
In the last year, Nelson has also noticed a shift in the offers she’s receiving. Previously, she was able to negotiate higher rates, but recently, more brands have come to her, expecting content in exchange for complimentary products or commission-only deals. While larger-size brands tend to have bigger budgets, even some well-known companies have sent lowball offers, often citing an oversaturated market as the reason for shrinking budgets.
Nelson’s highest-paying deal was $5,000 for two cross-posted videos on Instagram and TikTok, while her lowest was $600 for a single Instagram Reel from a smaller brand. Interestingly, she’s seen brands in the same industry offer wildly different rates. For example, in her niche of fashion, some brands only offer products, while others come prepared with solid budgets. Nelson has found that it’s often not about the size of the brand, but rather their experience with influencer marketing, how they prioritize ROI, and how much they genuinely value creator content.
What Marketers Would Pay For The Same Creator
To illustrate how different partnership rates can be, five marketing professionals weighed in on how much they would pay Nelson for a sponsored Instagram Reel and TikTok video. Their responses highlight the inconsistencies in the industry and why creators often struggle to price themselves fairly.
Samantha Ley, Founder of Nova Co Collective
- Instagram Reel: $275-$600
- TikTok Video: $375-$750
Ley’s rate falls on the lower end of the spectrum, basing pricing primarily on follower count and engagement rate. In this rate, she also factored in six-month usage rights and one round of feedback but notes that, if these were removed, the rate could drop even lower—to $200-$300 per post. This pricing approach contrasts significantly with other marketers prioritizing creative style and brand alignment over sheer metrics.
Gianna Cianni, Integrated Marketing Communications Lead at The Knot Worldwide
- Instagram Reel: $500-$1,000
- TikTok Video: $500-$1,000
Cianni’s rate factors in engagement, content quality, and the level of production involved. She also noted that creators newer to brand deals or looking to build long-term relationships might accept this range. However, her pricing does not account for usage rights or exclusivity, which could increase the rate.
Emily-Jean McDonagh, Director of Consumer Engagement at Ethique Beauty
- Instagram Reel: $1,000-$1,500
- TikTok Video: $1,000-$2,500
McDonagh sees more value in Nelson’s content, particularly her recognizable style and niche audience. She highlights how her content has trend potential and a localized focus, which could be leveraged for in-store promotions. Her higher rate acknowledges the importance of community engagement and repeatable content formats, aspects that many brands overlook.
Tiff Knighten, Founder of Brand Curators
- Instagram Reel: $3,500-$5,000
- TikTok Video: $5,000-$7,500
Knighten’s pricing stands out for being much higher than the others. She values Nelson’s strong brand identity, high-quality content, and engaged audience, believing that content creators should be compensated fairly for their craft. Her focus is less on traditional metrics like follower count and more on the creator’s ability to create compelling, educational content that aligns well with brands.
April Johnson, Influencer Marketing Lead at Alaska Airlines
- Instagram Reel: $3,000-$10,000
- TikTok Video: $5,000-$20,000
Johnson’s approach leans toward the higher end of the scale, factoring in usage rights and exclusivity as the primary drivers of cost. She stresses that brands using influencer content in paid media or across owned channels should expect to pay significantly more. While other marketers focused on engagement rate and follower count, Johnson emphasizes the long-term value of a creator’s likeness, arguing that creators should be compensated accordingly.
Why Influencer Pricing Remains A Moving Target
These insights reveal how difficult it is for creators and brands to determine a “standard” rate. Nelson’s suggested pricing fluctuated between $275 and $10,000 for the same deliverables, with the justifications ranging from engagement rate to creative quality to long-term usage rights. Some marketers saw her TikTok presence as far more valuable, while others priced her Instagram and TikTok content equally.
For brands, these discrepancies can make it hard to budget for influencer marketing. Without clear industry standards, pricing is mainly subjective—driven by individual perspectives on value rather than a universally accepted benchmark. As the creator economy evolves, brands must approach pricing with transparency, consider factors beyond just follower count, and respect the creators who invest time and skill into their work. Fair compensation not only benefits creators but also leads to better partnerships and higher-quality content for brands.
Story originally featured on Forbes.com
Kristen Bousquet
Contributor | Creator Economy
Kristen Bousquet is a creator monetization coach and the founder of Your Soulcialmate. She focuses on the intersection of content creation, monetization strategies, and the evolving creator economy.
Based in Charlotte, NC, she covers topics such as income disparities among content creators, brand partnerships, and sustainable business practices for influencers.
Kristen has been recognized for her insights into creator pay transparency as shown in “How Much Are Creators With Under 10,000 Followers Getting Paid?“. She sold her first business for $100,000 at age 25 and has since generated over $500,000 through her work as a microinfluencer.
Kristen also hosts the “Soulcial Scoop” podcast with over 60k+ downloads and leads “Soulcial Suite”, a creator community, helping creators turn their influence into profitable, self-sustaining businesses.
