Find your exact rate
Typical project work, moderate complexity.
Factor in AI tool subscriptions
Your Rate
Day Rate
$450
Project Est.
$2,200
Retainer
$8,350/mo
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Community Data
What do you actually charge?
Anonymous. Helps improve market benchmarks.
How much should you charge for brand strategy?
Find your rate based on engagement scope, brand maturity, and deliverable depth.
Brand strategists in the US charge between $100 and $300 per hour. Full brand strategy engagements range from $10,000 to $50,000+ depending on scope. Naming projects command $5,000-$25,000. The BLS median for advertising and marketing managers informs the $100-$300/hr freelance range after overhead.
Floor
$100
per hour
Typical
$175
per hour
Premium
$300
per hour
Find your exact rate
Typical project work, moderate complexity.
Factor in AI tool subscriptions
Your Rate
Day Rate
$450
Project Est.
$2,200
Retainer
$8,350/mo
Was this helpful?
Community Data
What do you actually charge?
Anonymous. Helps improve market benchmarks.
How we calculated this
The rates on this page are derived from BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data for the closest matching occupation code, adjusted for freelance overhead using a transparent four-step formula.
- 01
Floor calculation
Your target income × 1.153 (SE tax) + annual software and tool costs, divided by billable hours. This is the minimum rate that covers your costs.
- 02
Market benchmarking
The base rate is positioned against BLS percentile data for your metro. You see exactly where you land — p10 through p90.
- 03
Skill and complexity adjustments
Multipliers of 0.85×–1.65× reflect your skill level and the complexity of the work. High-stakes, strategic work earns more.
- 04
Regional cost adjustment
BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) adjust the final rate for local cost of living. San Francisco commands more; Austin less.
What changes the price
- Engagement type (full rebrand, positioning, naming, audit)
- Company size and brand maturity
- Number of stakeholder workshops
- Competitive landscape complexity
- Market research depth
- Deliverable scope (brand book, guidelines, messaging framework)
- Industry vertical
- Implementation support included
Real quote breakdowns
Full Brand Strategy (Startup)
End-to-end brand strategy for a seed-stage fintech startup. Mission/vision, positioning, value propositions, messaging framework, brand personality, naming exploration.
Breakdown
100 hrs × $180/hr. Discovery + research ($4,500). Positioning workshop ($2,500). Messaging framework ($4,000). Brand book ($4,500). Presentation + handoff ($2,500).
Naming Project
Brand naming for a consumer health product. 200+ name candidates, trademark screening, domain availability, linguistic analysis, final shortlist of 5.
Breakdown
60 hrs × $200/hr. Strategy brief ($2,000). Name generation — 3 rounds ($5,000). Trademark pre-screening ($2,000). Domain research + recommendation ($1,500). Final presentation ($1,500).
Brand Audit & Refresh
Comprehensive audit of an established B2B brand: competitive positioning analysis, customer perception research, touchpoint audit, and strategic recommendations for a brand refresh.
Breakdown
85 hrs × $176/hr. Competitive analysis ($3,500). Customer interviews + survey ($4,000). Touchpoint audit ($3,000). Strategic report + roadmap ($4,500).
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between brand strategy and brand identity?
Brand strategy defines who you are, what you stand for, and how you are positioned in the market — it is the thinking. Brand identity is the visual and verbal system (logo, colors, typography, tone of voice) that expresses the strategy — it is the execution. Strategy should precede identity design.
How should I price a naming project?
Naming projects range from $5,000 to $25,000 depending on scope. Include trademark screening (but not legal filing), domain availability research, and linguistic testing. Price reflects creative volume (200+ candidates narrowed to 5), not just the final name. Never sell a single name — sell the process.
How long does a brand strategy engagement typically take?
A full brand strategy engagement takes 6-12 weeks. Discovery and research: 2-3 weeks. Strategy development: 2-3 weeks. Refinement and documentation: 2-3 weeks. Implementation support: 2-4 weeks. Rushing the process leads to shallow positioning that does not differentiate.
Should brand strategists offer implementation support?
Yes, but scope it separately. Strategy without implementation guidance often fails. Offer a 30-60 day post-delivery support phase (included or as an add-on) to help internal teams and agency partners apply the strategy correctly. This also leads to ongoing advisory retainers.
How do I justify brand strategy pricing to clients?
Frame brand strategy as a business investment, not a marketing expense. A mispositioned brand wastes every dollar spent on marketing, sales, and hiring. Anchor your fee against the cost of a rebrand (2-5x the original investment) and the revenue impact of clear positioning. Include case studies showing measurable outcomes.
Related professions
The short version
- →Floor rate: $100/hr. Typical: $175/hr. Premium: $300/hr.
- →Brand strategists in the US charge between $100 and $300 per hour.
- →The biggest rate drivers: Engagement type (full rebrand, positioning, naming, audit), Company size and brand maturity, Number of stakeholder workshops.
- →Rates are based on BLS OEWS May 2024 data, adjusted for freelance overhead, skill level, complexity, and regional cost of living.