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.
Should Copywriters Charge Per Word? A Practical Guide
Copywriters charge $0.05–$1.00+ per word depending on specialization and experience. General content writing runs $0.05–$0.15/word; conversion copywriting commands $0.20–$0.50/word; specialized technical or regulated industries can reach $1.00+/word.
Floor
$200
per hour
Typical
$600
per hour
Premium
$2,000
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.
What changes the price
- Content type (blog, sales copy, technical, legal)
- Research depth required per piece
- SEO optimization included
- Subject matter expertise required
- Client's editorial standards
- Volume commitment from client
- Rights granted (exclusive, ghostwritten, bylined)
- Revisions included
Real quote breakdowns
Blog Content at Scale
A content marketing agency needs 10 × 1,500-word blog posts per month on general business topics.
Breakdown
$0.50/word × 1,500 words. Includes keyword brief, research, SEO optimization, meta description. Volume rate for recurring 10-post/month commitment.
Technical SaaS Articles
A cybersecurity SaaS company needs 2,000-word thought leadership articles for their blog.
Breakdown
$0.70/word for specialized technical research, SME interviews, and in-depth cybersecurity content. Ghostwritten as company thought leader.
Short-Form Ad Copy
A DTC brand needs 50 Facebook ad copy variations (headline + body, ~50 words each).
Breakdown
50 ad variations × $60/variation. Per-word equivalent: ~$1.20/word. High rate reflects strategic thinking, testing frameworks, and persuasion expertise — not word count.
Frequently asked questions
Is per-word pricing a good model for copywriters?
Per-word pricing works well for volume content but poorly for high-value copywriting. A 500-word email that drives $50,000 in revenue is worth far more than $0.50/word. Use per-word for content; use project or value-based pricing for copy.
How do I set my per-word rate without undercharging?
Calculate your target hourly rate and divide by your average words per hour. If you write 500 words/hour and target $75/hr, your minimum per-word rate is $0.15. Add margin for research-heavy pieces.
Do clients expect a lower per-word rate for higher volume?
Yes. A 10–15% volume discount for clients committing to 10+ pieces per month is standard and fair. It reduces your per-piece overhead and smooths income. Set a clear minimum volume to qualify.
Should I ever use per-word pricing for sales copy?
Rarely. Sales copy value is measured in conversion rate, not word count. A 200-word email sequence that converts at 8% is worth far more than 2,000 words at 1%. Use project or value-based pricing for all conversion copy.