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 to Charge for Video Editing Per Finished Minute
Most freelance video editors charge $20–$80 per finished minute of video, depending on complexity and niche. Simple talking head edits sit at $20–$35/min, while cinematic or heavily animated content commands $60–$100+/min.
Floor
$20
per hour
Typical
$45
per hour
Premium
$90
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
- Edit complexity (simple cuts vs. multi-layer motion graphics)
- Raw footage ratio (1:1 vs. 10:1 footage-to-finished-minute)
- Color grading requirements
- Number of cameras or audio sources to sync
- Captions and subtitles included
- Music licensing cost pass-through
- Client niche (corporate vs. YouTube vs. social media)
- Revision rounds bundled in the per-minute rate
Real quote breakdowns
5-Minute YouTube Tutorial (Basic Edit)
A software company needs a 5-minute screen recording tutorial edited with simple zoom cuts, lower thirds, and a branded intro. Clean footage, one revision.
Breakdown
5 finished minutes at $35/min = $175. Simple edit category. One revision included.
8-Minute Documentary-Style Brand Film
An 8-minute brand film with interview footage, B-roll, color grading, background music, and animated stats overlays. Three cameras to sync.
Breakdown
8 finished minutes at $70/min = $560. Complex edit category due to multi-cam sync and motion graphics.
Monthly Retainer: 40 Finished Minutes
A content agency contracts for 40 finished minutes per month across mixed formats: YouTube, Instagram Reels, and internal training.
Breakdown
40 minutes at blended rate of $40/min = $1,600. Rate reflects volume commitment and lower per-unit complexity on standardized templates.
Frequently asked questions
Is per-minute pricing better than hourly for video editors?
Per-minute pricing rewards efficiency — as you get faster, you earn more per hour worked. It also gives clients a predictable quote. Hourly is better when raw footage quality and scope are highly unpredictable.
What counts as a 'complex' edit when pricing per minute?
Complex edits include: multi-camera syncing, custom motion graphics, color grading from flat/log profiles, heavy audio mixing, animated infographics, or any edit requiring significant asset creation beyond the raw footage.
Should revision rounds be included in per-minute rates?
Include one revision in your per-minute rate and charge 15–25% of the project total for each additional revision. Define a revision clearly in your contract — a revision is structural changes, not fixing your own technical errors.
How do I convert my hourly rate to a per-minute rate?
Track how many finished minutes you produce per hour for a given edit type. If you produce 3 finished minutes per hour and charge $90/hr, your per-minute rate is $30/min. Add 10–15% margin for the client convenience of a flat rate.