The fee in the brand's email is the top line, not what lands in your pocket. Before you say yes, take off everyone's cut, your costs and your tax, then divide by the hours it'll really take.
What comes off a brand deal
| Cut | Typical size |
|---|---|
| Manager | 15–20% of your fee |
| Agent | 10–20% of your fee (together with a manager, 25–40%) |
| Payment or platform fees | Depends on how you're paid: check your provider |
| Currency conversion | Often 1–4% if you're paid in another currency |
| Your costs | Editor, props, products, travel |
| Tax | Set aside a share of the profit |
A worked example
A brand pays 650. Your agent takes 10% (65), payment fees are 3% (19.50) and currency conversion 2% (13). You spend 100 on an editor and 30 on props. That leaves a profit of 422.50. Set aside 25% for tax (105.63) and you take home 316.88, less than half the fee.
It took 10 hours: 2 on ideas, 3 filming, 4 editing and 1 on emails and revisions. That's 31.69 an hour.
Work out your walk-away price
Decide what an hour of your time needs to earn after everything, say 50. Multiply by the hours, add back tax and your costs, and divide by what's left after the percentage cuts. In the example, the lowest fee worth taking is 937, so 650 needs a counter-offer. Price usage rights separately too: paid ads typically add 30% for 30 days, 50% for 90 days and 100% for 12 months.
FAQs
How much does a manager take from a brand deal?
Typically 15–20% of the creator's fee; an agent typically 10–20%. With both, 25–40% of the deal can go before your costs and tax.
How do I know if a brand deal is worth it?
Take off every cut, your costs and tax, then divide by the hours it'll take. If that's below what an hour of your time needs to earn, counter at your walk-away price.
Plan it in minutes
Price the deal, see your take-home and per-hour figure, and get your walk-away price. Editions for the UK, US, Canada and Australia.
See the Rate & Deal Profit Calculator →
