Usage rights, priced. Know what to say back.
What every term means, how to price each one, and what to say back.
Why this exists
"Usage rights" is the most repeated phrase in every creator question we read. More than "how much should I charge," more than "gifted collab." And the questions sound like this:
- "A brand asked if they can own the video indefinitely. My base rate is $150 to $200. What do I charge?"
- "They want to run my video as ads for 12 months. Did I underprice it?"
- "The brand backed out of a $500 deal when I asked about usage. Should I compromise?"
- "The contract they sent added perpetual usage and ads. That's not what we agreed."
We run creator programs for brands, including Tabs, where our creator videos reach 100M+ views a month. We write the usage terms. So here's the plain-English version of what we're asking for, and why it's worth more money.
The big idea: your base rate pays for making the video. Usage pays for what the brand does with it after. The more places, the longer, and the more money they put behind it, the more it's worth.
The terms, in plain English
Organic usage
The brand posts your video on its own accounts (TikTok, Instagram, its website) with no ad money behind it. It reaches people who follow the brand or find it naturally.
This is the lightest use. Many creators include a short window of organic usage in their base rate.
Paid usage
The brand spends money to show your video as an ad. Now your face or your hands are selling to people who've never heard of the brand, possibly millions of them. That's real value for the brand, and it should be paid for separately.
Whitelisting
The brand runs ads from your account, using your name and handle. Viewers see your profile, not the brand's. You give the brand (or its agency) access through the platform's ad tools. On Meta this is called partnership ads. It borrows your trust, so it's priced higher than plain paid usage.
Spark Ads
TikTok's version of running a creator's post as an ad. You generate an authorization code for your post and give it to the brand for a set number of days. The ad shows as your post, with your handle. Treat it like whitelisting.
Duration
How long the brand can use the video. 30 days, 90 days, 6 months, 12 months. Always get a number. "Ongoing" is not a duration.
Perpetuity
Forever. "In perpetuity" means the brand can use your video for as long as it exists, everywhere the contract covers, without paying you again. It's the most valuable thing a brand can ask for. Never give it away inside a base rate.
Exclusivity
You agree not to work with competitors for a set time. That's income you can't earn, so you price it as lost income. Get the competitor list in writing. "Any food brand" is very different from "any other chocolate brand."
Raw footage
The unedited clips. With raw footage, the brand can cut new ads from your content forever. It saves them a reshoot. It's extra work for you to organize and extra value for them.
The add-on pricing method
Start with your base rate: what you charge to make one video with a short organic window. Then add each extra as a percentage of that base.
These are starting points to test, not market rates. Nobody publishes reliable market rates for usage. Brands, niches, and budgets vary a lot. Use these numbers to build your first quote, then adjust up or down based on what you hear back.
| Add-on | Starting point to test (% of your base rate) |
|---|---|
| Organic usage (they post it, no ads) | Included in base |
| Paid usage, 30 days | +30% |
| Paid usage, 90 days | +50% |
| Paid usage, 6 months | +75% |
| Paid usage, 12 months | +100% |
| Perpetuity (all uses, forever) | +200%, or decline |
| Whitelisting or Spark Ads from your account | +20% on top of paid usage |
| Exclusivity, 30 days | +20% |
| Exclusivity, 90 days | +40% |
| Exclusivity, 6 months | +75% |
| Exclusivity, 12 months | +125% |
| Edited video plus raw footage handed over | +25% |
| Raw footage only (they edit) | 80% of base |
| Extra hooks (same body, new first 3 seconds) | +20% of base per hook |
| Rush (under 5 days) | +25% |
| More than one round of revisions | +15% |
These are the same numbers the free Rate Card Calculator uses, so your quote and your rate card always match.
A worked example (hypothetical numbers)
Say your base rate is $300. A brand wants one video with 90 days of paid usage and the raw footage.
- Base: $300
- Paid usage, 90 days at +50%: $150
- Raw footage at +25%: $75
- Quote: $525
If they push back, you remove items before you lower your rate. Maybe they don't need the raw footage. Maybe 30 days is enough to test the ad. That keeps your base rate intact.
The three questions to ask before you quote
- "Where will the video be used? Organic, paid ads, or both?"
- "For how long?"
- "Do you need it from my account (whitelisting or Spark Ads), or from yours?"
You can't price usage until you know these. Asking them also tells the brand you know what you're doing.
Reply scripts
When they ask for "full usage rights" with no details
Happy to help! So I can quote accurately, can you tell me where you'll use the video (organic, paid ads, or both), for how long, and whether you'd run it from my account or yours? My base rate covers the video plus [30/90] days of organic use. Paid usage and longer terms are priced on top.
When they want perpetuity
I don't usually offer perpetual rights, since the video keeps working for you long after I'm paid. I can offer [12 months of paid usage] for [price]. If you really need it forever, the rate for perpetual usage is [price]. Which works better?
When they want whitelisting or Spark Ads
Yes, I can do that! Whitelisting for [30 days] is [price] on top of the video. After that, it's [price] for each extra 30 days. I'll send the Spark code once the agreement is signed and the deposit is in.
When they say "usage is always included"
I get it, some creators include it. My base rate is priced for organic use only, so I can keep it accessible for brands just testing. For paid ads, here's the add-on: [price]. If budget is tight, we can start with 30 days and extend if the ad performs.
When you find your video in ads you didn't agree to
Hi [name], I noticed my video running as a paid ad on [platform]. Our agreement covers [what it covers]. I'm happy to license paid usage going forward at [price] for [duration]. Could you either confirm that, or pause the ad until we agree on terms?
Keep screenshots with dates. This is educational, not legal advice. If a lot of money or a big brand is involved, talk to a professional where you live.
Your next step
Write down your base rate. Then fill in the add-on table with your own numbers, using the starting points as a guide. Save it. The next time a brand says "and usage," you'll quote in 2 minutes instead of panicking.
Want to see how brands decide what a video is worth before they ever ask for your rate?