Video editors should price projects by complexity—simple cuts versus color grading and effects. Factor in editing hours, software costs, and revision rounds.
Optimize your pricing strategy with AI-powered insights
Enter your shop name for a personalized PDF report with your business name.
How many items do you expect to sell each month?
💡 Why needed? Fixed costs (Rent/Labor) must be split by each item. Lower sales = Higher cost per item. We need this to calculate your min break-even price.
Percentage of items that are wasted or unsold.
✅ Price is above break-even $18.35. You are making profit!
How much will you charge for one item?
Net Profit
$3325
per month
Margin
26.6%
profit margin
Break-Even
312
units/month
✓ Margin Detected: Your 26.6% profit margin is healthy for the cafe industry. You need to sell 312 units to break even, currently projecting 500 units.
Required Volume Growth ≥17% to break even
Current Expectation: 30% ✅
Video editing is priced by project or finished minute, scaled to complexity — a simple talking-head cut is a fraction of the work of color grading, motion graphics and sound design. Rates range widely: simple edits might be $50–150 per finished video, while polished long-form or commercial work runs much higher. Price by complexity tier, cap revision rounds, and remember footage volume and turnaround time drive cost as much as final length.
A 5-minute video can take 30 minutes or 30 hours depending on footage, effects and sound. Price by complexity and source footage, not just runtime.
Editing invites endless small tweaks. Specify 2–3 rounds and bill extra rounds, or projects drag on unpaid.
Sorting and syncing hours of raw footage is real labor before editing starts. Charge for ingest and organization on big projects.
Tight turnarounds disrupt your schedule and other clients. Charge a premium for rush delivery rather than absorbing the pressure.
Once your pricing works, these are the tools small operators use to take payments, keep books, and market.
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Simple edits might be $50–150 per finished video, while complex commercial or long-form work runs much higher. Price by complexity — cuts vs color grading, motion graphics and sound — not just final length. The calculator above helps from your hours.
Per project or per finished minute is common and clearer for clients, but base it on a realistic estimate of editing hours for that complexity. Hourly protects you on open-ended or revision-heavy jobs.
Two videos of the same length can need vastly different effort depending on raw footage, effects, color and sound design. Complexity and source material drive the time, so they should drive the price.
Cap included revisions at 2–3 rounds and bill additional changes. Editing tempts clients into endless small tweaks, so clear limits keep the project profitable.
Yes. Fast turnarounds force overtime and bump other clients. A rush surcharge (often 25–50%) compensates for the disruption and discourages unrealistic deadlines.
Many small business owners use the "3x material cost" rule or simply match competitor prices. The problem? This ignores your unique cost structure. Your rent might be higher, your waste rate different, or your labor costs vary by location. This calculator reveals your true break-even point and ensures sustainable pricing.
Download a clean, shareable PDF of your pricing breakdown — cost structure, break-even point, and profit scenarios — completely free, with no sign-up. Useful for partners, lenders, or your own records.