# How to price video editing for ads

> There is no standard rate for a video editor per video. Build your own price from hours, rate, revisions and extras, with one worked example in rupees.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-12
- **Category**: Video editing
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-price-video-editing-for-ads

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There is no standard price per video, so build yours: hours times your rate, plus a revision buffer and extras. Quote one total for a clear scope.

## The formula

Price per video = editing hours x hourly rate + revision buffer + extras

- **Editing hours:** every step, from sorting footage to export, including shorter cuts.
- **Hourly rate:** the rate you can defend, not a number you copied.
- **Revision buffer:** a share of the editing cost for rounds of changes.
- **Extras:** stock clips, music licences and fonts you pay for.

## A worked example

Say you edit a 30-second Reel ad from 6 minutes of raw footage. You also cut 15-second and 6-second versions. Say your rate is INR 500 an hour. The numbers are made up, so use your own.

| Line | Working | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sort and rough cut | 2 hours x INR 500 | INR 1,000 |
| Captions | 1 hour x INR 500 | INR 500 |
| Sound and music | 0.5 hour x INR 500 | INR 250 |
| Colour and polish | 0.5 hour x INR 500 | INR 250 |
| Export and the two shorter cuts | 1 hour x INR 500 | INR 500 |
| Editing total | 5 hours | INR 2,500 |
| Revision buffer | 20% of INR 2,500 | INR 500 |
| Extras | One stock clip | INR 400 |
| Subtotal | INR 2,500 + INR 500 + INR 400 | INR 3,400 |
| GST | Say 18% of INR 3,400 | INR 612 |
| Quote | INR 3,400 + INR 612 | INR 4,012 |

If you are registered for GST, add it on top. Check your rate with your accountant.

## Ways to charge

| Model | Works when | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Flat price per video | The scope is clear: length, versions and rounds | Scope creep, so say what counts as a new request |
| Per hour | The job is new or the scope is unclear | The client may worry about hours running, so log your time |
| Monthly package | You edit a steady number of videos each month | Agree a cap and say what happens to unused videos |
| Per minute of final video | Long, simple edits | A 15-second ad can take as many hours as a 60-second one, so it may undercharge |

## What goes in the quote

- Length of each video and the number of versions
- Rounds of revision included, and the price of an extra round
- Sizes and formats, such as 9:16 for Reels
- What the client sends: raw files, logo and music
- Delivery date and payment terms

A clear brief keeps the hours honest. See [how to brief a video editor](/guides/how-to-brief-a-video-editor). If you are the one hiring, see [agency vs freelancer for ads](/compare/agency-vs-freelancer-for-ads) and [AI video editor vs a human editor](/compare/ai-video-editor-vs-human-editor).

## FAQ

### What should I charge as a beginner?

We cannot give a market rate. Use the formula with a rate you can defend, and track your real hours on the first few jobs so you can adjust.

### Should I charge for revisions?

Include a set number of rounds in the price, such as two. Quote extra rounds by the hour.

### Should I add GST?

If you are registered for GST, add it on top, as in the example. Ask your accountant which rate applies to you.

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- [More Video editing articles](https://marxx.ai/library-guides/category/video-editing)
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