Step 1: Start from your average views, not your subscribers
Brands buy views, so the first number you need is your average. Use the median of your last 10 to 12 uploads, not an outlier and not a lifetime average. In SponsorCraft's example, a 50,000-subscriber channel averaging 28,000 views gets this reading under Why this rate: "Priced on your views. 28,000 views a video is strong for a 50K subscriber channel, so your views set this rate." Halve the views to 14,000 and the same mid-roll drops from $927 to $535. For rates by channel size, see YouTube sponsorship rates.
Steps 2 to 4: Niche, engagement and audience location
Next, adjust for the things that change what a view is worth. The table changes one input at a time for a 50,000-subscriber fitness channel with 28,000 average views. Choosing the Home workouts sub-niche left the rate at $750, because some sub-niches move a rate and some do not. Raising engagement from 3.0% to 3.8% added $50. Moving the US share from 50% to 70% added $127, because fitness is a geography-sensitive niche in the app. For how location works across countries, read YouTube CPM by country.
| Step | Input | Mid-roll | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | 28,000 average views, 3.0% engagement, 50% US audience | $750 | $540 to $990 |
| Sub-niche | Home workouts selected | $750 | $540 to $990 |
| Engagement | 3.8% instead of 3.0% | $800 | $576 to $1,056 |
| Audience | 70% US (Tier-1) instead of 50% | $927 | $668 to $1,224 |
| Check | Same channel at 14,000 average views | $535 | $385 to $706 |
Step 5: Price the placement
A YouTube sponsorship is not one price. For the same channel, SponsorCraft prices a dedicated video at $1,623, a 60-second mid-roll at $927 and a pre-roll mention at $695. A dedicated video is the whole video about the brand, a mid-roll is a segment inside it and a pre-roll is a short mention near the start. Never quote one number for all three. Ask which placement the brand wants, then price that one.
Add usage rights, exclusivity and rush as separate lines
Brands often ask for more than a mention: the right to reuse your video in ads, an exclusivity window, a faster delivery. Each is worth money, so price it as its own line. SponsorCraft adds each extra to the base rate as a percentage of the base. They do not multiply. On the $927 mid-roll, 90 days of usage rights adds $464 and 60 days of exclusivity adds $371, which makes $1,762 together.
| Add-on | Option in the app | Adds | Deal total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usage rights | 30 days (+22%) | $204 | $1,131 |
| Usage rights | 90 days (+50%) | $464 | $1,391 |
| Whitelisting | 30 days (+22%) | $204 | $1,131 |
| Exclusivity | 30 days (+25%) | $232 | $1,159 |
| Exclusivity | 60 days (+40%) | $371 | $1,298 |
| Rush delivery | 7 days (+20%) | $185 | $1,113 |
The app labels its usage rights percentages an estimated pricing assumption, not an industry standard, so treat them as a starting point. It also offers usage rights for 6 months and 1 year, whitelisting up to 6 months, exclusivity for 90 days and faster rush options. To negotiate the terms themselves, read negotiate usage rights and the exclusivity clause guide.
Worked example: a 50,000-subscriber home workout channel
Here is the channel from the steps above, priced with both extras in SponsorCraft: 50,000 subscribers, 28,000 average engaged views, 3.8% engagement and 70% US viewers in the Fitness niche with the Home workouts sub-niche.
- Platform
- YouTube
- Niche
- Fitness, Home workouts
- Subscribers
- 50,000
- Average engaged views
- 28,000
- Engagement
- 3.8%
- US audience
- 70% (Tier-1)
- Placement
- Mid-roll integration, 60 seconds
- Add-ons
- Usage rights 90 days, exclusivity 60 days
$1,762Deal total. Mid-roll base $927, range $668 to $1,224
The Deal Summary adds the base $927, usage rights $464 and the exclusivity premium $371, for a total deal value of $1,762. The same channel prices a dedicated video at $1,623 (range $1,168 to $2,142) and a pre-roll mention at $695 (range $501 to $918).
The mid-roll works out to about $33 per 1,000 views before add-ons.
Assumptions: a model estimate, not a guarantee. The usage rights and exclusivity percentages are the app's own estimated pricing assumptions, not an industry standard, and add-ons add to the base rather than multiplying. Fitness is geography sensitive, and 3.8% engagement is near YouTube's 3% average.
Have an offer on the table? Calculate your sponsorship rate in SponsorCraft.
When the brand says your rate is too high
Treat a low counter as an opener, not a verdict. Never lower your rate without taking something out: a shorter integration, no usage rights or no exclusivity window. Show the breakdown so the brand sees what each line pays for, and trade a line instead of discounting the whole number. Read how to counter a sponsorship offer and how to respond to a lowball offer, then send the final numbers on a one-page rate card template.
SponsorCraft
Your rate. Your decision.
- Separate rates per placement: dedicated video, mid-roll and pre-roll on YouTube
- Add-ons for usage rights, whitelisting, exclusivity and rush delivery, each priced as its own line
- Audience location adjustment
- A negotiation range around every rate and a plain-language "Why this rate" explanation
- Editable rates and an exportable PDF rate card
- Bundled extras: negotiation scripts and a contract template (PDF documents that come with the app)
- One-time purchase, no subscription, no login, runs offline
Creator License $49 one-time; Agency and Brands License $129 one-time.
Common questions
How much should I charge for a YouTube sponsorship?
Start from your average views, then adjust for niche, engagement, audience location and placement. In SponsorCraft, a 50,000-subscriber home workout channel with 28,000 average views prices a mid-roll at USD 927.
Do subscribers or views decide what I can charge?
Views. Halving the example's views to 14,000 drops the mid-roll from USD 927 to USD 535 on the same channel.
How much should I add for usage rights and exclusivity?
In SponsorCraft, 90 days of usage rights adds 50% and a 60-day exclusivity window adds 40%, which is USD 464 and USD 371 on a USD 927 base. Quote each as its own line, and treat the percentages as the app's estimates, not an industry standard.
What should I do when a brand says my rate is too high?
Trade, never discount. Offer a lower number only in exchange for something removed, such as a shorter integration, no usage rights or no exclusivity window.