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- Video editors are paid per hour, per finished minute or per project. Pricing by the finished minute works well because clients can compare it easily.
- This calculator estimates your hours from the finished length and how complex the edit is, then adds footage review, revisions and extras.
- It shows the project price, the price per finished minute and a monthly retainer for regular work.
- The complexity presets are starting points. Replace them with your own tracked time for the most accurate quote.
How to use the video editing rate calculator
Enter the finished length
Type the length of the finished video in minutes. This is the video the client receives, not the raw footage.
Pick the editing complexity
Choose simple cuts, a standard edit, an advanced edit or a motion graphics heavy edit. Each preset is a number of working hours per finished minute. You can enter your own.
Set your hourly rate and revisions
Enter the hourly rate you want to earn and how many rounds of revisions the price includes.
Add footage and extras
Use the advanced options for raw footage length, thumbnail and captions fees, a rush surcharge and the number of videos per month.
How the video editing price is calculated
Hours of work
Editing hours = finished minutes × hours per finished minute
Footage review hours = raw footage minutes × 25% ÷ 60
Revision hours = revision rounds × hours per round
Total hours = editing + review + revisions
The presets are 0.5, 1.5, 3 and 6 hours per finished minute for simple, standard, advanced and motion graphics heavy edits.
Price
Labor = total hours × hourly rate
Price = labor + thumbnail fee + (captions fee × finished minutes), plus any rush surcharge
Price per finished minute = price ÷ finished minutes
A monthly retainer is the project price multiplied by the number of videos per month.
Video editing rate examples
Example 1: a 10 minute YouTube video
A standard edit of a 10 minute video, 30 minutes of raw footage, 2 revision rounds of 0.75 hours each, at $40 per hour.
- Editing hours (10 × 1.5) 15.00
- Footage review hours 0.13
- Revision hours (2 × 0.75) 1.50
- Total hours 16.63
- Project price $665.00
- Price per finished minute $66.50
At four videos a month, a retainer at the same rate would be $2,660.
Example 2: a 5 minute simple edit
Simple cuts on a 5 minute video, 20 minutes of raw footage, one revision round of 0.5 hours, at $35 per hour.
- Editing hours (5 × 0.5) 2.50
- Footage review and revisions 0.58
- Total hours 3.08
- Project price $107.92
- Price per finished minute $21.58
Simple edits suit lower prices per minute because there is little design work.
Example 3: a 20 minute advanced edit with extras
An advanced edit of a 20 minute video, 90 minutes of raw footage, 2 revision rounds of 0.75 hours, at $60 per hour, with a $50 thumbnail, $2 per minute captions and a 25% rush surcharge.
- Total hours 61.88
- Labor at $60 per hour $3,712.50
- Thumbnail and captions ($50 + 20 × $2) $90.00
- Subtotal $3,802.50
- Rush surcharge (25%) $950.63
- Project price $4,753.13
The rush surcharge raises the effective hourly rate to about $76.82.
Where a video editing rate calculator helps
Quoting a new client
Turn a finished length and style into a price you can explain.
Comparing pricing models
See what an hourly rate looks like per finished minute, and the other way round.
Setting a retainer
Price regular work for creators who post every week.
Checking your own speed
Compare your real editing time with the presets to see where you quote too low.
Editing speed depends on the footage, the style, your software and your experience, so treat the presets as a first guess. Track your time on a few real projects and enter your own hours per finished minute. Results are estimates, not a guarantee of what a client will pay. To set your hourly rate first, use the Freelancer Hourly Rate Calculator or add revision limits with the Scope Creep & Revision Fee Calculator.
Video editing rate calculator FAQ
How much should I charge for video editing?
It depends on your experience, your market and the style of the edit. Work out the hourly rate you need, estimate the hours for the project and multiply. Many editors also quote per finished minute so clients can compare prices easily.
How many hours does it take to edit one minute of video?
It varies widely. A simple cut can take well under an hour per finished minute, while heavily designed edits with motion graphics can take several hours. This calculator uses 0.5, 1.5, 3 and 6 hours as presets and lets you enter your own.
Should I charge by the hour, by the minute or by the project?
Per project pricing is easy for clients to approve, and per finished minute pricing is easy to scale. Hourly rates reward slow work less than fast work, so many editors work out their hours first and then quote a project price.
What is a finished minute?
A finished minute is one minute of the final video the client receives. It is different from raw footage, which is everything that was recorded and is usually much longer.
How do I price a monthly retainer for video editing?
Work out the price of one typical video and multiply by the number of videos per month. Many editors give a small discount for the commitment. The calculator shows the full-price retainer so you can adjust it.
Do revisions count in the price?
Yes, include a set number of rounds in the price and charge extra for more. The calculator adds the time for the included rounds so they are paid for.