How Much Does a Video Editor Cost: Deep insight into video editing rates

You've shot a video to upload and share online, but how do you edit it so that it shines? You could do it yourself, but if you lack the know-how, it's a long learning curve.

And even if you know how to edit, it takes time. Plus, to achieve the results you want, you may need to pay for professional video editing software. 

To save time and money, you may be considering hiring a video editor. But how much does it cost to hire a video editor? In this article, we'll walk you through how to find the right video editor for your budget.

What factors affect video editor costs?

Video editing prices vary based on various factors, including experience level, project complexity, turnaround time, and equipment costs. Let’s look at each of these factors in detail.

Experience and skill level

Video editing costs typically reflect the editor's skill level and experience. The range of editors spans from casual social media creators to seasoned professional videographers. For basic projects, such as formatting a smartphone video for YouTube, a beginner might suffice. However, for commercial ads or high-quality productions, you'll likely need an experienced expert skilled in advanced editing techniques.

How do you match the freelancer with the right skills and experience to your budget and needs? Start by considering your project requirements and what skill set your editor must possess, including the following:

• Platform: Is your editor experienced with your video's intended distribution platform (YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, your website, local television, etc.)?

• Length: How long will your video be, and does your editor specialize in videos of that length?

• Industry: What industry does your brand serve, and is your editor experienced with that industry?

• Market: Who is the target audience for your video?

• Type of content: What is the topic of your video?

• Video format: Are you editing an ad, promo video, documentary, explainer video?

• Video tone: Will your video be informative, persuasive, humorous, or entertaining?

• Pre-production: Do you need an editor to help you plan your video script writing, storyboards, or shots?

• Production: Do you need an editor to advise on technical aspects of shooting your video, such as lighting or sound?

• Post-production: Will your editor handle visual editing, sound editing, special effects, and animation?

• Project management: Will your editor need to work with other members of your videography or marketing team?

Answering these questions will help you define the qualities you need in a video editor. To help you evaluate a video editor’s skills and experience, start by checking out Fiverr and reviewing their profile, where they describe their experience and list their skills.

On Fiverr, you can also see what types of projects (gigs) they do, portfolio samples of past work, and client reviews. You can communicate with editors to ask specific questions.

Project length and complexity

Video editors base their pricing on the length and complexity of your project, as both factors influence the time and effort required. While a simple project may take only a few hours, editing can be time-intensive—typically, one minute of finished video may require 1–2 hours of editing, or more for complex projects. Longer videos or those requiring advanced techniques naturally demand more labor, increasing the cost.

As a quick reference, here’s a breakdown of video length guidelines by platform to help you with your estimate:

• YouTube: Videos can be up to 15 minutes for standard accounts and longer for verified accounts.

• TikTok: Videos can be up to 10 minutes (recorded in-app) or 60 minutes (uploaded). TikTok recommends 21–34 seconds for In-Feed ads.

• Facebook: Feed, Marketplace, and Search videos can be up to 240 minutes. In-Stream videos: 5 seconds to 10 minutes. Stories: 1–120 seconds.

• Instagram: Videos can range from 1 to 120 seconds across Feed, Stories, and Explore, with best practices varying by format.

• X: Standard videos are up to 140 seconds. X Premium allows up to 4 hours (1080p) or 2–4 hours (720p) for videos under 16GB. Ads are best at 6–15 seconds.

Video editors assess more than just length—they also evaluate the project’s complexity. While cutting scenes and adding transitions are relatively quick tasks, more intricate work can take significantly longer. Complex edits may include:

• Rearranging or inserting scenes

• Video stabilization, cropping, or motion tracking

• Masking, color correction, and grading

• Audio editing, captions, or special effects

• Animation and advanced lighting adjustments

Given the labor involved, even a short, high-quality video can require significant editing time. For example, a polished 3-minute video might take 6–12 hours or more, depending on the complexity.

By understanding your project’s requirements—both in length and complexity—and factoring in the time investment for editing, you can better communicate your needs to the editor and budget accordingly.

Turnaround time

Turnaround time significantly impacts pricing, especially if you need your video edited on a tight deadline. 

Most video editors charge a base price based on a standard timeline, but many offer expedited services for an additional fee. 

For example, on Fiverr, editors can set premium rates for express 24-hour delivery, 3-day delivery, or 7-day delivery options.

Software and equipment

Video editors rely on specialized software and hardware to deliver high-quality results. While clients don’t typically pay for these tools directly, the costs are often reflected in the editor’s overall pricing. High-end video editing software, audio editing tools, and professional-grade equipment are significant investments editors must recoup through their fees.

If your project requires tools outside the editor’s standard setup—such as specific software, plugins, or equipment—this may lead to additional charges. For example, asking an editor to work with unfamiliar software or requiring them to purchase a new tool could increase their fee. It’s always a good idea to discuss software and equipment requirements upfront to avoid surprises and ensure compatibility with your project’s needs.

Typical pricing models for video editors

Video editors use several common pricing models when quoting your rates. The most common pricing models use hourly, per-project, and retainer arrangements.

Hourly rates

Some video editors charge a straightforward per-hour fee. Today, video editors working for employers averaged $31.28 per hour. Entry-level editors earned slightly over half this amount, while top editors earned over twice as much. Freelance rates, however, can vary widely based on experience, project complexity, and market demand.

Hourly rates are often quoted for routine projects where the labor required is predictable. For example, tasks like trimming raw footage, adding transitions, or basic edits to create a polished video generally fall into this category. This pricing structure provides transparency for clients while helping editors account for the time needed to complete the work.

Per-project pricing

Other video editors charge per project rather than per hour. For example, editors may charge a fixed fee for producing explainer videos, ecommerce videos, or wedding videos.

When editors charge per project, they frequently base prices on video length, quoting prices per minute of edited footage. For example, a Fiverr editor producing a social media marketing video might charge anywhere from $10 to $100 per minute. Note that this refers to minutes of edited footage, not minutes of work, in contrast to hourly rates. It may take your editor many hours of work to produce a few minutes of edited video.

Video editors often quote per-project rates when they're uncertain how much labor will be involved in producing the final product. This reduces the risk of underestimating how much labor will be required. Highly customized projects involve more variables than routine tasks, lending themselves better to per-project pricing.

Video editors often quote per-project rates for tasks requiring a high level of expertise. Experienced editors can complete tasks quickly that might take a beginner much longer. In these cases, you pay for the editor's skill and efficiency rather than the time spent.

Retainer agreements

With a retainer agreement, you pay a regular down payment on future services that may be billed hourly or per project. Your editor may charge additional fees earned after work gets completed, depending on actual labor. Your down payment gets held as unearned until work has been completed. You may be refunded if your fee remains unused. Retainers typically get billed monthly.

Your retainer down payment assures that your work receives priority from your editor. This arrangement can be beneficial if you anticipate ongoing work from the same video editor.

Fiverr Pro offers retainer arrangements for project management services to help assemble teams of freelance talent. Hiring can be per hour or per project for either long or short terms. This can be valuable for larger editing projects or for ongoing projects where video editing forms part of your workflow. Fiverr Pro clients enjoy a money-back satisfaction guarantee.

Average costs for different types of video editing

So, what can you expect to pay for video editing? On Fiverr, video editors use a per-project pricing model, charging per minute of edited footage or per several minutes. 

For example, an editor might charge $30 a minute for a music video or $100 for a 3-minute wedding video. Different types of projects incur different fees. Here's an idea of what different jobs cost:

Basic editing

Basic editing involves standard tasks such as:

• Cutting scenes from raw footage

• Rearranging scenes

• Adding transitions

A basic video editing job averages $65 total on Fiverr.

Advanced editing

Advanced editing involves tasks such as:

• Creating special effects

• Synchronizing music tracks with visuals

• Adding captions

• Inserting visual effects

For advanced editing, you might pay $60 and up. High-end commercial videos may cost as much as $450 a minute.

Specialized editing

Specialized editing involves videos for specific media or markets or videos with special features. Specialized editing jobs can include:

• Social media videos: $10 a minute and up

• Video ads: $10 a minute and up

• YouTube videos: $5 a minute and up

• Explainer videos: $5 for 30 minutes and up

• Wedding videos: $5 for 2 minutes and up

• Music videos: $10 a minute and up

• Corporate videos: $10 a minute and up

• E-learning videos: $25 for 3 minutes and up

• Special effects (SFX): $5 and up

• Animation: $10 and up

• Visual effects (VFX): $15 and up

These prices represent a low-end baseline. Editors with more experience and higher skills may charge significantly more.

How to choose the right video editor for your budget

Now that you understand your project’s costs, it’s time to find the right editor for your budget. Here’s how to get started.

List your requirements

Start your search by answering some questions that help you define what you're looking for, including the following:

• What type of video are you creating (YouTube, TikTok, social media, video ads, etc.)?

• How many minutes of footage will the editor work on?

• What edits do you require (clipping, transitions, soundtrack, etc.)?

• Do you need specialized features (animation, visual effects, captions, etc.)?

As you work through these questions, add any additional custom requirements that come to mind.

Which skills does your editor need to meet your requirements?

In light of your project's requirements, consider what type of skills your editor needs to achieve your goals. Fiverr allows video editors to list skills in their profiles. This provides a profession-based catalog that lets you search for skills rather than just services. Important skill areas to consider include:

• Video format (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc.)

• Video editing software (Adobe Premiere, Apple Final Cut, Movavi, etc.)

• Video editing techniques (video editing, music editing, captioning)

Also, consider whether you need an editor with beginner, advanced, or expert proficiency. Fiverr uses a level system to summarize freelancer experience for you. Fiverr freelancers progress from Level 1 to Level 2 to Top Rated tiers as they gain experience completing client projects.

To assist you with matching your requirements to the right editor, Fiverr provides an AI tool called Neo. Neo lets you use natural language to describe your requirements in your own words. It then follows up with questions to hone your requirements. After you've provided input, Neo will recommend the best match for your project.

You don't have to go with Neo's first recommendation. You have the option of seeing additional options. You can even send your project brief to multiple freelancers. You're not committed to any particular editor until you place an order.

What is your budget?

With your project requirements and editor skill requirements in mind, consider your budget. Compare your available budget to the number of minutes you need edited. This will tell you how much you can afford to pay per minute of editing. 

Note: Fiverr now offers an hourly rate hiring option for ongoing projects.

When is your deadline?

Finally, consider your project deadline. This can affect your costs if you need a project done on an expedited basis.

Hire a video editor today on Fiverr

Now that you know what goes into pricing video editing services and how to choose an editor, you're ready to start looking for one.

Fiverr helps you find competitive rates from a wide range of talent to meet the needs of any project.Explore Fiverr's video editing services and find the perfect editor for your project and budget.

Video editor costs FAQs

How much does video editing cost?

Video editing costs $65 for an average project. Pricing varies with editor experience, project length, editing complexity, turnaround time, and software and equipment costs.

How do video editors set prices?

Video editors typically charge by the project per minute of edited footage. Some editors charge per hour or by retainer fee.

How do I find someone to edit my videos?

Fiverr's freelance talent pool provides you with on-demand access to professional video editors. You can search for editors by service, skills, software expertise, experience, industry, language, location, price, turnaround time, and other criteria.

How do I pick the right video editor?

Select your video editor by fitting your project's requirements and budget to your editor's skills, experience, pricing, and turnaround options. Fiverr's Neo AI tool lets you use natural language input to match your project requirements with recommended video editors.