TransformerA rate card is a short price list brands can read in one glance: your price for each format (on X, a post, a thread and a video), what's included, and what costs extra, such as ad usage rights or exclusivity. A common starting point for X is about $2 per 1,000 followers per post; adjust up for a valuable niche and strong engagement. Raise your rates when demand or results justify it, typically after a few deals or every six to twelve months.
What should an influencer rate card include?
| Item | Example for X |
|---|---|
| Who you are | "iOS developer, posts about SwiftUI and indie apps" |
| Your audience | Followers, who they are, where they are |
| Engagement | Typical replies, reposts or clicks on recent posts |
| Prices per format | Post, thread, video |
| What's included | Your own words, one round of factual corrections, the Paid partnership label, the post stays up |
| Add-ons | Ad usage per 30 days, exclusivity, rush delivery |
| Bundles | E.g. three posts over a month at a discount |
| Terms | Posting window, how you're paid, contact |
How do brands read an influencer rate card?
- Check the price per format against the benchmark for the creator's size and platform.
- See what's included: posting window, how long the post stays up, revisions, disclosure.
- Look for add-ons priced separately: ad usage, exclusivity, rush delivery. If ad usage isn't listed, it isn't included.
- Compare with results, not just price: engagement on recent posts and any past sponsored-post results.
- Treat it as a starting point. Bundles, a smaller scope or a commission on tracked sales can change the price.
How do you price each format on X?
- Start from your follower count. Meltwater's 2026 guide cites a rule of thumb of about $2 per 1,000 followers per X post.
- Adjust for niche. B2B, finance and developer audiences are worth more to advertisers; price above the rule of thumb if your followers are people brands pay to reach.
- Adjust for engagement. Consistent replies and clicks justify a premium.
- Price threads and videos higher than a single post: they take more work and usually hold attention longer.
- Check against what brands offer. On Transformer, brands' default prices for one X post are:
| Followers on X | Brand pays per post | You receive (80%) |
|---|---|---|
| under 5,000 | $50 | $40 |
| 5,000–24,999 | $125 | $100 |
| 25,000–99,999 | $250 | $200 |
| 100,000–499,999 | $625 | $500 |
More benchmarks across platforms are in How much do influencers charge per post?
What should you charge for add-ons?
- Ad usage rights: 2026 benchmarks put paid usage at about 15–30% of your base fee per 30 days, and ads run from your own handle (whitelisting) at about 25–50% per 30 days. See Influencer usage rights explained.
- Exclusivity: charge for the deals you'd have to turn down, and limit it to a short period and a narrow category.
- Rush delivery: a premium for posting on short notice.
How much should a creator charge for their first brand deal?
Charge the benchmark for your size, not less. A first deal is about proving you deliver, so pick a brand you'd genuinely recommend, price at your tier, and deliver well. Undercharging sets a low anchor for the next brand. If a brand's budget is tight, trim the scope (one post instead of three, no ad usage) before you cut your price, or ask for a commission on tracked sales on top of a smaller fee.
How often should creators raise their rates?
When the evidence supports it:
- your audience has grown noticeably since you set the rate;
- you have results to show from past sponsored posts;
- brands accept your rate immediately, every time (a sign it's low);
- you're turning down deals because you're fully booked.
Review your rate card every six to twelve months, or after every few deals, and update it whenever your audience or results change.
How often should creators update their rate card?
Whenever your follower count, engagement or formats change, and at least once or twice a year. Keep the prices on your profile current: brands use them to decide whether to send an offer.
How should a creator negotiate a brand deal?
- Know your number before the conversation, from your rate card.
- Ask what's included: the deliverable, the posting window, ad usage and exclusivity.
- Trade scope, not value. If the budget is lower, offer less (fewer posts, no ad rights) rather than the same for less.
- Ask for upside: a commission on tracked sales.
- Get it in writing: deliverable, payout, timing, usage and when you're paid.
- Say no politely to deals that don't fit your audience. Your audience's trust is what brands are paying for.
Rate cards on Transformer
Transformer is the agentic influencer marketplace: real creators, paid on verified posts. Run it from the dashboard or from your agent.
- Your profile shows a rate card next to your headline, niches and recent posts, and Transformer uses it when it suggests a price to brands.
- Brands send offers with a price and a short ask for one X post with the Paid partnership label; you accept the ones that fit and decline the rest. A brand can send a new offer if you decline.
- Payment protection: once you accept, the brand pays before you post; the payment is held and released once your post is verified.
- You keep 80%. Payouts by PayPal or USDC, from $10.
Sign up with X and set your rate card.
FAQ
What is an influencer rate card?
A short price list from a creator: what each format costs (on X, a post, a thread, a video), what's included, and what costs extra, such as ad usage or exclusivity.
How do brands read an influencer rate card?
Compare each price with the benchmark for the creator's size, check what's included and which add-ons are extra, look at recent engagement and past results, and treat it as a starting point for the offer.
What should an influencer rate card include?
Who you are and who your audience is, engagement, prices for each format (on X: post, thread, video), what's included, add-ons such as ad usage and exclusivity, bundles, and your terms.
How much should I charge per post on X?
A common starting point is about $2 per 1,000 followers per post, adjusted up for a valuable niche and strong engagement. On Transformer, brands' default prices run from $50 per post under 5,000 followers to $625 at 100,000–499,999; creators keep 80%.
How much should a creator charge for their first brand deal?
The benchmark for their size. Trim the scope rather than the price if a brand's budget is tight, and consider a commission on tracked sales.
How often should creators raise their rates?
When the evidence supports it: audience growth, results from past posts, or brands accepting immediately every time. Review the rate card every six to twelve months.
How should a creator negotiate a brand deal?
Know your number, ask what's included, trade scope rather than value, ask for a commission as upside, get the terms in writing, and decline deals that don't fit your audience.