Pricing and quotation guide
Business video editing cost
Video editing cost depends less on the finished length than on the work behind it: how much footage must be reviewed, how complex the story is, how much sound and colour work is needed, whether titles and graphics are added, how captions are produced and how many versions are exported. A one-minute video from a single, well-recorded interview is quick. A two-minute event highlights edit from several hours of footage across cameras takes much longer. Music licences and stock footage are extra.
This guide covers cost drivers, edit types, pricing approaches, footage volume, comparing quotes and judging value.
Illustrative diagram
What drives editing cost
- Footage volume
- More hours to review, more time.
- Story complexity
- Several speakers or locations take longer to shape.
- Sound and colour
- Problem audio and mixed cameras add work.
- Titles and graphics
- Name titles are quick; custom graphics take longer.
- Captions and versions
- Checked captions and each format add time.
Costs paid to third parties (separate from our fees)
- Filming
- Music licences
- Stock footage
- Motion graphics or animation
Ask whether the quote assumes a certain amount of footage.
Edit types compared
| Edit | Relative cost |
|---|---|
| Single interview, trimmed, captions | Lower |
| Short promotional edit from a planned shoot | Moderate |
| Event highlights from hours of footage | Higher |
| Series of videos with shared style | Lower per video after the first |
How editing is priced
Per video
Suits you when
- Scope clear
Watch out for
- Footage assumed
- Review rounds
- Versions
Day rate
Suits you when
- Footage or scope uncertain
Watch out for
- Estimate of days
- Time reporting
Series or monthly
Suits you when
- Regular videos
Watch out for
- Videos per month
- Turnaround
Footage volume
Every minute of footage has to be watched at least once. Three hours of event footage for a two-minute highlights video involves far more viewing and choosing than ten minutes for a one-minute clip. Marking the best moments yourself, or sending only relevant clips, reduces the cost.
Sound and colour
Well-recorded audio and consistent lighting keep this work light. Noisy audio, very different levels between speakers or footage from several cameras with mismatched colour takes more time to fix, and may never be perfect.
Example: a series for an estate agent
Illustrative example — not a client case study
Situation: An estate agent wants a short walkthrough video for each new property listing.
- The first video sets the style, titles and music, quoted on its own.
- Later videos are quoted at a lower per-video rate using the same style.
- Captions and a vertical version for social posts are included in each.
What this shows: The cost per video fell once the style was set. This example is illustrative.
Comparing quotes
Check the footage assumed, finished length, sound and colour work, titles and graphics, how captions are produced and checked, the number of versions, review rounds, music and stock licences and turnaround.
Judging the value
Value shows in videos that get used: on your website, in sales conversations, in social posts and presentations. Look at how often each video is used and whether it answers questions customers would otherwise ask. Note where each video is used and how often.
Keeping the cost down
Record clean sound, film extra footage to cut away to, mark the best moments, approve the story at rough cut and plan versions in the brief. For regular videos, agree a style once and reuse it.
Review rounds
Changes at the rough cut are quick; changes after sound, colour and captions are finished mean redoing work. Agree how many rounds are included at each stage and gather feedback from everyone involved before replying.
Captions
Automatic captions are quick but need checking, particularly for names and technical terms. Fully checked captions take longer but are more accurate. Ask which approach the quote assumes, and whether captions are supplied as a separate file, burned into the picture or both.
Versions and formats
Each additional version, such as a vertical cut for social media or a fifteen-second cutdown, needs reframing and checking. Plan the versions in the brief so they are quoted together; adding them later can cost more than doing them in one go.
Titles and graphics
Name titles, an opening title and a closing card in your brand add a little time. Custom animated graphics, such as a diagram that builds on screen, take considerably longer and may be better quoted as motion graphics. Decide which you need before asking for quotes.
Turnaround
Rush edits leave less time for review and checking and may cost more. Agree dates for the rough cut, fine cut and final delivery, and allow time for your own review at each stage.
Questions about business video editing cost
What affects video editing cost?
Footage volume, story, sound and colour, graphics, captions and versions.
Is a shorter video cheaper?
Not always; footage volume can matter more.
Are music licences included?
Check; they may be extra.
Is a series cheaper per video?
It can be, once the style is set.
How can we reduce the cost?
Clean sound, marked best moments and early approval.
How do we judge the value?
Whether the videos get used and answer questions.
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