How much does YouTube video editing cost?

What you are paying for

Editing is time and judgment. An editor watches your footage, chooses what stays, fixes the sound, sets the pace and adds whatever the video needs on screen. Several things change how much of that work there is:

• The amount of raw footage. A long, rambling recording takes longer to sort than a tidy short take, even when both end up the same length.
• The length and type of the finished video. A talking-head upload is simpler than a tutorial with screen recordings, B-roll and callouts.
• The polish you want: plain cuts and clean audio, or motion graphics, sound design and careful color work.
• Delivery time. A tight deadline can narrow your choice of sellers or add to the price.
• Revisions. A package states how many are included, and that number is part of the price.

How packages are set up

Most gigs here sell a fixed package for one video, usually in a basic, standard and premium version. The versions differ in the length of video covered, the number of revisions, the delivery time and what is added, such as captions or an intro.

Extras are priced separately, and they count toward your total only if you select them. If you need a series, for example one video a week, a seller can send a custom offer that covers several videos for one agreed price, so ask for that rather than ordering one by one.

What gigs here cost

Typical gigs here price a basic package of one edited YouTube video at $25 to $120, with a delivery time of 2 to 3 days. Each gig shows its own prices and delivery times, and those are the ones you pay and plan around.

Delivery time counts from when work starts, and work starts once your payment is confirmed and the gig's questions are answered. A long or complicated video can fall outside a basic package, so check the length limit in each version before you choose.

How to compare two offers

A lower price is not a worse editor, and a higher price is not a better one. Compare like with like.

1. 1

   Match the length and the deliverables

   Check that both offers cover your video length and the same things: captions, music, an intro, a vertical cut for Shorts. A cheap package that leaves out half of what you need is not cheap.

2. 2

   Match the revisions and the delivery time

   One revision and three more differ in more than price. Think about how many rounds of changes your videos usually need and when you plan to post.

3. 3

   Look at the work and the reviews

   Open the seller's profile, watch samples and read the reviews of past buyers. A review that describes a job like yours says more than a rating alone.

Compare gigs side by side

Keeping the price sensible

You do not need to cut quality to spend less. Most savings come from making the editor's job easier:

• Send tidy files in one folder, with a note on which takes to use.
• Share a short brief and one or two reference videos so the first cut is close.
• Collect your feedback into one list per round instead of sending it in pieces.
• Plan a series early, so the seller can offer one price for all of it.

When a draft arrives, watch it fully and answer in one message. A delivery you do not answer is accepted automatically after 3 days, so set time aside to review it when it arrives.

Before you order

• I know the length and type of my finished video, and where it will be posted.
• I have chosen the package that covers my length, captions and music.
• I know how many revisions I expect to need.
• I know whether I need a thumbnail, and I am buying it separately if so.
• If I have several videos, I have asked for a custom offer.

Questions people ask