Most videographers price commercial work the way they learned to price weddings — by guessing what feels reasonable and adjusting based on pushback. The result is pricing that undersells the work and attracts clients who will push for more. Here is how to set commercial rates based on scope, usage rights, and what the market actually supports.
Day Rates vs. Project Rates
Commercial videographers typically price either by the day or by the project. Day rates for experienced freelancers in Canada range from $600 to $2,000 depending on market, experience, and what is included. Project rates bundle shooting days, editing time, and deliverables into a single number. Project pricing is easier for clients to budget and easier for you to protect your editing time — because editing is where most videographers lose money.
When quoting a project rate, estimate shooting days, post-production hours, revision rounds, and any additional costs like travel or equipment rental. Then add a margin for the unexpected. Most projects run longer in post than the initial estimate.
Usage Rights Change the Price
A thirty-second brand film used once on a company's website is not the same as that film running as a paid ad across digital channels for two years. Commercial clients are often used to paying usage fees in addition to production costs. If you are not pricing for usage, you are leaving significant money on the table — and giving away something with real commercial value.
Include usage terms clearly in every contract. Specify the medium, the duration, and the geography. Broader usage commands a higher fee. Your contract should reflect that. For what to include, see videographer contracts: what to include and why it matters.
What Commercial Clients Expect to Pay
A one-day shoot with a standard deliverable — one to three edited videos, web usage rights — typically runs $1,500 to $4,000 all in for a solo videographer. Corporate clients with established video budgets often expect to spend more. Marketing agencies working with mid-sized brands are accustomed to $5,000 to $15,000 for multi-day productions. Small businesses producing their first video are frequently surprised by any number above $1,500, which usually signals a client who is not yet the right fit for your tier.
How to Present Pricing Without Losing the Project
Never send a number without context. A quote of $4,000 that arrives with no explanation loses to a $2,500 quote every time. A quote of $4,000 accompanied by a clear breakdown of shooting days, deliverables, revision rounds, and usage rights is a professional document that communicates value. Clients do not push back on prices they understand — they push back on prices that feel arbitrary.
Threecus makes it easy to send professional invoices and proposals that include full line-item breakdowns — so every quote you send looks polished and makes the case for your rate before the client even replies.
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