How we calculate the estimates

This page explains the approach shared by all four calculators: how an estimate is built, where each figure comes from, how much confidence it deserves and what we would rather not propose at all.

The starting principle

There is no universal rate for a creator's work. Two people with the same audience can legitimately charge very different prices: the sector, the country, the exclusivity requested, the production workload or simply their negotiating position.

That is why these tools do not return a price but a reasoned estimate: a range built from the variables that can actually be put in order. The result is indicative and meant to prepare a negotiation, not to close one.

How an estimate is built

Starting references: Ranges with their nature and confidence level declared, published on the sources page together with their review date.
Editable assumptions: Everything the calculator takes for granted is visible and adjustable. If an assumption does not match your situation, you change it.
Assignment variables: What you enter: format, deliverables, deadline, distribution channels, exclusivity and the rest of the specific terms.
A range, not a single figure: The result is shown as an interval, because an exact number would suggest a precision that does not exist.

Where each number comes from

Every value in the calculators declares its nature. There are four, and they mean different things:

From a source: The figure is taken directly from an identifiable reference, listed on the sources page.
Derived: No single published figure exists, but several references agree on an order of magnitude and we synthesised a range transparently.
Our own heuristic: It is our own criterion, with no external source behind it. We say so plainly, and it can always be edited inside the calculator.
No preset: We propose no value because we found no evidence supporting one. The field arrives empty and you fill it in.

How much confidence we give it

Nature says where a number comes from; confidence says how much weight we put on it. Four levels again:

High: Several references agree, or the value is a definition of the model itself rather than a market observation.
Medium: There is reasonable evidence, but it comes from partial samples or from markets that are not exactly yours.
Medium-low: The evidence is indirect or the observed dispersion is wide. Useful to orient yourself, not to set a price.
Low: It is mostly our own criterion. Always check it against comparable deals before using it.

What we withdrew for lack of evidence

In the reference review of 24 August 2026 we removed several values we had been proposing. None has been replaced by another:

The YouTube sponsorship CPM. There is no published reference on brand-deal pricing we could stand behind, so you enter all three CPMs yourself.
The ratio between a dedicated video and an integration. A dedicated video is usually negotiated higher, but we found no evidence of a universal ratio.
The percentages for six- and twelve-month paid usage licences. Thirty and ninety days stay; for longer terms you set the range.
Any multiplier by platform, by average engagement or by territory. They are recorded and commented on, but they move no figure.

What these calculators are not

They are not financial, tax or legal advice.
They do not replace a contract or a professional review.
They do not know your sector, your client history or your negotiating position.
They do not guarantee that a brand will accept the resulting price.
They do not convert currencies: if you switch currency, the amounts are read in the currency you picked with no exchange rate applied.
They do not include taxes, withholdings or platform and agency fees unless explicitly stated.

Review and changes

The latest reference review is dated 24 August 2026 (2026-08-24), and that date appears under every methodology table. References are reviewed periodically: when a figure changes, it is logged on the sources and updates page.

If a review finds no sufficient evidence for a value, that value is withdrawn and the field becomes a manual one. We would rather leave a field empty than show a figure we cannot justify.

If you spot an error or have a better source than ours, you can write to us from the contact page.