| Description | Time | $ |
|---|---|---|
| Radio Commercial : Local | :15, :30 or :60 | 200 |
| Radio Commercial : Regional | :15, :30 or :60 | 300 |
| Radio Commercial : National Network | :15, :30 or :60 | 1000 |
| Radio Station Promotion / Station Imaging / Tags | :05, :15 or :30 | 200 |
| Public Service Announcement on Radio | :15, :30 or :60 | 200 |
| Description | Time | $ |
|---|---|---|
| Television Commercial : Local | :15, :30 or :60 | 300 |
| Television Commercial : Regional | :15, :30 or :60 | 500 |
| Television Commercial : National Network | :15, :30 or :60 | 2000 |
| Television Station Promotion / Station Imaging / Tags | :05, :15 or :30 | 300 |
| Public Service Announcement on Television | :15, :30 or :60 | 300 |
| Description | Time | $ |
|---|---|---|
| Television Commercial : Local / Regional | :15, :30 or :60 | 300 |
| Television Commercial : New York, LA, Chicago | :15, :30 or :60 | 300 |
| Television Commercial : National Network | :15, :30 or :60 | 2000 |
| Description | Time | $ |
|---|---|---|
| Cartoons and Animation Recordings | 1 Hour recording session | 300 |
| Each additional hour | 100 |
| Description | Time | $ |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Broadcast Industrial Recordings | Per minute | 100 |
| 00 to 05 minutes | 100-250 | |
| 06 to 15 minutes | 250-500 | |
| 16 to 30 minutes | 500-750 | |
| 31 to 45 minutes | 750-1000 | |
| 46 to 60 minutes | 1000-2500 | |
| 60 + minutes | Request Quote |
| Description | Time | $ |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Broadcast Industrial Recordings | Per minute | 100 |
| 00 to 05 minutes | 100-250 | |
| 06 to 15 minutes | 250-500 | |
| 16 to 30 minutes | 500-750 | |
| 31 to 45 minutes | 750-1000 | |
| 46 to 60 minutes | 1000-2500 | |
| 60 + minutes | Request Quote |
| Description | Time | $ |
|---|---|---|
| Audio Ads | :15, :30 | 100-250 |
| Audio Tags, Intros and Outros | :15, :30 or :60 | 100-250 |
| Interactive Media and Multimedia Recordings | 1 Hour recording session | 300 |
| Each additional hour | 100 | |
| 60 + minutes | Request Quote |
| Description | Time | $ |
|---|---|---|
| Podcast Commercial | :15, :30 | 100-250 |
| Podcast Bumpers and Sweepers | :15, :30 or :60 | 100-250 |
| Interactive Media and Multimedia Recordings | 1 Hour recording session | 300 |
| Each additional hour | 100 | |
| 60 + minutes | Request Quote |
| Description | Time | $ |
|---|---|---|
| Fiction and Non-Fiction Audiobook Recordings | Price per finished hour | 250-500 |
| Have more than 1 book? | Request Quote |
| Description | Time | $ |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Broadcast Educational Recordings | 1 Hour recording session | 250-500 |
| Each additional hour | 100 | |
| 60 + minutes | Request Quote |
| Description | Time | $ |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Broadcast Recordings | Per minute | 100 |
| 00 to 05 minutes | 100-250 | |
| 06 to 15 minutes | 250-500 | |
| 16 to 30 minutes | 500-750 | |
| 31 to 45 minutes | 750-1000 | |
| 46 to 60 minutes | 1000-2500 | |
| 60 + minutes | Request Quote |
| Description | Time | $ |
|---|---|---|
| Console Games, iPhone Games, iPad Games, Android Games | 1 Hour recording session | 300 |
| Each additional hour | 100 |
Voice-over is a field with thousands of opportunities ranging from commercial voice-over work to documentaries and everything in between. Voices.com is a voice actor’s best resource for voice-over jobs, no matter the industry or job.
Recording and editing a voice-over may be tricky at times, but its complexities are minimal compared to the sometimes difficult process of setting voice-over rates. These project rates are determined by a variety of factors, including the type of voice-over, how it is being used, the size of the intended audience, the length of the recording, and the experience level of the voice actor. Setting voice-over rates can be time consuming. That being said, Voices.com has prepared a handy chart detailing voice-over rates per word, per minute and per hour making it easier and faster for you to gauge what your voice-over recording may cost. The list is in alphabetical order, so scroll down to find the type of work you're looking to get done.
Because the scope of an audiobook recording session depends so much on the individual project, it is suggested that clients pay vocal artists $300 for the first hour of work and then another $100 for every finished hour thereafter.
Training videos are essential in the business world. Vocal artists are usually paid per finished minute of recording, with a going voice-over rate per minute of $100.
Cartoon voice-overs may involve narration, character acting or a combination of the two. The recommended rate is $300 for a one-hour recording session and another $100 for each additional hour.
The new teaching approach involves replacing traditional homework assignments with videos to watch at home — which means there's an increasing demand for educational video voice-overs. The base rate for a one-hour recording session is $300, with another $100 added for each additional hour of recording.
Only the best of the best in voice acting are able to snag movie trailer gigs, which is why the pay rate for these jobs is quite competitive. The pay for local or regional trailers is $300 for a 15 to 60 second recording. This increases to $500 in cities such as Chicago or New York. Movie trailers broadcast on a national scale require payment of at least $2000. Internet trailers are now also becoming popular for online-exclusive films; but like local trailers, these have a going rate of $300.
The make-or-break factor in a documentary is the talent of the narrator. A high-quality narrator should be paid $100 per minute, or $1500 for a 45-minute recording. As many documentaries are over an hour in length, special price quotes may be set for longer projects, based on the scope of the documentary.
Podcast recordings are split into three main categories: podcast commercials, bumpers and traditional podcasts. Aired during the middle of podcasts, podcast commercials are typically 15 or 30 seconds long. The advised rate per project is $150. Bumpers and sweepers are also between 15 and 30 seconds in length, and also have a going rate of $150 per project. The length of the actual podcast may vary, but in general, vocal artists are paid $300 per hour of recording.
The main objective of the voice-over talent recording a radio commercial is to be succinct. So, radio commercials are paid in increments of 15, 30 or 60 seconds. A minimum rate of $200 is advised for local radio commercials, while those being broadcast across the nation should have a minimum pay rate of $1,000.
In addition to training videos, businesses also need voice-overs for their customer service lines. The suggested rate for this type of voice-over work is $100 per minute, or $1500 for a 45-minute recording.
As with radio commercials, pay for television commercials is provided for voice-overs between 15 and 60 seconds long. Due to demand, pay for TV commercials is generally higher, with voice-over artists working for $300 per local market project and at least $2,000 for national campaigns
As with cartoons, narration and character acting both come into play for video game voice-overs. The $300 base rate also applies to this type of voice-over work.
As mentioned earlier, voice-over work is often priced per project, although certain industries may require a per-hour setup. Ultimately, the ideal pay scheme will depend on the length of the project and the extent to which voice actors are asked to make edits and adjustments. If more than one voice actor is present during the recording (as is often the case for cartoons and video games), a per-hour scheme may be more prudent.
Talented voice actors may be eligible to join one of several unions, including the Screen Actor's Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). These unions set rates for their workers and do not allow members to work non-union jobs. The rates for union voice-overs are often more expensive.
Determining project pricing is difficult, but not impossible. Take the above factors into consideration as you negotiate a price that is fair to both the voice-over actor and the client.