Rates
What to Charge for a Sponsored Post: A Food Creator Rate Guide
A simple, defensible way to price sponsored content — plus the add-ons most creators forget to charge for.
Short answer
A common starting benchmark for a sponsored post is roughly $10–$20 per 1,000 followers, adjusted up for strong engagement or a valuable niche — so a food creator with 10k engaged followers might charge $150–$300 for a single post, more for a bundle. But follower-based math is only a floor: price on engagement and deliverables, bundle formats (a Reel plus stories), and always charge extra for usage rights, exclusivity, and whitelisting. Food and recipe creators command a premium because their content drives real purchase intent.
A starting formula (a floor, not a ceiling)
A widely used heuristic is ~$10–$20 per 1,000 followers per post. For a 10k-follower food creator that's roughly $150–$300 for one post. Treat this as a starting point and adjust up for high engagement, a tight niche, or strong past results.
What actually moves your rate
- Engagement rate — a 6% account is worth far more than a 1% account of the same size.
- Deliverables — a Reel + 3 stories + a link is a bundle, not one post; price accordingly.
- Usage rights & whitelisting — letting the brand run your post as an ad from their account is worth a lot; charge 1.5–3× on top.
- Exclusivity — agreeing not to work with competitors for a period is a real cost — bill for it.
Don't undercharge — the common mistakes
- Quoting one post when the brief is really a bundle.
- Forgetting usage rights (the single most under-charged item).
- Accepting "exposure" or free product in place of pay for real work.
- Never raising rates — bump them as your engagement and portfolio grow.
Brand deals are lumpy — add something steady
Sponsored posts pay once and require constant pitching. MomRise pays you a share of every subscription your audience buys — recurring income between deals. Free to join.
Apply to the MomRise creator program →Frequently asked questions
Is the $10–$20 per 1,000 followers rule reliable?
It's a starting floor, not a rule. Engagement, niche, deliverables, and usage rights matter more — a smaller, highly engaged food account can command well above the follower-based number.
Should I charge more for usage rights?
Yes — usage rights (especially letting a brand run your content as a paid ad) are the most commonly under-charged item. Add 1.5–3× the base rate depending on scope and duration.
What if a brand offers free product instead of payment?
Gifting can be fine for a product you love or to build a first relationship, but it isn't payment for real production work. For anything beyond a simple post, charge — free product doesn't pay bills.
How do I justify my rate to a brand?
Lead with engagement and results, not just follower count: saves, shares, comments, and any past conversions. A one-page media kit with those numbers makes the rate easy to accept.