The short answer
| Option | Price listed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner freelancer | $10 to $40 per video | Veedyou |
| Intermediate freelancer | $40 to $150 per video | Veedyou |
| Professional or agency, per video | $150 to $500+ per video | Veedyou |
| Long-form video, 10 to 20 minutes | $80 to $200 | EditBuddy |
| Shorts | $15 to $50 each | EditBuddy |
| Monthly agency plans | $549 to $2,749 a month | Video Husky |
| Monthly agency plans | $2,799 to $7,299 a month | Sauce Media |
| Dedicated editor, offshore | $1,800 to $3,000 a month | Veedyou |
| Dedicated editor, US, fully loaded | $5,400 to $8,700 a month | Veedyou |
Three different things you can buy
A per-video freelancer edits what you send and hands it back. You do the planning, the brief and the quality check. Cheapest per video, most of your time.
A monthly agency plan buys a set number of videos a month, usually with an editor who learns your style, someone who manages the queue, and extras like Shorts or thumbnails. Sauce Media's Starter plan, for example, is $2,799 a month for three long videos, and its Creator plan is $4,499 for four videos plus 10 to 15 Shorts. Video Husky's plans run from $549 to $2,749 a month.
A dedicated editor works only on your channel. Veedyou puts that at $1,800 to $3,000 a month for an editor in a lower-cost market, and $5,400 to $8,700 a month for a US-based editor once payroll taxes, benefits and software are counted.
What actually moves the price
- Raw footage, not finished length. Two hours of rambling footage cut to 15 minutes is more work than 20 tight minutes cut to 15.
- Style. Clean talking-head cuts cost the least. Motion graphics, B-roll sourcing and sound design are where prices climb.
- Turnaround. EditBuddy notes that 24-hour rush jobs cost 50 to 100% more.
- Revisions. Veedyou estimates $50 to $150 extra per video when feedback rounds drag on.
- Music and stock. Budget about $20 to $80 per video for properly licensed assets, again per Veedyou.
- Shorts and thumbnails. Often sold as add-ons; EditBuddy lists $25 to $50 extra per Short cut from a long video.
Per video, monthly plan or a dedicated editor?
Count the videos you will actually publish in a month, including Shorts, and the hours you can give to managing an editor.
- One or two long videos a month: pay per video. A monthly plan will charge you for capacity you do not use.
- Four or more videos, plus Shorts: a monthly plan usually wins, because the per-video price drops and someone else runs the queue.
- Daily uploads or several formats: a dedicated editor, either hired or through an agency that assigns one person to you.
How to test an editor before you commit
- Give every candidate the same raw footage, so you compare editing, not luck with footage.
- Write a one-page brief: the reference videos you like, the length, what to cut, and how you want it to sound.
- Judge the first 30 seconds hardest. That is where most viewers decide to stay or leave.
- Ask why they made two or three of their cuts. Good editors have reasons.
- Check the second video, not just the first. Consistency is what you are paying for.
Where Cinemora fits
We do not list per-video prices. We cut a free Short from your best recent video first, then quote per format, so you are pricing something you have already seen. The studio has delivered more than 1,000 videos for over 50 clients since 2025, across long-form, Shorts, podcasts and ads.
Questions
Is it cheaper to edit my own videos?
Only if your time is cheap. EditBuddy's guide makes the point with simple math: if your time is worth $25 an hour, the hours a typical edit takes are worth $100 to $200, which is what many editors charge.
Should I pay per video or per month?
Per video while you publish one or two videos a month. Once you publish four or more, plus Shorts, monthly plans usually cost less per video and take the managing off your plate.
What should a YouTube editing brief include?
Two or three reference videos you like, the target length, what must be cut, the music and caption style, and the deadline. One page is enough.
Why do agency prices vary so much?
Because the plans include different things: number of videos, Shorts, thumbnails, strategy and turnaround. Compare what you get per month, not the headline price.
Sources
How this guide was madeDrafted with AI assistance at Cinemora. Every price is quoted from the page linked next to it, as published on 5 October 2026. Prices change, so check the source before you decide.