Voiceover for social media videos: what it costs

Key takeaways

Voiceover for social media videos costs the voice artist's fee plus agency time to script, brief and edit, typically 1 to 3 hours or an indicative £75–£300 a video. Artist fees vary with length and how widely the ad runs, so get them quoted directly. AI voices are cheaper but suit simple explainer content better than brand adverts.

• Agency time: £75–£300 a video, indicative.
• Voice artist fee: quoted by the artist, varies with usage.
• AI voices: subscription, best for simple explainers.
• Your own voice is often the most trusted option.

What does a voiceover job involve?

A voiceover job covers writing the script, choosing a voice, briefing the artist on tone and pronunciation, recording, then editing the audio to the video with music and captions. For paid adverts, it also covers agreeing usage: where and for how long the recording can run.

• Social media agency pricing in the UK
• Social media video production costs in the UK

How much does a voiceover cost?

Agency time for script, briefing and audio edit is usually 1 to 3 hours, about £75–£300 a video. The artist's fee is separate and depends on length, number of versions and usage, so get it in writing before recording. Broader paid usage normally costs more than organic posting.

• Script and brief: 1 hour, £75–£100.
• Audio edit to video: 1 to 2 hours, £75–£200.
• Artist fee: quoted directly, depends on usage.
• AI voice tool: check current subscription prices.

• Creator usage rights: what paid reuse of content costs

Should you use an AI voice?

AI voices are quick and cheap for product walkthroughs, internal training and simple explainers. For brand adverts, a human voice usually sounds more trustworthy. Check the tool's licence covers commercial use, and never clone a real person's voice without written permission.

When is a voiceover not worth paying for?

If the owner or a team member can speak naturally to camera, that often builds more trust than a polished narrator. A voiceover earns its cost on animated videos, product demos and adverts where a consistent, clear voice matters more than a familiar face.

• Talking-head video: should the owner be on camera?

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: a firm pays for a polished voiceover, then wants to run the same advert for a year, which the original licence did not cover. Agreeing usage at the start usually costs less than renegotiating later.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Voiceover checklist

• Write and time the script before booking.
• Spell out names and terms phonetically.
• Agree usage: platforms, paid or organic, duration.
• Get the artist fee in writing.
• Caption the video as well.

• Subtitles and accessible social content: what they cost
• Music licensing for business social media: the cost

Next step

Decide whether the video needs a voice at all, or a person on camera. Then script it before asking for quotes.