Deliverable rates
Instagram Story rates
Stories price in two units in the model: the set of 3 frames ($300 at 25,000 followers) and the single frame ($125). Brands buy both, and confusing the two units is how Story work gets underpriced by two thirds.
| Followers | Floor | Your number | Strong ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5k | $40 | $45 | $55 |
| 5k to 10k | $65 | $75 | $95 |
| 10k to 25k | $150 | $175 | $225 |
| 25k to 50k | $250 | $300 | $375 |
| 50k to 100k | $400 | $475 | $600 |
| 100k to 250k | $775 | $900 | $1,125 |
| 250k to 500k | $1,400 | $1,650 | $2,075 |
| 500k to 1M | $2,425 | $2,850 | $3,575 |
| 1M+ | $4,600 | $5,400 | $6,750 |
| Followers | Floor | Your number | Strong ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5k | $15 | $20 | $25 |
| 5k to 10k | $25 | $30 | $40 |
| 10k to 25k | $60 | $70 | $90 |
| 25k to 50k | $100 | $125 | $150 |
| 50k to 100k | $175 | $200 | $250 |
| 100k to 250k | $325 | $375 | $475 |
| 250k to 500k | $600 | $700 | $875 |
| 500k to 1M | $1,025 | $1,200 | $1,500 |
| 1M+ | $1,925 | $2,250 | $2,825 |
Assumptions, in one line: Instagram, the baseline niche (Lifestyle, 1.0x), about-average engagement, before usage and exclusivity. A Story set is 3 frames by the model's definition; a single frame prices at 0.25x the base rate and a set at 0.6x.
Sets, frames, and the swipe-up problem
A Story brief that says '3 Stories' almost always means 3 frames of one sequence: the hook, the product, the link. That is the model's Story set, one priced unit. A brief that wants one frame inside your regular Story flow is the single frame, a different and smaller unit. Quote the unit by name and the confusion never starts.
Stories carry no usage line in most deals (they expire), which is exactly why brands ask for the frames as files afterwards. The moment a brand wants the frames for its own channels, that is a UGC or usage conversation, priced separately.
Where this goes wrong
- Hearing 'Stories' and pricing one frame when the brief wants a 3-frame set with a link sticker.
- Throwing Stories in free with a Reel. The set is 0.6x the base rate; at 25,000 followers that is a real line, not a garnish.
- Sending the raw frames as a courtesy. Files the brand can repost are content, and content is priced.
Questions, answered with numbers
How much should I charge for one Story set?
In the pricing model at baseline rates: $300 at 25,000 followers (floor $250, strong ask $375), $45 under 5,000 followers, and $900 at 100,000 to 250,000. Your niche and engagement adjust it from there, and the calculator runs your exact version.
Does one Story set include usage rights?
No. The Story set (3 frames) price is the content and the posting. Usage (the brand running it as an ad or reposting it) is a separate line, priced as a percentage of the video: 25% for 30 days up to 300% for forever. The usage rights page prices every term on one worked example.
How many frames are in a Story set?
Three, by the model's definition: the standard sequence of hook, product, and link or call to action. A brief asking for more frames prices as a set plus single frames, or as two sets when the sequence is really two stories.