Every. Business. Needs. Copywriters. Any time you buy something, you read something first. And every time you read something, a copywriter wrote it.
Despite the fact every second grader learns writing skills, very few can do it well enough to make business impact. So becoming a freelance writer can make you a decent chunk of change.
The amount you can charge varies wildly depending on numerous factors. Read this article before selling copywriting services to make sure you value yourself right.
Even for experienced copywriters, setting rates is anything but an exact science.
Let's break down key determinants so you can calculate your copywriting rates easily and accurately.
In the context of copywriting rates, "Value" = "How much money, time, or both can I save my client, and how important is that in the grand scheme of things?"
Let's say you do SEO copywriting for B2B SaaS companies. One of your clients is a fast-growing competitor in the CRM space.
They're doing $1 million MRR. And up until they closed their Seed round, their CEO has been handling the blogs.
You — the copywriter — provide exponential value here:
If you took the same offer to a bootstrapped startup with no product/sales/marketing infrastructure, it wouldn't matter. Neil Patel could run their SEO. They'd be lucky to convert once from it.
In many ways, your niche is pegged to your ability to provide value. Certain niches demand higher rates than others.
When setting a rate for copywriting services, ask yourself, "Could anyone else write this?"
A B-level article about home decor can be written blindfolded. A long-form article about API integrations for a CRM can't.
The same copywriting job could have different costs depending on how well-versed you are in a certain area.
The most critical indicator of experience is client results. Not necessarily years in the game.
If you can say, "We've used this copywriting framework to craft 500 viral tweets for 150 CEOs and founders. The results? $2.5M in new sales," it doesn't matter if you've been working for 2 years or 10.
In a recent article, Peak Freelance co-founder Elise Dopson breaks down her process for writing $1,500 blog posts.
Depending on your copywriting services, research could mean topical breakdown, audience analysis, or A/B testing.
In any case, less guesswork equals higher rates.
Timeline and services rendered will play a huge role in how much you're able to charge.
Writing ad copy for a new product launch might seem simple on the surface. It actually requires several Zoom calls, working with design, trial and error, and A/B testing.
Even if you're writing just a few words, several says worth of work would have gone into them.
You can't charge much on freelancer marketplaces. Simple as that.
Upwork is hugely convenient (especially if you're starting without experience). But 10% of the money goes to the platform (and 5% on the client side).
Plus, it's like the Walmart of freelancers. It's practically guaranteed you won't reach your full value potential on there.
This is what your typical Upwork job posting looks like. $25 for an article? From an "expert"?
Finding copywriting clients privately (and eventually building a personal brand) is the best way to command higher copywriting rates.
Here's an example of a freelance writer who started with little experience turned agency owner.
In some of his posts, Joe gives useful insights into what he charges on a freelance basis. He also hints at what others in a similar position do.
Yes, he's among the more experienced writers. And yes, he's in the niche of all niches. But there's more to it.
Trust. This determines what you charge more than anything.
Depending on your experience and the writing services you offer, you might choose one pricing model over the other.
For copywriting services, value-based pricing is essentially success-based.
The premise is simple:
Both parties win. You get your money, and they get an ROI.
It's easy for clients to adopt because if they don't get paid, you don't either.
Value-based pricing is best for copywriters who write email marketing content, ad copy, landing pages, and service pages.
Word count is an easy way to balance the value you provide with the time it takes to provide it.
You can charge anywhere from $0.01 to $2 per word depending on the industry, complexity, and deadline.
But per-word rates don't incentivize conciseness — you might be delivering a longer article, not a better one.
And there's a slight lack of transparency with them.
A client might say "yes" to a $0.50-per-word article faster than they do the math in their head.
When they see the $1,500 invoice for a 3,000-word piece? Different story.
The flat fee is the holy grail of copywriting rates. It's way easier to make money when you productize.
It's also easier for your clients to budget for a flat rate. And it tells them you have your s#!t together. You've done this before.
On the flip side, you also need to have a system. You'll need to know for sure you can get a project done in enough time to be profitable.
Hourly freelance writing rates are somewhat less common among freelance writers (with good reason).
A quick look at Upwork data tells us freelance copywriters can expect to make between $19 and $45 per hour on the platform.
$45 per hour on the Upwork platform (which takes a fee) isn't even $85,000 per year. They need to stretch their hours if they want to put food on the table.
This underscores a critical flaw in the hourly pricing model: Hourly rates don't reward productivity.
They don't sound great to clients, either. If you tell a new prospect your rate is $300 per hour, they'll immediately think, "I pay my workforce 1/10th of that!"
Moral of the story: Don't set an hourly rate.
As a freelance copywriter, rates vary depending on the exact services you offer.
You’re writing tweets for CEOs, founders and creators who have money.
On average, you can get paid anywhere from $1,000 to $12,000 per month.How do I know this?
This is a type of copywriting business I chose to get into.
I scaled my Ghostwriting agency to $50,000/ month and I teach beginners how to scale to $10,000/month with my Ghostwriting mentorship program.
I’ve already helped over 117+ creators and many have quit their 9 to 5s.
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If you’re interested, check out this webinar.
SEO copywriting is one of the most common services out there. The "average rate" really depends on who you ask.
According to data from Peak Freelance, 25% of six-figure freelancers charge $1,500+ for a 1,500-word blog post. Most copywriters charge at least $600.
If you can get a blog post done in a few hours or less, you can easily average $300+ per hour.
On a per-word basis, the earnings potential is about the same.
Freelancing can be lucrative.
According to Elna Cain's Freelance Writing Stats and Facts report, 43.5% of freelance writers charge more than $0.21 per word.
If you can write a $1,500-word blog post in 2 hours, that means you make $225 per hour.
Long-form sales copy is a lengthy sales letter that converts visitors into customers, email subscribers, etc.
On average, sales copywriters charge the following rates per 500 words:
Product descriptions entail a much smaller scope, so they don't cost as much.
Most copywriters charge between $30 and $100 per product description. Expert copywriters don't charge more than $400 for a single product description.
The lower end usually consists of a few bullet points with minimal effort.
The higher end could involve SEO, research, and specific algorithmic knowledge (e.g., for an Amazon FBA store.
Website copywriting rates are usually much higher because of the complexity.
Website copywriting involves elements like SEO, UX/UI, A/B testing, and mobile optimization. That's why expert copywriters charge anywhere from $2,000 to tens of thousands for a website project.
On a per-page basis, insights from AWAI tell us it's customary to charge the following rates:
Landing pages are specific types of sales pages that act as a critical part of the conversion funnel. They're usually the next step in a text, PPC, or email marketing campaign.
Rates for landing pages are similar to those of other web pages. Professional copywriters will charge between $450 on the low end and $10,000 on the high end for a high-value page.
When I started my Twitter ghostwriting business, I was only making a few grand each month.
Over time, I developed a system, standardized things, and created an offer.
And as the results started pouring in, I upped my copywriting rates. Multiple clients were paying me upwards of $10,000/month.
But there's a lot of in-between that nobody sees. That's why I started to help others.
I’ve helped 117+ freelance copywriters get started, and many have earned more with it than I ever could.
If you want to raise your rates, produce 10x more (better) content, and scale your freelance business, I promise you. This cohort is for you.
Apply here.
I show you how to build a high-paying creative business without doing work you hate.
