Quick answer: on our own marketplace, counted on 22 September 2026, the median Instagram Reel is listed at ₹4,200, with half of the 42 live Reel packages between ₹1,000 and ₹7,000. A Story runs a median of ₹1,300 and a feed post ₹1,000, both on much smaller counts. These are prices creators list, not invoices that settled. Engagement, niche and usage rights move every one of them. The table and how to quote are below.
The most common question new creators ask, and the one brands hope you never learn the answer to. Undercharge and you leave money on the table; overcharge with no justification and you lose the deal. Here is what creators actually list on our own marketplace in 2026, and how to move your own number up.
What creators actually list per format (September 2026)
| Format | Live packages | Creators | Median listed price | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram Reel | 42 | 34 | ₹4,200 | ₹1,000 to ₹7,000 |
| Instagram Story | 9 | 8 | ₹1,300 | ₹699 to ₹5,000 |
| Instagram feed post | 6 | 6 | ₹1,000 | ₹800 to ₹10,000 |
| All Instagram formats | 61 | 37 | ₹3,000 | ₹999 to ₹6,000 |
Counted on 22 September 2026 from live listings on InfluencerMetric: 99 packages in total from 39 creators, of which 61 are Instagram. Median means half the packages list below the number and half above, and the middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. Story and feed post counts are in single figures, so read those two rows as indicative. These are prices creators list, not invoices that settled. The full table, including YouTube and UGC, is here.
What the table deliberately does not do is split by follower count. Packages are listed per deliverable, and the follower numbers on profiles are mostly self reported, so a nano or micro median published as ours would be invented. Rates do rise with audience size, and they rise faster with engagement, niche and usage rights than with followers alone. For your own number, the free creator pricing calculator works from your reach and engagement.
These are the market medians. What's YOUR number? The calculator adjusts for your engagement and niche in 30 seconds.
Get my exact range
What moves your price up (or down)
- Engagement rate: the biggest lever. Above your bracket's median? Quote the top of the range and mention the number. Check yours here, free.
- Niche: finance, tech and education creators command 20 to 40% premiums because their audiences convert into high value customers. Entertainment trades slightly below baseline.
- Usage rights: if the brand wants to run your video as their own ad, that's not included. Standard practice: +30 to 100% depending on duration and placement. Always ask.
- Exclusivity: "don't work with competing brands for 60 days" is worth money. Charge for it.
How professionals quote (and why gigs anchor your price)
The strongest negotiating position is a published price. On InfluencerMetric, your gigs list packages with fixed prices, "1 Reel + 3 Stories: ₹8,000". That price does three jobs: it filters out lowball brands before they waste your time, it anchors every negotiation at YOUR number, and it lets serious brands book instantly without haggling at all.
When a brand wants something custom: a store visit, a 3 video series, usage rights, they can request a custom quote in your private chat. You reply with a price, they accept, and the amount locks into an escrow protected order. No screenshots of WhatsApp negotiations, no "we agreed ₹10K, right?", the offer card in the chat IS the agreement.
Three quoting mistakes to stop making
- "Whatever your budget is": you just told the brand you'll take their lowest number.
- Quoting per follower: brands buy outcomes, not followers. Quote per deliverable, justify with engagement.
- Not charging for revisions beyond the agreed round: state "includes one revision round" in your package description.
FAQ
Do brands in India actually pay these rates?
Yes, but mostly to creators who present verified numbers and clear packages. Amateur presentation gets amateur offers.
Should my barter collabs count in pricing?
Value the product honestly. A ₹1,500 product for a Reel you'd charge ₹4,000 for is a bad trade, unless the portfolio value or long term relationship justifies it.
How do I raise my rates with an existing brand?
At the start of a new campaign, not mid deal: "My engagement has grown 40% since our last collab, my updated rate for Reels is ₹X." Verified stats make this conversation easy.