How Much Does Voice Over Cost? A Simple Guide to Rates for Voice Over, Usage, and the GVAA Rate Guide
If you’ve ever tried to figure out how much voice over should cost, you’ve probably noticed… it’s complicated. There are session fees, usage fees, broadcast vs. non-broadcast categories, market sizes, word counts, internal vs. external use … it’s a lot of things to think about!
But don’t worry! There are some great tools out there to help make this process less overwhelming and as a professional voice actor for over 12 years, I’ve done my fair share of quoting and am always happy to help my clients. Here in the U.S., the GVAA Rate Guide is the gold standard for non-union pricing.
So let’s dive in…
Why Voice Over Pricing Seems Confusing (BUT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE!)
There are a few important factors that go into determining a voice over quote:
Session fee: what you pay for the voice actor’s time in the booth.
Usage fee: where the voice over runs, how long it runs, and who it reaches (the market size)
Project type: the format and context, like a national TV spot, a corporate explainer, or a video game character.
Length of the script: especially important for long form projects
If you don’t know these things, figuring out pricing can be really tricky. But, once you do know the answers to these, it becomes much easier and more straightforward to quote!
What Is Usage and Why Does It Matter?
Usage has three parts:
How it will be used: TV, radio, paid social, OTT, internal training, owned socials, etc.
Where it will be used: local, regional, national, global
How long it will be used: 13 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, or a buyout for a set period
This is key when it comes to quoting voiceovers. A :30 second read for an internal training video might cost $300, since it is not public facing. But that same :30 second read for a national TV commercial will carry a significant usage fee, since there will be paid advertising and a larger reach.
For non-union work, the GVAA Rate Guide offers baselines many clients and talent use to anchor fair quotes. Union projects follow SAG-AFTRA contracts, which include set terms and residuals that operate differently from non-union pricing.
Common Voice Over Usage Categories
1. Internal / Non-Broadcast
Corporate training
Internal presentations
eLearning
HR videos
2. Web / Digital
Explainer videos
Product demos
Website hero videos
Organic social content
3. Paid Advertising
Broadcast TV or radio commercials
Paid social ads
YouTube pre-roll
OTT/Streaming
For a full list, browse the GVAA Rate Guide: https://globalvoiceacademy.com/gvaa-rate-guide-2/
What’s Included in My Voice Over Rates?
This is where working with a seasoned pro really matters! My rates always include:
Clean, broadcast quality audio
Light editing (taking out breaths, talking if we’ve done a live session)
Quick turnaround (often within 24 hours)
Two rounds of minor pickups
Clear, fast communication
When you hire a full time voice actor with a professional home studio, you’re not just paying for 30 seconds of talking. You’re paying for the quality, reliability, and expertise that makes your job easier.
How to Get an Accurate Quote For Your Voice Over Project
For every project, I usually ask:
Do you have a budget in mind?
What’s the usage?
Where will the project live?
How long will it be used?
Is this paid advertising or internal content?
What is the length of the script?
Do you want to do a live directed session or will I record on my own?
Having as much of that information as possible helps me put together an accurate quote so there are no surprises.
Voice Over Pricing Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated!
At the end of the day, putting a quote together is a combination of knowing the answers to the important questions above. My goal is always to make pricing easy, transparent, and aligned with the industry standard.
If you ever have questions about pricing, usage, or anything VO related, let me know - I’m always happy to help!