COST GUIDE
How Much Does a Music Video Cost in 2026?
Published by SongTrailer · Sources reviewed
A music video can mean a lyric video you assemble, a filmed performance, an animated story, or a human-directed production. Those are different purchases.
The useful question is what a budget delivers, and what you still have to pay for. Published examples in this guide run from free lyric templates and an AI plan from $210, through filmed packages of a few thousand dollars, up to a $50,000–$75,000 shoot. These are specific offers, not an industry-wide average. [1] [4] [3] [5]
Disclosure: SongTrailer sells music-video production. SongTrailer’s own offer is identified separately. This is not an independent ranking of providers.
Published prices, by what the money buys
Dollar figures follow each provider’s public listing. Confirm billing currency, taxes, availability, and the written quote before you buy.
| Route | Published price | What that price buys |
|---|---|---|
| You assemble it | ||
| DIY lyric video | Canva: free options Order of magnitude: Free. The mark shows the band, not a bar length. | You assemble the video. Stay within free features and assets. This is not a commissioned production. [1] |
| A crew films it | ||
| Filming-only package | YoungOneStudio: from $1,495 Order of magnitude: $1,000–$20,000. The mark shows the band, not a bar length. | Basic package: one ten-hour filming day. Editing and location fees are excluded. [2] |
| Single-location performance | Click Play Films: $3,000–$10,000 Order of magnitude: $1,000–$20,000. The mark shows the band, not a bar length. | Production and post are included. Paid talent, permits, and specialist equipment are separately itemized. [3] |
| Concept or multi-location | Click Play Films: $5,000–$20,000 Order of magnitude: $1,000–$20,000. The mark shows the band, not a bar length. | A broader production scope, with more involved setups and post-production. [3] |
| Larger-scale filmed production | Planet Faith: $50,000–$75,000 Order of magnitude: $50,000+. The mark shows the band, not a bar length. | Gold package: one prep day and two shooting days. VFX can add to the price. [5] |
| A studio makes the picture | ||
| Entry-priced AI production | Tomi Creation: from $210 Order of magnitude: Under $1,000. The mark shows the band, not a bar length. | Basic music-video plan, up to four minutes. Higher-priced creative packages are also listed. Obtain a project-specific quote. [4] |
| Custom animation / AI production | 3TOON: $5,000, then $1,000 per extra minute Order of magnitude: $1,000–$20,000. The mark shows the band, not a bar length. | The first two minutes, then $1,000 per additional minute. Concept development and animation/AI work. [6] |
| Publisher’s own priceSongTrailer sells this service. This row is separate from the listings above. | ||
| Human-directed full-song video | SongTrailer: $3,500 Order of magnitude: $1,000–$20,000. The mark shows the band, not a bar length. | One video. Package prices for two and three videos are separate. Scope is in Where SongTrailer fits. |
Do not average these figures. A software tool, a filming-only day, and a finished production are different purchases. A price list does not say who will make the best video for a song.
Before comparing quotes, write one brief: track length, visual approach, whether the artist must appear on camera, delivery formats, deadline, and revision expectations.
What changes the price
The pictures the song needs
One performance in a controlled space is a different job from several locations, costume changes, dancers, and effects. Producers separate extra cast, equipment, locations, and advanced VFX. [2] For a limited budget, keep one strong visual idea and cut a location before asking every supplier to do the same work for less.
A shoot is not a finished video
YoungOneStudio’s packages are the clear case: the shoot price excludes editing and locations. [2] Ask for the cost of the final file, including editing, color, graphics or effects, revisions, and exports. The same split applies to AI. Generating clips is one stage. Selecting shots, keeping them consistent, and cutting them to the song are others.
Versions and changes
A full-length master, a vertical adaptation, short teasers, and a thumbnail are different requests. So are a color adjustment, a new order of approved shots, and a new concept. Ask how extra work is approved and priced before production starts.
A $5,500 working shoot budget
Hypothetical planning model. Not an invoice, a market survey, or a set of recommended rates. Assume one local performance day, a compact crew, one location, no hired cast, no major VFX, and an agreed edit. The artist is collecting the supplier quotes.
| Budget line | Illustrative allowance (USD) |
|---|---|
| Concept development and planning$500 | $500 |
| Shoot-day crew$1,800 | $1,800 |
| Camera and lighting equipment$500 | $500 |
| Location, permits, and insurance allowance$500 | $500 |
| Wardrobe and props$200 | $200 |
| Local transport and meals$300 | $300 |
| Editing, color, and agreed exports$1,200 | $1,200 |
| Subtotal$5,000 | $5,000 |
| Contingency reserve: 10% in this example$500 | $500 |
| Working budget$5,500 | $5,500 |
The 10% reserve is a modeling choice, not a promise that it covers the risk. If permits or insurance cost more, raise the budget. The table is not a price cap.
Excluded: taxes, music-rights acquisition, paid cast, substantial effects, major reshoots, marketing, and any agency fee. Project cash budget = quoted production + quoted post-production + additional deliverables + applicable fees and taxes + contingency. Keep promotion outside that subtotal.
What generation credits cost
Making clips yourself and commissioning a finished video are different purchases. A tool sells generation. A service takes on the creative work in its scope.
Runway’s developer pricing lists credits at $0.01 each: $0.05 per second for Gen-4 Turbo and $0.12 per second for Gen-4.5, before taxes and extra charges. These are API rates, not an app subscription. [7]
Model: a four-minute video is 240 finished seconds, made from 48 five-second shots. Each kept shot is billed for the full five seconds. The rows try one, three, or five paid candidates per kept shot.
| Candidates per kept shot | Seconds | Gen-4 Turbo · $0.05/s | Gen-4.5 · $0.12/s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 candidate240 generated seconds | 240 | Gen-4 Turbo$12.00 | Gen-4.5$28.80 |
| 3 candidates720 generated seconds | 720 | Gen-4 Turbo$36.00 | Gen-4.5$86.40 |
| 5 candidates1,200 generated seconds | 1,200 | Gen-4 Turbo$60.00 | Gen-4.5$144.00 |
Generation charge = billable seconds × price per second. That is not the price of a finished music video. It leaves out reference images, tests beyond the modeled candidates, editing, cleanup, upscaling, and labor. Prepaid credit may also differ from what this example uses.
Runway says app credits and API credits are separate. An app subscription does not bill the way this table does. [8]
For a DIY project, add the hours: cash spent + your hours × the value you assign to an hour. That hourly value is your decision. It stops “I made it for $80” from hiding several days of work. A production fee still has to be judged on the finished work, the direction, and the contract.
Is AI always cheaper than filming?
No. The examples above include an AI offer from $210 and AI/animation work priced in the thousands, plus filmed packages with very different coverage. Setting the cheapest line in one category against the most expensive line in another is misleading. [4] [6] [2] [5]
Compare two proposals for the same creative objective. A performance-led song may need a focused shoot. An imagined or stylized world may fit animation or AI. A hybrid is worth asking about when the idea needs both. Watch complete projects with similar demands, then compare scope, quality, communication, and total price.
How long to allow
Click Play Films gives two to four weeks for straightforward work and four to eight weeks for concept-heavy or effects-heavy work. Those are that provider’s estimates, not a market schedule. [3]
Ask for concept approval, production, first cut, feedback, and final delivery as separate dates. A late change to the core idea can fall outside the original plan. Leave time after delivery to watch the master, check audio and titles, and test the upload files.
What to confirm before paying
What exactly is delivered?
Runtime, resolution, aspect ratios, versions, and whether source files or raw footage are included.
What is excluded?
Locations, travel, talent, effects, additional generations, extra edits, rush work, and taxes, as relevant to the proposal.
Where do revisions stop?
The number of rounds, the feedback window, and which changes trigger a new quote.
What usage is covered?
Written terms for the final video, third-party assets, any real person’s likeness, and your distribution. You also need permission to supply the music.
Where SongTrailer fits
SongTrailer’s published price for one full-song video is $3,500. That is the figure in the comparison above. Two videos are $6,300. Three videos are $8,400. Those are package prices.
ONE VIDEO
$3,500
Used in the comparison
TWO VIDEOS
$6,300
Package price
THREE VIDEOS
$8,400
Package price
- The video covers the whole song. The original audio stays. AI-assisted visuals, human direction, and editing.
- The same video is cut for a phone.
- Nothing has to be filmed. Footage the artist already has can be used.
- Typical active work is about 5–7 business days after SongTrailer has the track and intake. Waiting for music, links, or your approval of direction pauses the clock. Delivery dates are estimates, not hard guarantees, unless SongTrailer confirms otherwise in writing.
- After final delivery, one free tweak is available if you request it by email within 72 hours of delivery. A tweak means an edit, a pacing change, or polish within the approved direction. It is not a full restart, a new concept, or a new track. No reply within 72 hours of delivery means the delivery is accepted.
It is a commissioned production for the whole track, not a generator subscription and not a short teaser. Compare the work and the agreed scope with the other options. The price alone does not decide the fit.
SongTrailer pricing · How the video is made · Example videos · Who it is for · Timeline and revision terms
Frequently asked questions
How much should I budget for a three-minute music video?
Track length alone is not enough. Get a quote for the concept, the shoot or the generation, the edit, and the deliverables. Use the published examples as reference points, not as local rates.
Can I make a music video for under $1,000?
A tight DIY approach can, and some providers advertise commissioned work below it. Tomi Creation’s basic AI offer starts at $210. Confirm what that starting price includes. [4]
Why does a production service cost more than AI credits?
Credits buy generation. The service should cover the creative and production work in its scope. Judge that on the portfolio, the proposed approach, the deliverables, and the contract.
Is promotion included in the video budget?
Only when the agreement says so. Otherwise budget the release separately, and do not spend the whole release budget on the video.
Methodology and sources
This is a curated review of publicly advertised prices, plus labeled calculations and one planning example. External pages were reviewed on October 6, 2026. Some do not say when the price last changed. Ask for a current quote.
The set is not an industry sample. Locations, methods, taxes, and deliverables differ. SongTrailer has not audited invoices, tested the other services for this article, or verified their quality claims. No average price or guaranteed saving is calculated.
The $5,500 budget is an author-created scenario, not observed client spending. The generation table is arithmetic from listed API rates and stated assumptions. SongTrailer’s own service information is supplied by the publisher.
Choose a video you can afford to finish and release well.
Sources
- Canva — lyric video templates
- YoungOneStudio — music video production packages
- Click Play Films — music video production and pricing
- Tomi Creation — English-language pricing
- Planet Faith Entertainment — music video packages
- 3TOON Studio — music video production
- Runway — developer API pricing
- Runway — how credits work
To commission a SongTrailer video, book a package.
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