One of the top questions newer influencer marketers ask is: “How do we know how much to pay influencers?!”

There are nuances per social platform, so here we're specifically tackling Instagram influencer prices.

You'll get a solid overview of:

✅ The main deliverables you can buy from Instagrammers

✅ What pricing is usually based upon

✅ Ballpark ranges and factors that affect pricing

✅ Instagram-specific tips on negotiation

To give the best possible overview, I'm assisted by three influencer marketing pros who have a combined 20+ years of Instagram influencer marketing experience:

👉 Julianne Kiider, Influencer, Affiliate & Partnerships Consultant, (prev. Under Armour, Made In Cookware)

👉 Marit Tiesema, Sr. KOL & Ambassador Specialist at Loop Earplugs

👉 Anna-Maria Klappenbach, Community & Brand Marketing Lead at Aumio

What can you buy from influencers on Instagram?

While Instagram offers a range of content formats, for brands, the majority of deliverables will be Reels or Stories (or both).

In absolute terms, Reels cost more than Stories. However, since Reels reach more people, CPMs can end up at a similar level to Stories — or even cheaper.

There are pros and cons to each format:

Instagram Stories pros

👍 Authentic, unpolished style is quick to produce, helping you generate results fast

👍 Add interactive Q&As and feedback, allowing influencers to address doubts and pain points

👍 Add different CTAs to each frame in a series of Stories

Instagram Stories cons

👎 Shorter shelf life (Stories only last for 24 hours)

👎 Limited reach to only a percentage of the influencer’s existing audience makes organic discovery almost impossible

👎 Risk your content can get lost among the influencer’s other Stories during busy periods

Instagram Reels pros

👍 Built-in virality helps you reach more people — including new audiences/non-followers

👍 Potential for boosted reach by leveraging trending audio

👍 Longer shelf-life than Stories, plus easier to send via DMs

👍 Repurposing potential: Reels content can be used on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Stories

Instagram Reels cons

👎 Reels encourage viewers to keep scrolling, which can reduce the impact of your messaging

👎 Reels prioritize trending content, which often has lower purchase intent

👎 Unpredictable algorithm makes it tough to negotiate influencer fees based on a target CPM

👎 No clickable links, so CTAs rely on captions or influencers directing traffic to the bio link

Story and Reel bundles

Bundling Stories and Reels into a package deal is a popular tactic for negotiating a better deal with Instagram influencers (FYI I’ll share more tips on negotiating Instagram influencer pricing toward the end of this article…).

So what do those bundles look like?

They come in many formats and often include cross-platform posting (like bundling a dedicated YouTube video with multiple Stories, or reposting Reels on TikTok and YouTube Shorts). Here’s a few typical examples:

• 1 YouTube integration + 3-4 Instagram Stories
• 1 Reel + 2-4 Instagram Stories
• 1 TikTok vid + 3-4 Instagram Stories
• 1 Reel + TikTok/YouTube Shorts repost

Pro tip: If you're buying bundles, Marit recommends spreading them out.

Marit Tiesema

Sr. KOL/Ambassador Specialist, Loop Earplugs

Go live over at least two dates. It’s incredibly beneficial for giving customers the extra nudge they need to actually make a purchase. It also potentially increases reach, and provides an opportunity to show another use case or moment using the product, which builds trust.

Julianne adds that deliverable bundles can vary based on use case and/or creative angle too. For instance:

Ultimately, Anna-Maria notes that bundles can include any deliverables you want — and that the goal of bundling is to build as many audience touchpoints as possible.

Anna-Maria Klappenbach

Community & Brand Marketing Lead, Aumio

Want to tell a story and slowly introduce your brand? Start with a teaser, post a Story, then a Reel, and then have that Reel be shared in the Stories (which most creators do anyway). That way you can also add a link.

In-feed posts

While in-feed posts — AKA static and carousel posts — are less common in influencer campaigns than Reels or Stories, influencers can use them to tell a story through aesthetic product or lifestyle photography. This makes them ideal for visually driven industries like:

👉 Fashion

👉 Home decor

👉 Beauty

Julianne commented that carousel posts are well-suited to certain types of content.

Julianne Kiider

Influencer Marketing Consultant

Carousel posts are highly effective for educational content, tutorials, and product roundups such as gift guides

They allow influencers to showcase a product's value or demonstrate its use step-by-step. Additionally, they often drive saves and shares, making carousels a powerful tool for spreading your messaging organically.

Static posts also have their place. They're commonly used for things like product teasers, abstract details to build curiosity, and close-up product shots. Influencers can help build buzz with posts that contribute to a larger narrative or a series leading up to a product launch.

What are Instagram influencer prices typically based on?

Pricing for Reels is usually very similar to TikTok or YouTube in that it should be based on average views.

Calculate based on a historic average. Marit recommends excluding outliers, too.

Marit Tiesema

Sr. KOL/Ambassador Specialist, Loop Earplugs

Remove outliers (viral videos) from the average, and even then, use the lower range, because sponsored content typically performs worse than organic content.

If you're a Modash user, profile reports can help you in two ways:

First — average Reels views are available for every influencer with a public profile & 1k+ followers. It is calculated using the median average (rather than the mean) which reduces the impact of viral outliers.

Second, for influencers with recent sponsored activity, Modash displays "Paid Post Performance". This reflects, on average, how many Likes a sponsored post gets vs. an organic post.

As for pricing Stories, views still matter, but clicks become important too.

Julianne Kiider

Influencer Marketing Consultant

For Story pricing, it's important to consider link clicks and analyze CPC forecasts in addition to analyzing potential CPM.

Use as recent data as possible for this (last 14-30 days, not older) for a realistic reflection on current reach & performance.

While these things (☝️) are the main factors, lots of other things influence Instagram influencer pricing. Here are a few notable ones:

Engagement rate

The higher an influencer’s average engagement rate, the more they're likely to charge — and the happier brands will be to meet a higher CPM.

Cross-channel following

Marit says if an influencer has a significant following on other platforms (like YouTube), they might charge more for an Instagram collaboration due to their higher status, broader audience, and potential cross-platform reach. Also, expect to pay more to work with influencers who are well-known beyond social media, such as celebrities and key opinion leaders.

Market

Simply put, prices in the US are generally more expensive than other locations. Other countries where prices are typically higher also include the UK, Canada & Germany.

Industry

Likewise, certain creative niches — such as beauty and mom influencers — tend to charge premium rates due to their strong audience trust and high conversion potential.

Deadlines and deliverables

Inevitably, quick turnaround times and/or demanding deliverables will push prices higher.

Brand appeal

Instagram influencer pricing can also fluctuate based on how attractive your brand is to work with. High-profile, aspirational brands may get away with charging less than “dull” corporates or unknown small businesses.

Ballpark figures for Instagram influencer pricing

As with any platform, it’s tough to provide specific figures for influencer pricing on Instagram — there are just so many variables. However, after much debate, we came up with some ballpark price ranges.

⚠️ Disclaimer: these figures are based on US pricing and largely apply to home and lifestyle categories. Other niches (like beauty, fashion, and finance) would likely skew higher, while different locations might see significantly lower rates. Additional factors — like usage rights, exclusivity, and the number of frames in a Story — can also bump prices up.

🤓 Pro tip: You can typically see discounts of 10% – 30% per deliverable when bundling.

Since there's so much variation across industries, you might find it useful to hear from one more real-world example. Anna-Maria shares her experiences in the DACH market (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), based on the last ~2 years and hundreds of collaborations. Expressed in terms of CPMs, rather than absolute cost.

For Anna, Instagram Stories are landing in the €25-€45 CPM range, though they rarely go above €35.

Her sponsored Instagram Reels have a broader range, anywhere from €10 — €50, but most often land in a similar range to Stories.

Trends in Instagram influencer pricing for 2025

Rising fees for smaller influencers

Once upon a time, smaller influencers might have been happy to work with your brand in exchange for “exposure”. But they’re better negotiators now — they know what they’re worth, and they’re less likely to produce content for free.

Incidentally, this backs up a survey we carried out, in which 87.9% of influencer marketers said they think influencers are becoming more savvy.

Michael Todner, Influencer Marketing Manager at Gear4music, says this trend is simply a case of natural progression in the developing influencer marketing industry.

Michael Todner

Influencer Marketing, Gear4music

More and more people understand the value in things such as usage rights, so it will be more of a conversation point in negotiations.

💡 Read more about influencer content usage rights here.

Prices rise around popular sales periods

Instagram influencer pricing is heading the same way as Taylor Swift concert tickets, with prices increasing in line with demand. Specifically, Anna-Maria says prices surge around big sales periods (but only for influencers with representation).

Anna-Maria Klappenbach

Community & Brand Marketing Lead, Aumio

Approximately 30% of agencies we’re in touch with increase their prices for Black Friday or Christmas sales.

This happens less frequently with creators who don't have talent management (but it does still happen.

Varying openness to affiliate partnerships

Traditionally, the affiliate model has helped brands get more bang for their buck by working with influencers on a performance basis: the more they sell, the more they earn. However, there are signs that it’s becoming less popular (with certain influencers, at least).

A lot of people report seeing a reduction in influencer affiliate partnerships, and our own survey research suggests a mix of opinions when it comes to affiliate deals:

Why the confusion? Everyone seems to have different experiences.

For starters, affiliate partnerships are much more common among smaller influencers with no management. Also, your brand makes a big difference, according to Cheyanne Pettyjohn, Director of Influencer Marketing at supplements brand Rookie.

Cheyanne Pettyjohn

Director of Influencer Marketing, Rookie Wellness

We saw a huge rise of paid collabs in 2020-21, but I feel like influencers now want to get involved with companies they really value and trust! I've seen a huge uptick in openness to affiliate work, which has been incredibly exciting.

Julianne also noted that Instagram influencers are more likely to accept a hybrid affiliate model than those on some other platforms due to the platform’s various linking options.

Julianne Kiider

Influencer Marketing Consultant

Offering a commissionable link with a lower flat fee is a good way to try working with higher-cost influencers.

Ultimately, an influencer’s openness to affiliate collaborations depends a lot on the space, the brand, and the market. So there’s no harm suggesting it — as ever, it's something that you need to test in your unique circumstances.

Best practices for negotiating Instagram influencer pricing

1. Bundle Reels and Stories

As we’ve already noted, negotiating a package deal with Stories and Reels typically brings the price down, with estimated savings of up to 30%.

2. Ask for the influencer’s interest before discussing fees

Rather than sprinting straight to the negotiating table, Marit recommends starting by offering to share your product. Tell them that if they’re a big fan, you’d love to discuss a partnership.

Marit Tiesema

Sr. KOL/Ambassador Specialist, Loop Earplugs

This shows that you’re looking for genuine connections. Once they realize they genuinely like the product, they’re more likely to be open in the negotiation process.

3. Combine fixed fees with performance-based rewards

As we know, affiliate partnerships aren’t for everyone.

A subtle alternative is to negotiate a lower fixed fee by offering an additional performance-based reward. For instance, you could promise an additional payout of:

💰 $X per redeemed code, calculated based on how many redemptions you expect the influencer to generate.

💰 $X per 1,000 views, which can help in negotiations with influencers who see fluctuating views.

For Anna-Maria, this sort of “hybrid” arrangement has helped her to close dozens of negotiations.

4. Remember to ask for recent data and insights

You need to make decisions based upon recent data for metrics like engagement rates and views. This might sound obvious, but it’s not uncommon for agencies and influencers to share older insights which aren't reflective of current performance.

Again, you can use an influencer analysis tool like Modash to assist here — at least for public data like engagement rate & views. Most profiles are updated with fresh data every 2-4 weeks. For private data like Story link clicks, you'll still need to request insights.

5. If you’re stuck on fees, ask for a different type of value

You’ve hit a dead end in the negotiation. You can’t meet the influencer’s minimum fee, but you’re still super keen to work with them.

In that case, Marit suggests agreeing to match their rate — provided the influencer is prepared to provide some sort of additional value. This might include:

✅ Delivering the content within two weeks

✅ Writing a positive review for your newsletter within two weeks

✅ Splitting Story frames across two separate dates to maximize exposure

✅ Reposting the Reel on their Stories for extra visibility

✅ Providing two additional visuals from the same shoot for your brand to share on Stories.

6. Offer extras and bonuses rather than higher fees

Similarly, you can often negotiate a lower upfront fee by providing some sort of additional bonus, such as:

✅ Long-term commitment

✅ Free products to gift to their followers

✅ Bonus payments for successful campaigns

✅ Being integrated into your website — maybe you have a separate budget for UGC?

✅ Event invitations

Julianne Kiider

Influencer Marketing Consultant

Offering non-monetary incentives — especially for nano or micro-influencers — can be a more cost-effective way to receive organic inclusions if the brand doesn’t have a large budget for flat fees.

7. Let influencers know you’re prepared to walk away

If all else fails, don’t be afraid to let the influencer know that you’re prepared to walk away from the negotiation. Anna-Maria has a couple tried-and-trusted lines to help in this scenario:

✍️ I understand that my offer’s a lot lower than your asking price, so don’t worry if you can’t meet me there. Maybe we can work something out in the future.

Why it works: This message shows that you’re ready to walk away and are firm with your rate.

✍️ Our budget’s a lot lower than your asking price, so I can’t make you an offer at this point in time.

Why it works: Ideally, this approach will encourage the influencer to ask what your offer is, then the negotiation can continue on your terms.

Negotiating Instagram influencer pricing with Modash

Data is your best friend when it comes to negotiating fees with Instagram influencers — and Modash helps you access the numbers you need.

First, you can use filters to find Instagram influencers that meet your criteria in the first place.

Second, you can review Instagrammer profiles to check if they’re a good fit, before you invest time into reaching out.

Modash can provide data on…

✅ Audience locations

✅ Average Reels views

✅ Average comments

✅ Past sponsors

… and more.

See for yourself by creating your free Modash account — no credit card required!