Instagram Story Rate Calculator — What to Charge in 2026

Your recommended rates

Mid-tier

Based on 85,000 followers with 3.0% engagement in the Fitness niche.

💡 Engagement premium: Your 3.0% engagement rate is average for your tier. Rates shown are standard benchmarks.

📊 These are industry benchmarks — a starting point. Your actual rate depends on your engagement, niche, past deals, and negotiation context. The Negotiation Coach uses your personal rate card, deal history, and engagement data to give you a specific number for every offer.

What happens when a brand lowballs you?

Brands will offer you 40% below this.

Here's what the Negotiation Coach says when they do — using your rates, your engagement, and what brands actually pay.

Partnerships Team

Brand offer

Partnership opportunity

Hey! Love your content. We'd love to work with you on 1 Reel + 1 Story. Our budget for this campaign is $1,200. Let us know if that works.

▼

Negotiation Coach

Counter at

$3,200

+$2,000 more than they offered

Their offer is 50% below your market rate for this deliverable at your tier. Your engagement is above average, which justifies the upper end of the range.

"Thanks for reaching out — love the brand. My rate for 1 Reel + 1 Story is $3,200. If the budget is firm, happy to scale the scope instead — e.g., drop the story and do just the reel for $2,400. Let me know what works."

Never leave money on the table again.

Free account, always. Your first negotiation on us — $20/mo for unlimited.

Instagram Story rates in 2026: benchmarks by tier

Creator tier	Story set (2–3 frames)	Instagram Reel (for comparison)
Nano (under 10K)	$50 – $200	$100 – $500
Micro (10K – 50K)	$200 – $800	$500 – $2,000
Mid-tier (50K – 100K)	$1,000 – $2,500	$2,000 – $5,000
Macro (100K – 500K)	$2,000 – $5,000	$5,000 – $15,000
Mega (500K+)	$5,000 – $15,000	$15,000 – $50,000

Benchmarks from Tally market data, updated for 2026. Ranges assume ~2–3.5% engagement; higher engagement supports the top of each range.

Stories are priced per set, not per frame. The market unit is a 2–3 frame sequence: a hook frame, a demo or talking frame, and a link-sticker frame. Brands briefing "a story" almost always mean a set — if a brief asks for 5+ frames, that's more than one set and should be priced as such.

Stories benchmark below Reels for a structural reason: they disappear in 24 hours and only reach your existing followers. But they carry something Reels don't — the link sticker. A Story is often the only deliverable in the package that drives measurable, attributable clicks, which is exactly what performance-focused brands are buying.

When to charge more than the benchmark

Three situations justify the top of your Story range or above: the brand is running a trackable link or promo code (they're buying conversions, not awareness), the Story is the entire campaign rather than an add-on, or they want the Story reposted or extended past 24 hours via highlights — persistence is a usage right, and usage rights cost extra.

The most common mistake is letting Stories get bundled in for free: "1 Reel + 2 Stories" quoted at your Reel-only rate. Price the components separately and sum them. At micro tier, that bundle is $500–$2,000 for the Reel plus $200–$800 per Story set — the "free" Stories in that brief are worth real money.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a single Story frame vs a set?

The market prices sets, not frames — a 2–3 frame sequence is the standard unit at the ranges above. For a genuine single frame, quoting around half your set rate is reasonable, but push toward sets: single frames underperform for the brand too.

Why are Stories cheaper than Reels?

24-hour lifespan and follower-only reach. A Reel is permanent, distributed to non-followers, and reusable; a Story is ephemeral. That's why Story sets benchmark at roughly 40–50% of Reel rates at each tier.

Should I charge more if the brand wants a link sticker?

The sticker itself is standard — it's why brands buy Stories. But if the campaign is judged on clicks or conversions from your link, you're delivering performance, and that justifies the upper end of your range. If they add a personal promo code, same logic.

Are Story-only deals worth taking?

At nano and micro tiers, yes — they're a low-lift entry point for a new brand relationship, and a converting Story set is the fastest path to a bigger package next time. At mid-tier and above, Story-only campaigns should be at the top of the range to be worth the calendar slot.

What if the brand wants the Story saved to a highlight?

That's persistence beyond 24 hours, which is a usage right. Price a highlight placement as an add-on with a defined duration — a highlight that sits on your profile for 30 days is not the same product as a Story that vanishes tomorrow.