What Questions Should You Ask Before Accepting a UGC Deal?
Short answer
Before accepting a UGC deal, confirm twelve things in writing: deliverables, usage type, usage duration, territory, exclusivity scope, revisions, turnaround, payment amount, payment timing, who owns the raw footage, whether your name and face can be used in ads, and how the deal can be cancelled. If any of those are missing from the contract, they are not agreed.
Most bad UGC deals are not scams. They are ordinary deals with three unanswered questions in them. Ask these before you sign and the answer is either reassuring or it saves you a month of frustration.
Scope
- 1Exactly how many videos, how long, and in what aspect ratio?
- 2How many hooks or variations per video, and are they counted as separate deliverables?
- 3How many revision rounds are included, and what happens after that?
- 4What is the delivery deadline, and what happens if the brand is late giving feedback?
Usage — the part that sets the price
- 1Will the content be used organically only, or in paid advertising?
- 2For how long, starting from what date?
- 3In which countries or regions?
- 4Will ads run from your handle (whitelisting) or the brand's?
These four answers move a quote more than anything else. Paid usage is worth roughly 1.4x organic, whitelisting 1.6x, and a twelve-month window adds around 50% over a single month. Put the answers into the rate calculator and you will see the fee change in real time.
Exclusivity
- 1Is exclusivity required, and if so in which category, defined how?
- 2For how long, and does the clock start at delivery or at first publication?
A clause that says you may not work with 'competing brands' without naming a category is far broader than it looks. Ask for a named category — for example, 'colour cosmetics' rather than 'beauty' — and a hard end date.
Money
- 1What is the total fee, and is it inclusive or exclusive of tax?
- 2When is payment due — on delivery, on approval, or net 30, 60, 90?
- 3Is there a deposit for larger projects?
- 4Who covers product, props, travel and shipping?
| Payment term | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| 50% deposit, 50% on delivery | Best case — reduces your risk on bigger projects |
| Net 30 from invoice | Standard and reasonable |
| Net 60 | Common with large brands and agencies; budget for it |
| Net 90+ or 'on approval' | Push back — approval with no deadline can delay payment indefinitely |
Ownership and consent
- 1Who owns the raw footage, and can you use the final video in your own portfolio?
- 2Can the brand edit, re-cut or add a voiceover to your content?
- 3Can your name, face or likeness be used in ads beyond the video itself?
- 4Can the brand transfer or sub-license the content to another company?
The right to use your own work in your portfolio is worth asking for every time, and it is almost always granted if you ask before signing. Sub-licensing is the one to watch: it lets your content travel to companies you never agreed to work with.
Exit
- 1What happens if the brand cancels after you have started — is there a kill fee?
- 2What happens if the content is never used? (You should still be paid.)
If it is not in the contract, it is not in the deal — however friendly the email thread was.
If a contract has already arrived and the clauses are hard to follow, the Contract Decoder breaks each one down in plain English and highlights the terms that affect what you get paid. It is an educational tool, not legal advice — for anything high-value, have a qualified professional review it.
Got the answers? Turn them into a defensible number in two minutes.
Open the rate calculatorFrequently asked
- What should I ask a brand before signing a UGC contract?
- Confirm deliverables, usage type and duration, territory, exclusivity scope, revision limits, deadlines, fee, payment timing, footage ownership, portfolio rights, likeness use and cancellation terms — all in writing.
- Can I use UGC I made for a brand in my portfolio?
- Only if the contract allows it. Most brands agree when you ask before signing, so request explicit portfolio rights as part of the scope.
- Are net 60 payment terms normal for UGC?
- Net 30 is standard and net 60 is common with large brands and agencies. Terms beyond that, or payment tied to approval with no deadline, are worth pushing back on.
Repped is educational software for creators. This article explains commonly used commercial terms in plain English. It does not provide legal, financial, or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship.