This voiceover cost calculator prices a US union voiceover for a TV or online ad from the official SAG-AFTRA rates for April 2026 to March 2027. Each spot starts with a $643.00 session fee, then a use fee for where and how long it runs, plus a 23.5% pension and health contribution. Compare the total with an AI voice below.
Key Takeaways
- A SAG-AFTRA off-camera (voiceover) session fee is $643.00 per commercial from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
- Use fees come on top and depend on the medium and the cycle: $909.10 buys 13 weeks of online video without paid YouTube ads.
- The producer also pays a 23.5% pension and health contribution on the performer’s pay.
- The UK has no union rate card for voiceover in ads. Equity publishes recommended minimums to members only, so fees are quoted per job.
- An AI voice is priced as a plan, not per spot and per cycle. Every paid Kveeky plan includes commercial usage rights.
What does a union voiceover cost in the US?
Union voiceover for TV and online ads falls under the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract. A voice-only performer is an “off-camera principal”. Their pay has three parts:
- Session fee: $643.00 per commercial for the recording. The on-camera session fee is $855.20.
- Use fee: paid for each medium and each cycle the ad runs, such as 13 weeks online or on national cable.
- Pension and health: 23.5% of the performer's pay, paid by the producer on top of the fees.
The table shows the off-camera use fees per spot from the official rate sheet. The 4% rise on April 1, 2026 did not apply to cable, streaming platforms or digital with paid YouTube, so those rows did not change.
| Where the ad runs (off-camera principal) | 4 weeks | 13 weeks | 52 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online video, no paid YouTube ads | $573.30 | $909.10 | $2,784.60 |
| Online video, including paid YouTube ads | $588.00 | $932.40 | $2,856.00 |
| Streaming platforms and all other digital | $975.00 | $2,250.00 | $7,500.00 |
| National cable TV | $1,125.00 | $3,075.00 | $10,125.00 |
| Wild spot TV, all US markets | $655.20 | $1,638.00 | $5,896.80 |
| Wild spot TV, excluding NY, LA and Chicago | $655.20 | $900.90 | $3,276.00 |
| Local cable, up to 1M subscribers | $225.00 | $600.00 | $2,250.00 |
These are minimums. Well-known voices, extra edits, more media or longer cycles all cost more. Radio ads use a separate SAG-AFTRA audio contract and are not in this calculator.
How do voiceover costs work in the UK?
There is no union rate card to plug into a calculator. Equity, the UK performers’ union, has agreed rates for areas such as TV, film and theatre. For audio and commercials, it says it is still campaigning for union contracts.
Where no agreement exists, Equity publishes recommended minimum rates and template contracts. Those rates sit behind a member login, so we do not reprint them. In practice, UK voiceover is quoted per job, as a studio fee plus a usage fee.
Ask every voice actor or agency for a quote that names:
- The media: online, social, TV, radio, cinema or in-store.
- The territory: UK only, UK and Ireland, Europe or worldwide.
- The period: for example 1 year, 3 years or in perpetuity.
- The number of scripts and the number of revisions included.
- Whether the fee includes studio time, editing and delivery files.
Watch for costs that are easy to miss:
- Renewal fees when the usage period ends and the ad is still live.
- Pick-up sessions for late script changes.
- Extra fees for cut-downs, such as a 15-second version of a 30-second ad.
- Agency commission and VAT on top of the talent fee.
Need the read today, not after a booking? Paste your ad script into Kveeky, pick a voice, and download MP3 or WAV in minutes.
Try your ad script freeHuman voice actor or AI voice: which fits the job?
Pick on the job, not only on price. A union actor is often worth the fee for a flagship campaign. An AI voice wins on volume, speed and edits.
| Situation | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| National TV campaign with a known voice | Voice actor | Direction in the session and a recognizable performance |
| Weekly social ads in several versions | AI voice | No new session for each script change |
| Product demos and explainers that change often | AI voice | Regenerate a line instead of booking a pick-up |
| Ads in several languages | AI voice | One script workflow across 40+ languages |
| A character or performance with a lot of emotion | Voice actor | More range than presets can give |
| Testing scripts before a paid booking | AI voice | Hear the timing first, then book talent for the final |
Not sure how long your script runs? Time it first with the words to minutes calculator. For ad-specific voices, see AI voiceovers for advertisements.
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How the calculator works
Union minimum = (session fee + use fee) × number of spots × 1.235.
For example, 2 spots online without paid YouTube for 13 weeks: ($643.00 + $909.10) × 2 = $3,104.20. Add 23.5% pension and health ($729.49) for $3,833.69.
The AI side adds up the audio you need: spots × seconds ÷ 60. It then picks the smallest paid Kveeky plan in the plan box below whose monthly minutes cover it. Free plan audio is left out, because commercial usage rights come with paid plans.
Before you book: budget checklist
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Media and cycle agreed with the client | Use fees change by medium and by 4, 13 or 52 weeks |
| Every cut-down counted as a spot | A 15-second edit of a 30-second ad can need its own payment |
| Pension and health added to union quotes | 23.5% on top of the performer’s pay is easy to forget |
| UK quote names media, territory and period | Usage drives most of the fee when there is no rate card |
| Script timed before you book | Booking for the wrong length means a second session |
| AI voice made on a paid plan for ads | Paid Kveeky plans include commercial usage rights |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a voiceover cost for a commercial in the US?
At union scale, a voice-only performer gets a $643.00 session fee per spot, plus a use fee and a 23.5% pension and health contribution. A 13-week online run without paid YouTube ads adds $909.10, for about $1,917 in total.
What is the SAG-AFTRA voiceover session fee in 2026?
It is $643.00 for an off-camera principal under the 2025 Commercials Contract, effective April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. The on-camera session fee is $855.20.
Are there union voiceover rates in the UK?
Not as a public rate card. Equity says it is still campaigning for union contracts in audio and commercials, and its recommended minimum rates are for members, so UK voiceover is usually quoted per job.
Who pays the SAG-AFTRA pension and health contribution?
The producer pays it on top of the performer’s fees. The 2025 Commercials Contract sets it at 23.5%, with a reduced 19.95% rate for JPC authorizers until March 31, 2028.
Is an AI voice cheaper than a voice actor?
For volume work, usually yes, because an AI voice is priced as a plan rather than per spot and per use cycle. A voice actor is still the better choice when you need a specific performance or a recognizable voice.
Can I use an AI voice in a paid ad?
With Kveeky, yes. Every paid plan includes commercial usage rights. Check each ad platform’s own rules on labeling AI-generated content too.
Sources
- Session fees, off-camera use fees and the 23.50% pension and health rate: SAG-AFTRA, “2025 Commercials Contract Rate Sheet – Year 2” (rates effective 4/1/26 – 3/31/27), retrieved 10 October 2026.
- Pension and health rise from 20.5% to 23.5%, the 19.95% JPC waiver to March 31, 2028, and rates excluded from the yearly increase: SAG-AFTRA, “Summary of New Provisions, 2025 SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract”, retrieved 10 October 2026.
- UK union contracts for audio and commercials, recommended minimum rates and member-only access: Equity, “Rates and agreements”, retrieved 10 October 2026.
- Kveeky plans, formats and commercial usage rights: Kveeky pricing, retrieved 10 October 2026.