Commercial Voice Over Rates: What TV, Radio and Online Ads Cost
See typical voice over rates for local, regional and national advertising, and how usage term and market size change the price. Send your script for custom auditions and a clear price breakdown.
Quick Answer: How Much Does a Commercial Voice Over Cost?
A commercial voice over usually costs $250 to $450 for a 30-second local radio or online spot with a 12-month standard license, and more for regional and national TV and radio.
The price depends on the market size, the medium, the length of the license, and the artist's own rate.
Typical Rate Ranges by Market
Typical commercial rate ranges reflect a standard 12-month license term. On a marketplace where each artist sets their own rate, these reflect common industry benchmarks. See what each range includes and how pricing breaks down below.
| Market Tier | Medium | Typical Range (12 Months) | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Single city or small area | Radio | $250 to $400 | Select Local → |
| Local Single city or small area | Cable or local TV | $350 to $550 | Select Local → |
| Local Single city or small area | Geo-targeted online | $300 to $450 | Select Local → |
| Regional Several cities, a state or regional network | Radio | $500 to $750 | Select Regional → |
| Regional Several cities, a state or regional network | TV or cable | $750 to $1,200 | Select Regional → |
| Regional Several cities, a state or regional network | Paid social campaign | $600 to $900 | Select Regional → |
| National Country-wide | Radio | $1,200 to $2,000 | Request Quote → |
| National Country-wide | TV | $2,500 to $5,000 and up | Request Quote → |
| National or global Worldwide / broad placement | Digital ad | $1,500 to $3,500 | Request Quote → |
What each range includes: Spot recording up to 60 seconds, standard 12-month usage license, broadcast-quality uncompressed WAV and 320kbps MP3 delivery, and standard performance revisions. Additional tags, cutdowns, live direction sessions, and buyouts are priced separately as extras.
On AumVoice, artists set their own rates and client platform fees (5%) apply at checkout. For all non-commercial categories and the full interactive calculator, visit our main voice over rates hub.
Local Market
Single city or small area broadcast and targeted online ads.
- Standard 12-Month License
- Up to 60-second spot
- Fully edited High-Res WAV & MP3
Regional Market
Several cities, a state, or a regional broadcast network.
- Standard 12-Month License
- Tag & cutdown options available
- Live directed session options
National Market
Country-wide TV, radio network, or global digital ad placement.
- 12-Month Standard License
- Full buyout extensions available (1.8x)
- Live directed sessions via Zoom or Source-Connect
How Commercial Voice Over Pricing Works
Commercial pricing is built from two components: the artist's session recording fee and the usage license fee.
The usage fee depends on three factors: the medium (TV, radio or online), the market size (local, regional, national or global) and the license term (our platform standard is 12 months).
Every project begins with dedicated booth session time, script prep, clean takes, and audio engineering before applying commercial broadcast usage.
Select By Audience & Distribution Scale
Usage fees scale transparently with territory footprint and broadcast listener volume.
Local Market
Tier 01Defined as a single city or small area (typically an audience under 1 million people). Lower cost baseline for small businesses and local campaigns.
Regional Market
Most PopularDefined as several cities, a whole state, or a multi-station regional broadcast network. Medium-reach campaigns and regional brands.
National & Global
EnterpriseDefined as country-wide broadcast networks, nationwide TV/radio feeds, or global paid digital ad placements with unmetered reach.
Usage Terms, Renewals and Buyouts
AumVoice uses a standardized 12-month license term across all commercial projects. Commercial voice over contracts are term-limited — understand the rules for renewals and full buyouts.
| Term | Price Rule | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Term (12 Months) | Base price (1.0x multiplier) | Most advertising campaigns across TV, radio, and web |
| Short Term (13 Weeks / 3 Months) | Available upon request with talent | Seasonal promotions, holiday sales, or short test flights |
| 24-Month Extension | 1.35x base price | Multi-year campaigns with guaranteed continuous airplay |
| Renewal After Term | Original usage fee for new term | Campaigns that continue past the initial 12-month window |
| Buyout in Perpetuity | 1.8x base price | Permanent brand assets, evergreen digital ads, and broadcast archives |
What happens when a license ends?
When an agreed usage term expires, the commercial advertisement must stop airing across broadcast channels and paid promotional feeds unless a renewal license is purchased. You can easily request a license renewal through your AumVoice dashboard or by contacting the original voice artist before the term concludes.
Worked Examples
See how spot length, market tier, and licensing multipliers combine into typical professional talent quotes on AumVoice.
| Example Project | Typical Price | How It Is Built |
|---|---|---|
| 30-second local radio spot, 12 months | $325 | Local radio range midpoint, standard 12-month term |
| Same spot, regional TV, 12 months | $975 | Regional TV range midpoint, standard 12-month term |
| 30-second national TV spot, 12 months | $3,500 | National TV range midpoint, standard 12-month term |
| Same local radio spot, second year renewal | $200 – $325 | Renewal license fee for an additional 12-month term |
| Same local radio spot, buyout in perpetuity | $585 | Base rate ($325) x 1.8 full perpetual buyout multiplier |
Tags, Cutdowns and Extras
Only pay for the exact production services and audio versions you need. Extras and add-ons are priced transparently.
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tag or location line (about 5 to 12 words) | $50 to $100 per tag | For example a date, website, promo code or store address |
| Cutdown (e.g. :60 to :30 or :15) | $75 to $150 | Same artist and script; re-voiced or edited for shorter runtime |
| Alternate takes | Included (2–3 variations) | Artists normally provide 2–3 wild reads on key lines |
| Sync to a finished video (Timed / ADR) | +50% to 100% of base | The artist matches an existing video timing and on-screen cues |
| Character voices | $50 to $100 per character | Multiple unique vocal characterizations within one spot |
| Editing, music and file splitting | $50 to $150 | Delivered dry and clean unless you add full music mixing & mastering |
| Live direction session | $100 to $200 per hour | Direct talent live via Zoom, Teams, Source-Connect or SessionLink |
| Script revisions after recording | $50+ or prorated word count | Pronunciation and artist mistakes are always free |
Script Length and Spot Timing
Commercial rates are calculated per finished spot. Use this timing guide to align your script word count with standard broadcast lengths.
| Spot Length | Typical Word Count | Used For |
|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 30 to 35 words | Short online placements, YouTube pre-roll, and teasers |
| 30 seconds | 65 to 75 words | Standard TV, radio and podcast ads (broadcast standard) |
| 60 seconds | 130 to 150 words | Longer radio spots, brand stories, and product explainers |
| 5-second tag | 5 to 12 words | Dates, websites, promo codes, and retail locations |
15-Second Spot
YouTube Pre-roll, TikTok, Reels, Teasers
30-Second Spot
Standard TV, Radio Commercials, Podcast Ads
60-Second Spot
Detailed Brand Stories, Local Radio, Explainers
Tagline / Location Cut
Dates, Websites, Retail Locations
Human and AI Voices for Ads
AumVoice offers both human voice actors and ethically trained AI voices. Here is how each fits your commercial production workflow:
Professional Human Voice Artists
A human voice artist is best for final broadcast advertising, emotional connection, and defining recognizable brand voices across TV, radio, and major campaigns.
Includes custom emotional nuance, pronunciation adjustments, and live directed studio sessions.
Ethically Licensed AI Voices
A licensed AI voice can serve scratch tracks, internal test flights, rapid creative variations, and dynamic audio versioning.
AI voices on AumVoice come exclusively from artists who opted in and signed an explicit AI license. We do not offer AI voices for political or issue advertising. Explore our human voice vs AI voice guide and AI voice roster.
Union and Non-Union Rates
Understanding where AumVoice marketplace rates sit within the wider voice over industry.
All typical rates and ranges published on this page represent non-union voice over rates.
Union work (such as SAG-AFTRA or Equity contracts) follows contracted union scale rates determined by session time, broadcast ratings points, and specific market groupings rather than flat marketplace ranges. If your production is a signatory to a union agreement or requires union contracts, terms must be negotiated directly outside standard marketplace checkouts.
Fees and What You Pay
AumVoice uses simple, transparent platform fee rules with escrow protection on every project.
5% Client Platform Fee
Buyers pay a flat 5% platform fee on completed milestones. There are no monthly subscriptions or hidden licensing charges.
10% Artist Commission
Voice artists keep 90% of every project fee. Artists never pay to bid, audition, or maintain an active profile.
$25 Audition Credit
Starting a custom audition costs a flat $25 deposit, which is 100% credited toward your invoice when you hire.
30-Sec Local Spot · $350 Artist Rate
Exactly how payment and escrow break down on AumVoice:
Funds remain protected in escrow until you approve the final audio delivery.
Commercial Voice Over Rates FAQ
Clear answers on commercial rates, market sizing, usage terms, auditions, and platform policies.
01
How much does a commercial voice over cost?
How much does a commercial voice over cost?
A commercial voice over typically starts at $250 to $400 for a 30-second local radio spot and $300 to $450 for targeted online ads under a 12-month standard license. Regional TV and radio campaigns range from $500 to $1,200, while national TV spots start around $2,500 and can exceed $5,000 depending on the talent tier and broadcast scale. See our rate table for complete figures.
02
What does the license term mean?
What does the license term mean?
The license term defines the period during which you have the legal right to broadcast or promote the recorded advertisement. Standard commercial licenses on AumVoice run for 12 months. When the term ends, you must either renew the license with the voice artist or stop airing and promoting the commercial.
03
What is the difference between local, regional and national?
What is the difference between local, regional and national?
Local coverage covers a single metropolitan city or small broadcast area (typically under 1 million potential viewers/listeners). Regional coverage encompasses multiple cities, a full state, or a multi-market network. National coverage reflects country-wide broadcast networks, nationwide TV/radio, or worldwide digital ads with high impressions.
04
What is a buyout?
What is a buyout?
A buyout grants unlimited, perpetual usage rights for the specified media channels with no expiration date. On AumVoice, a full buyout in perpetuity is calculated as 1.8x the standard 12-month base price. This option is recommended for evergreen website content, long-term brand assets, and permanent video archives.
05
What is a tag?
What is a tag?
A tag is a short secondary line (usually 5 to 12 words) recorded to attach to the tail end of a core commercial — such as an event date, store location, promo code, or website address. Tags are typically priced as add-ons at $50 to $100 per read.
06
Is a cutdown included?
Is a cutdown included?
Cutdowns (such as turning a 60-second spot into a 30-second or 15-second variation) require an additional editing or re-voiced take and are priced as add-ons (typically $75 to $150). Some regional and national packages include one cutdown option in their scope — always check your performer's custom quote.
07
How many revisions are included?
How many revisions are included?
Standard bookings include the revision rounds specified by the artist's tier (usually one or two rounds for performance pacing, tone adjustment, or pronunciation corrections). Performer errors and pronunciation mistakes matching your brief are always re-recorded free. Post-approval script rewrites incur minor pick-up fees.
08
Are these union rates?
Are these union rates?
No. All rates and ranges on this page reflect non-union commercial voice over bookings. Union productions (e.g. SAG-AFTRA scale) are contracted under negotiated union scales and are handled separately.
09
Can I use an AI voice in an ad?
Can I use an AI voice in an ad?
Yes, for draft animatics, scratch tracks, creative testing, and authorized digital releases under our AI licensing terms. All AI voices on AumVoice come exclusively from voice actors who opted in and signed an ethical AI license. AI voices are not offered for political or issue ads.
10
Do you offer a free audition?
Do you offer a free audition?
Posting a casting brief is completely free. Starting private auditions or casting calls carries a flat $25 audition deposit to protect artists' studio time, which is 100% credited toward your final project invoice when you make a hire.
Get a Commercial Quote
Send your script and campaign details (medium, market, term) to receive custom auditions and a clear price breakdown.