The Straight TRUTH About Voice Over Rates for Beginners
It sounds harsh, but here it is:
Get this free worksheet that helps you spot where low rates drain your income, energy, and confidence. Click the image above.
If you’re trained for professional voiceover, STOP accepting bullshit rates. You’re not an amateur. So why are you letting people treat you like one?
Here’s the truth most newcomers never hear: Being new does not mean working for scraps.
It means being new to the business of voiceover, not to the practice of respecting your skill and time. This post isn’t just a voiceover pricing guide. This is your blueprint to break the cycle of self-doubt, second-guessing, and lowball offers, so you can turn that part-time hustle into a full-time, real career.
Let’s rewrite your money story one script, one client, one confident quote at a time.
The Lie of Paying Your Dues and Why It’s Killing New Voiceover Careers
Ok, so you spend months (maybe years) taking coaching, building a basic studio, and finally land your first real gig. You’re excited, nervous, and then the client asks, “What’s your rate?”
Your stomach drops.
What if I charge too much? What if they ghost me?
Panic sets in.
So, you quote well below what you see on the GVAA Rate Guide. Maybe it’s $150 for a commercial. Or you accept $75 for a whole eLearning module. Hey, any money is better than no money, right?
Wrong!
There’s a pervasive belief that beginners should pay their dues… work for bullshit rates, build a portfolio, and eventually “graduate” to pro money.
This is poison for your career and for the VO industry at large. This is what accelerates the race to the bottom.
If you are trained to competency, and you provide a smooth experience for your clients, you are a professional. You’re not asking for charity. Your work has value and you should charge appropriately for it.
What Makes You Qualified to Charge Pro Rates?
Let’s settle this:
If you have completed foundational VO training (not just a “discovery” class or some shitty weekend seminar with a “pro” demo, but actual coaching over the course of months with feedback and improvement)…
If you can deliver high-quality audio from your setup…
If you understand direction, script interpretation, and how to revise takes…
If you provide a smooth and pleasant experience for your clients, on time and on budget…
You’re not “just a beginner.” You are a qualified professional. The only thing making you an amateur is your willingness to bend over for shitty pay.
Your Real-World Voiceover Pricing Guide: Not the Race to the Bottom
You want numbers, not motivational quotes. Here’s what the professionals use:
The GVAA Rate Guide is the gold standard for non-union rates in North America. It’s a reference for what pros charge across jobs, from radio spots to audiobooks, explainer videos to eLearning, and more.
Reality Check: If you’re competent but new, aim for 80% of the listed GVAA rates for your first 6 months or so. After that, there’s no reason not to charge full pro rates.
Bottom line: If you’re even getting off the couch for less than $250, you’re undervaluing yourself and setting yourself up for burnout.
What if You're Not Trained to Competency?
Here’s the tough love: If you haven’t completed solid training, you’re not ready to ask businesses for money.
The industry isn’t hurting for cheap. It’s hungry for good. Invest in learning before charging. Otherwise, you’re almost certainly providing subpar results and will struggle to get repeat work.
Beating the Impostor Syndrome That Keeps Your Rates Low
When you’re new, it’s easy to think: “I’m not as good as [big time pro]. I’ll just quote low to get in the door.”
Stop!
Price is rarely what closes the deal for good clients. Clients want reliability, skill, and a voice that solves their problem. You’re not a hack on Fiverr for $50 gigs anymore. Think bigger.
Why Cheap Clients Are Career Poison
They never become high-paying clients. $75 jobs don’t magically become $750 ones.
They refer you to more cheap clients. You get stuck at the bottom of the market.
They’re the hardest to please. They nitpick, expect constant revisions, want the sun, moon, and stars, and ghost you at the first sign of expensive. They will suck the joy right out of the business for you.
The fastest path to professional growth? Learn to walk away from work that doesn’t pay pro rates.
Scripts for Quoting Like a Pro Even When You’re New
It’s intimidating to talk money. Here is some language you can adapt. No apologies. No waffling.
For Direct Inquiries
Client: “What do you charge for an explainer video (2 minutes)?”
You: “My standard rate for a 2-minute explainer is $360, which covers recording, one round of retakes, and 2-day turnaround.”
That’s 80% of the GVAA rate. No need to justify, just put it out there.
When Asked to Negotiate Lower
Client: “We only have $60 in the budget. Can you do it for that?”
You: “Thanks for sharing your budget. My rate for this project is $360, which ensures a professional result with quick turnaround. If this isn’t the right fit, I totally understand, and I hope we can work together on future projects with a bigger budget.”
No apology. No desperate counter-offer. Just a professional response.
Quoting on Online Casting Sites
No matter what the platform suggests, enter your rate (or 80% of GVAA) and stick to it. If you get messaged about a lower rate, use the above script.
How to Price Voiceover Work Without Losing Jobs (Or Your Mind)
Here’s the not-so-secret truth: You will lose jobs because of your rates.
And that’s a good thing.
The clients who value what you do will pay what you’re worth and those who don’t won’t ever become good long-term partners.
The Math of Going Full-Time: Why Charging Less Won’t Get You There
Let’s do a quick reality check.
If you dream of making $75,000/year sustainably, you need:
$6,250/month in invoiced work.
If you’re charging $75 per project, that’s 84 jobs a month. impossible for most.
If you’re charging $375 per project, that’s 17 jobs a month. Much more doable, with much less burnout.
Raise your rates, raise your revenue.
But What About Experience? Building Your Portfolio Without Selling Out
Nobody’s suggesting you skip the practice phase. But here’s how to build experience without torpedoing your future rates:
Do Free Work Smartly (If You Must)
Help a non-profit you believe in, or a passion project. Disclose it as donation-based.
Don’t tell anyone publicly “I work for free”—ever.
Do charity or practice projects sparingly and label them as such when building your demo reel.
I have two rates: full price and free. I choose who gets free, based on my passions and values.
Get Training That Includes Real-World Projects
The fastest way to experience?
Sign up for coaching or bootcamps where you work on real scripts with real feedback from qualified, reputable coaches.
By the time you face your first real client, you can confidently say, “I’ve delivered work at a professional level,” because you have.
Raising Your Rates Without Apology
Every 6 months, review your rates. As you collect wins, testimonials, and improve your workflow, get closer to full GVAA rates.
Raising your rates is not greedy. It’s how you stay in business.
Here’s how to communicate a rate increase to repeat clients:
“I appreciate working with you over the past year. As my business grows and in line with industry standards and my own growth as a voice artist, my rate for new projects will increase roughly 10% [or whatever you deem], effective January 1st. I’m excited to continue delivering the high-level quality you expect.”
Getting Clients Who Value Pro Rates
Two clients can look identical from the outside: same script, same budget. But only one values hiring a real voice. Here’s how to find and land those jobs:
Market Yourself Like a Pro
Use your website, LinkedIn, and online platforms to showcase professional demos and rates. Cheap clients get turned off; good clients see you as an equal. It’s all about attracting the right clients and repelling the wrong ones.
Join communities for professional VOs, not hacks and hobbyists.
Lead Generation for Voice Actors
Reach out to video producers, eLearning developers, and agencies using tools like ClientConnect+ (Get 50% off with code NEWPRO50).
Don’t waste time on P2P jobs that just reward the lowest bidder.
Voiceover Coaching and Continual Development—Invest in Yourself
Still nervous about quoting pro rates?
If you’re not confident in your training, get trained up.
Courses like VO Rates 101 (Get 50% off with code NEWPRO50) teach you pricing, negotiation, and confidence, so you never freeze when someone asks, “So, what’s your rate?”
Charge What You’re Worth, Not What You Think They’ll Give You
Too many talented voices stall out because they believe being new means being cheap. Don’t let that be your story.
Being trained means you’re worth professional rates. Price yourself accordingly, stand by your numbers, and watch how much faster you become a full-time, respected professional in this business.
Ready to take the next step? Dive into the GVAA Rate Guide and explore VO business coaching and development to build your pro career. The fastest way forward is charging what you’re worth today.