Free tool
Voice Over Usage Fee Calculator
Work out the usage fee (buyout) for your voice over — based on where it runs, the territory it covers and for how long. Answer a few questions and we'll build your brief and return an exact, itemised quote. No jargon, no obligation.
Choose where your audio will be used, then get your exact quote.
Every voice over fee is built from the recording (studio) fee plus a usage licence set by media, territory and term. We'll review your brief and send an exact, itemised quote — usually the same working day.
What is a voice over usage fee?
A professional voice over quote has two parts. The recording fee (or Basic Studio Fee) pays for the voice actor's performance and studio time. The usage fee — also called a licence fee or buyout — pays for the right to use that recording in particular media, across a particular territory, for a particular length of time.
Usage is what separates a modest internal video from a national TV or online-advertising campaign, and it follows the framework used across the industry, including the Equity agreements for audio and commercials. This calculator focuses on the usage side: tell us where your audio will run, how widely and for how long, and we'll turn it into an exact, itemised quote. Looking for recording rates and guide prices instead? See our Voice Over Rates page.
Looking for recording rates and guide prices?
This tool is about usage (licensing). For Basic Studio Fee tables and what a voice over costs overall, see our full rates page.
What drives a voice over usage fee
Media
Where the audio runs is the biggest factor. Internal, web and social use sit at the lower end; broadcast TV, radio, cinema and paid advertising carry the highest usage fees.
Territory
A UK-only licence costs less than Europe-wide, which costs less than worldwide. The larger the audience the recording reaches, the higher the usage fee.
Licence term
How long you can run the audio — from a few months up to 1, 2 or 5 years, or bought out in perpetuity. Longer terms cost more up front but remove renewals later.
Exclusivity & category
Whether the voice can also work for competing brands, plus any category exclusivity, can affect the licence fee.
Recording fee is separate
The usage fee sits on top of the recording (studio) fee. Short internal pieces often carry little or no usage at all.
Renewals
When a term ends you renew the licence to keep running the audio — worth planning for if a campaign might be extended.
Key terms, in plain English
- Basic Studio Fee (BSF)
- The core recording fee for the voice actor's performance and studio time, before any usage is added.
- Usage fee / licence fee
- What you pay for the right to use the recording in specific media, territories and for a set time.
- Buyout
- A usage licence bought outright — often 'in perpetuity' — so there are no renewal fees later. Always check exactly what a 'buyout' covers.
- Territory
- The geographic region the licence covers, e.g. UK, Europe or worldwide.
- Term
- How long the licence lasts, e.g. 1 year, 2 years or perpetuity.
Voice over usage fees: FAQs
The usage (or licence) fee is what you pay for the right to use a recording in particular media, territories and for a set period. A 'buyout' is a usage licence bought outright, often in perpetuity, so there are no renewals. Always confirm exactly what a buyout covers — it isn't always unlimited.
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