🎙️ How Much Should You Charge for Voice Overs in South Africa?

Whether you’re just starting out or already seasoned behind the mic, one of the biggest questions voice artists face is: how much should I charge? In South Africa, setting your rates can feel tricky — you don’t want to undercharge, but you also don’t want to scare away clients. This guide will help you confidently price your voice-over services, whether you’re doing short slogans, radio ads, audiobooks, or full-on corporate narrations.

💡 What Affects Your Voice Over Rates?

Before we dive into numbers, here’s what shapes your pricing:

• Script Length – Longer scripts mean more time recording and editing.
• Usage – Where the audio will be used (radio, TV, social media, internal training) matters. Commercials cost more due to exposure.
• Turnaround Time – Need it urgently? Rush rates apply.
• Experience Level – Beginners may charge less, but always respect your time and value.
• Complexity – Medical terms? Multiple characters? Split files? Add extra.

💰 Voice Over Pricing in South Africa (By Type)

Here’s a breakdown of common voice-over types with typical price ranges in Rands (ZAR):

🔹 Slogans & Tags (5–15 seconds)

Short but powerful. Even if it’s just 5 words, it’s part of a brand identity.

• Typical Range: R800 – R3,000
• Why so much? It might play thousands of times on ads or YouTube videos. Treat it like a mini-commercial.

🔹 Radio Commercials (15s, 30s, 60s)

• Local Station Use: R1,200 – R2,500
• National Use (All Stations): R3,000 – R5,000 or more

🔁 Add more if the ad is part of a long campaign or includes multiple versions (e.g. different call-to-actions for different cities).

🔹 TV Commercials

• Regional TV: R3,000 – R6,000
• National TV: R6,000 – R10,000+

TV spots carry high value, especially if aired across major networks or during prime time.

🔹 Corporate & Explainer Videos

These are usually non-broadcast — for websites, YouTube, or internal use.

• Short (1–2 min): R1,500 – R4,000
• Medium (5 min): R4,000 – R7,000
• Long (30+ min): R8,000 – R15,000+

💡 Pro tip: If the video is public-facing, price a bit higher than internal training videos.

🔹 E-Learning & Training Modules

Often billed per word or per finished minute.

• Short course (~3 min): R2,000 – R4,000
• Medium course (10–15 min): R5,000 – R10,000
• Large course (30+ min): R15,000 – R30,000+

📁 Splitting files for lessons? Add R20–R30 per file.

🔹 Audiobooks

Charged per finished hour (PFH).

• Standard Rate: R2,500 – R6,000 per finished hour
• A 4-hour audiobook could earn you R10,000 – R24,000 depending on quality and editing.

🔹 Podcast Intros & Outros

Used every episode, so price them accordingly.

• Typical Range: R1,000 – R3,000
• Bundled intro + outro? Offer a deal like R3,500 for both.

🔹 IVR & Phone Systems

“Press 1 for Sales…” – internal use, but requires clean, polished delivery.

• Small Biz Voicemail: R800 – R1,500
• Standard Phone Menu: R2,000 – R4,000
• Call Center (many prompts): R5,000 – R10,000+

🔊 If splitting into many files, charge per file above a certain number.

🔹 Social Media & Online Ads

Ads for Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, etc.

• Single platform, 30 sec: R1,500 – R3,000
• Multi-platform, wider campaign: R3,000 – R6,000

📌 These are ads! Even if they don’t air on radio/TV, they deserve commercial pricing.

✨ Add-On Services (Charge Extra)

• Music/SFX added: +R500 to R1,000
• File splitting & naming: +R20 per file
• Script changes after recording: +R500 per round
• Live directed session (Zoom, Skype): +R500/hour
• 24-hour rush delivery: +R800 – R1,200

🙌 Tips for Charging with Confidence

• Know Your Worth – Even beginners should start around R800 – R1,000 minimum per job.
• Use Value-Based Pricing – If your voice helps sell millions in product, price accordingly.
• Raise Rates Gradually – As your skills and demand grow, so should your price.
• Avoid Undercutting – Lowballing hurts the entire industry. Charge fair, not cheap.
• Contracts & Usage – Always state how long the client can use your voice. If they want to extend, charge again.

📋 Sample Rate Table

Type	Short (≤30s)	1–2 Min	5–10 Min	30+ Min / Long Form
Slogan/Tag	R800–R3,000	—	—	—
Radio Ad (Local)	R1,200–R2,500	R2,000–R3,000	—	—
Radio Ad (National)	R3,000–R5,000	R4,000–R6,000	—	—
TV Commercial	R4,000–R6,000	R6,000–R10,000	—	—
Corporate Video	R1,500–R3,000	R3,500–R5,000	R6,000–R9,000	R10,000–R15,000+
E-Learning	R2,000–R4,000	R5,000–R8,000	R10,000–R15,000	R15,000–R30,000+
Audiobooks	—	—	—	R2,500–R6,000 PFH
Podcast Intro/Outro	R1,000–R3,000	—	—	—
IVR/Phone System	R1,000–R3,000	R3,000–R5,000	—	R6,000–R10,000+
Social Media Ad	R1,500–R3,000	R3,000–R5,000	—	—

🧠 Final Thoughts

Your voice is valuable. Whether you’re voicing a 5-second slogan or a 5-hour audiobook, you deserve to be paid fairly. Don’t guess your price — calculate it based on usage, effort, and impact.

🎧 And remember: the clients who value quality won’t flinch when you charge what you’re worth.