For the pdf version of Safrea’s rates report, go here.
While we would love to write a fluffy article on this, there isn’t much else to say than these are the proposed rates for freelancers in South Africa. Of course, you may choose to charge the value you feel you offer. It’s a case of ‘willing buyer, willing seller’ with most industries.
Writing and Content Development
- Magazines – R3 to R4 per word / R400 to R500 per hour
- Newspapers – R3+ per word / R400 to R500 per hour
- Corporate content – R4+ per word / R400 to R600 per hour
- Technical / specialised content – R4+ per word / R400 to R700 per hour
- Annual reports – R3+ per word / R550+ per hour
- Government documents – R3+ per word / R600 to R650 per hour
- Textbooks – R1.50+ per word / R450+ per hour
- Fiction and non-fiction novels – R1.50+ per word / R400+ per hour
- Ghostwriting – R5 to R7 per word / R450 to R550 per hour
- Scriptwriting (for TV, radio or drama) – R3+ per word / R600+ per hour
- Scriptwriting (corporate videos) – R4.50+ per word / R650+ per hour
Advertising
- Marketing material (such as brochures, printed ads, etc…) – R2 to R3 per word / R550+ per hour
- Advertorial – R3 to R4 per word / R600+ per hour
- Copywriting – up to R3 per word / R550+ per hour
PR and Communications
- Media release (writing of) – R3 to R4 per word / R450 to R550 per hour / R2000+ flat rate
- Strategy development – R4+ per word / R800+ per hour
- Writing of speeches – R3.50 to R4 per word / R600 per hour / R2000 flat rate
- Media relations – R450 to R550 per hour
Online Content
- Website content – R2.50+ per word / R450 to R550 per hour
- Online consumer content – R2.50+ per word / R400 to R500 per hour
- SEO content – R2.50+ per word / R550+ per hour
- Blog content – R3+ per word / R500+ per hour
- Content marketing – R3+ per word / R550+ per hour
- Web-based marketing – R3+ per word / R550+ per hour
- Email marketing content – R3+ per word / R550+ per hour
Social Media
- Social media content – R300+ per post / R3+ per word / R450+ per hour
- Social media management – R500+ per hour
- Social media strategy development – R550 per hour
General Editing
- Proofreading – R0.30 to R0.45 per word / R50 to R150 per page / R350 to R450 per hour
- Light editing – R0.50 per word / R50 to R100 per page / up to R400 per hour
- Medium/general editing – R0.50 to R1 per word / R50 to R100 per page / R400 to R500 per hour
- Heavy editing – R1+ per word / R100+ per page / R400 to R500 per hour
- Checking of references – R100 to R200 per page / R300 to R400 per hour
Specific Editing
- Magazines – R0.50 per word / R300+ per page / R350 to R450 per hour
- Newspapers – up to R0.50 per word / R100+ per page / R300 to R400 per hour
- Corporate content – up to R3.50 per word / R200+ per page / R450 to R550 per hour
- Academic theses – R0.50 to R1 per word / R45 to R65 per page / R300 to R400 per hour
- Technical / specialised content – R1+ per word / R100+ per page / R450 to R550 per hour
- Government documents – R0.50 to R1 per word / R200+ per page / R400 to R500 per hour
- Textbooks – R0.20 to R0.50 per word / R50 to R100 per page / up to R400 per hour
- Fiction and non-fiction novels – R0.20 to R0.50 per word / R50 to R100 per page / R350 to R450 per hour
Transcription
- R1.50 to R2.50 per word / R300 to R400 per hour
Formatting of Documents (whether academic or otherwise)
- R0.20 and R0.50 per word / R50 to R100 per page / R300 to R350 per hour
Coordination of Layout
- Corporate newsletters – R350+ per page / R400 to R500 per hour
- Magazines – R250+ per page / R400 to R500 per hour
Translation
- Between English and Afrikaans – R0.50 to R1 per word
- Between English and an official African language OR any other world language – R1.00 to R1.50 per word
- Between English and another world language – R1.50+ per word
- Sworn translation – R2+ per word
- Specialised translation (scientific, highly technical, or legal, for example) – R1.50 to R2 per word
Interpreting
- Between English and Afrikaans – R350 to R450 per hour
- Between English and an official African language OR a major world language – R400 to R500 per hour
- Between English and another world language – R450 to R550 per hour
Photography
- Branding, product, interiors, advertising, architectural – R350+ per image / R1000+ per hour / R5000 half day / R5000 to R8000 full day
- Events – R100 to R200 per image / R850 to R1500 per hour / R3000 to R5000 half day / R4500 to R7500 full day
- Advertorial / model shoot / editorial – R800 per image / R800 to R1500 per hour / R3000 to R5000 half day / R5000 to R8000 full day
- Wedding – R50 to R100 per image / R600 to R1200 per hour / R4000 to R7000 half day / R7000 to R12000 full day
- Media or newspaper – R300 to R600 per image / R450 to R600 per hour / R2000 to R3000 half day / R3500 to R5500 full day
- Post-production and retouching – R100 to R200 per image / R500+ per hour / R1000 to R3000 half day / R3500 full day
Videography
- Camera (with correct lighting, proper sound, stabilised shots, no editing) – R2000 to R3000 per hour / R2500 to R4500 half day / R3500 to R6500 full day
- Video editing – R400 to R600 per hour / R2500 to R4500 full day
Graphic Design
- General design – R350 to R550 per hour / R1200 to R1700 half day
- Designing a logo – R300 to R500 per hour / R2500 to R3500 half day / R2500 to R5500 full day
- Creation of visual concepts – R300 to R500 per hour / R1200 to R1700 half day / R1500 to R2800 full day
- Presenting your design concepts – R350 to R450 per hour / R1500 to R1700 half day / R2500 to R3500 full day
- Illustrations – R400 to R500 per hour / R4000 full day
- Original images – R300 to R500 per hour / R1200 to R1700 half day / R2500 to R3500 full day
- Adding changes from client or art directors – R250 to R450 per hour / R1200 to R1600 half day / R2500 to R3500 full day
- Final design review – R300 to R500 per hour / R1200 to R1600 half day / R2500 to R3500 full day
- Interpreting statistics into visual graphics – R350 to R650 per hour / R1200 to R1600 half day / R2500 to R3500 full day
- Advert layout – R300 to R600 per hour / R1200 to R1600 half day / R2200 to R3200 full day
- Brochure layout – R300 to R600 per hour / R1200 to R1600 half day / R2200 to R3200 full day
- Magazine layout – R350 to R550 per hour / R1200 to R1600 half day / R2500 to R4500 full day
- Report layout (corporate) – R350 to R650 per hour / R1500 to R1700 half day / R2500 to R3500 full day
If you’re a business and would like to upload a media release, click here.
