By Sauce Media · Compare your choices
List the work you need each month
Write down how many videos you record and how long the raw files are. List the final videos, thumbnails, and short clips you need. A thumbnail is the cover image people see before they click. Add due dates and the name of the person who will review the work.
Ask both choices to price that same list. One finished edit is not the same job as an edit with thumbnails and Shorts. If you have a steady style and like giving notes directly, one editor may suit you. If you need help managing several kinds of work, ask a team how they will split the tasks.
Ask how the work will get done
A team may still put one editor on your channel. An editor who works alone may have people who help them. Ask who will do your work and what happens when they cannot. Get a clear answer before you plan around a deadline.
- Who edits our videos, and where do they keep our style notes?
- How much work can you take at once? What happens if we need more?
- Who tracks due dates, new drafts, and our review notes?
- Who tells us about a delay? Who helps when the editor is away?
- Where do you keep the raw files, final videos, and edit project?
Check the fit with a real video
Watch full videos close to the kind you make. Ask which parts the editor did and what files they started with. A reel is a short set of work samples. It can show skill, but a full video shows how the story holds up in the middle.
Give your top choices a normal brief and the same checks. Can you follow the story? Does it still sound like you? Are the sound and words on screen clear? Agree on the test work, fee, and where you may use it before it starts. Use one round of notes to see how you work together.
Count the price and your own time
Ask what the price covers and what costs extra. Check file length limits, changes, graphics, thumbnails, and final file types. If you need the edit project too, ask about it. That is the file you can open to change the edit later. It is not the same as the finished video.
Then count your own work. You will need to prepare notes, send files, answer questions, and review drafts. Use your own past hours to judge the cost. Do not assume a team or one editor will save you a fixed number of hours.
Our Starter plan is $2,799 a month for three long-form videos. Creator is $4,499 for four long-form videos, A/B thumbnails, and 10–15 Shorts. Empire is $7,299 for unlimited editing, A/B thumbnails, and everyday Shorts. A/B thumbnails are cover image options. Each plan has a dedicated editor, storage, and a project board. Creator and Empire also have a strategist to help plan content. Check your video needs with us before you choose.
Choose for the work you have next
One editor may fit when the format is clear and your team can give the notes. A managed team may fit when planning the edits and other files has become another job. If you do not record often yet, try a small, clear project with either choice first.
Before you choose, make sure you know who sends the files and who reviews the cut. Agree on the final work and what happens if a date slips. Our plans are month to month. Creators who qualify can ask for one free sample edit. No payment is needed, and the sample does not start a paid plan.
Compare who owns the work around the edit
Map the jobs your channel needs: briefing, editing, thumbnail design, quality checks, feedback collection and publishing. A freelancer can be a strong choice when you can manage the surrounding work. A team may help when several skills and backup capacity need to be coordinated.
Ask both options the same operational questions. Who covers an absence? Who catches errors before delivery? Who owns the project files? The label “agency” or “freelancer” does not answer those questions on its own.
- One video per month: compare flexibility and minimum commitment.
- Several weekly formats: compare parallel capacity and communication.
- Specialist style: compare relevant samples from the person doing the work.