NUJ Rate for the Job: Words, other / online

Updated: 2025-07-09

These rates have been reported by members of the National Union of Journalists and others, and printed in the Freelance, newsletter of London Freelance Branch. They are sorted by publisher/publication, then by date (most recent first). TIP: Use the "Find in page" command under your browser's "Edit" or "Search" menu to be sure of finding all occurrences of a publication/publisher. AND do note the year in which the rate was reported! See also the Freelance Fees Guide, which gives general recommendations. And read the disclaimer and the key to exactly what the entries mean.

Words, other / online In August 2012 we moved rates for online editions of newspapers and magazines into the 'news' or 'mags' listings. If you are interested, the archived rates are here.
Tell us what you've been paid for Words, other / online		Freelance Fees Guide
Publication / Programme - details & terms	Group	Year		Total paid	GR	XXXX
Audio Culture New Zealand music encyclopaedia, one price per piece, whether brief or epic		2021		125.00
Bandcamp feature		2021		400.00	GR
Byline Times 900 word original reporting news story - writer not sure of terms		2024		175.00		X
Byline Times (Byline Supplement) quoted rate for a 3500-word feature - but they pulled out weeks after accepting		2023		200.00		XX
Climate Home News sponsored content writing, per day		2019		75.00		XXXX
Cycling Weekly Online Writing All rights	_AOLTW	2015		60.00		XX
d and i Leaders articles 800 to 1200 words - a lot of research and quote finding needed	_INM	2025		180.00		XX
Debut features, 600-900 words, on topics expected to help university students or graduates, picture research expected		2019		25.00		XXX
Guardian education piece online by teacher, 700 words	_GMG	2017		0.00	GR	XXXX
Habtic Standard article, length unspecified		2021		625.00		O
Huck Magazine Feature: personal meeting in London, 4-5hr write-up		2016		90.00	GR
ICS-digital Business-to-Consumer articles and blogs each		2021		18.00		XXXX
Independent IndyBest feature	_INM	2020		100.00		XXX
Insider 600-word article with 6 images, all rights		2022		300.00		XX
IRIN 400-word profile and one picture, first world electronic rights		2019		280.00	GR
Local Secrets website 600-800 word feature, plus photos		2014		15.00	GR	XXXX
Local Secrets website 600-800 word feature, plus photos		2014		15.00	GR	XXXX
Londonist (LDN Creative Ltd) features including research, sometimes original quotes		2014		50.00	GR	XXX
New Statesman traditional blog post	_Progres	2017		50.00
Pitchfork Op-Ed with a little reporting, regardless of word count Work For Hire - US for "all rights" & worse		2015		150.00
Plaster interview with high-profile artist , terms - not known		2025		300.00		X
Please Kill Me (US punk culture webmag) features 1500 to 2500 words, fixed fee , demands outright ownership of articles		2021		500.00	GR
Semafor news article		2023		450.00
Shfl review	__misc	2021		25.00	GR
SkyscannerS travel features approx. 2000 words		2017		200.00	GR
Telegraph comment, 500 words @ £50 =	_BarcB	2016		100.00		XXXX
The Content Standard one article (no word limit) -		2018		200.00
The culture trip research, writing in to WordPress, photo gathering and crediting (time-consuming per piece!)		2017		70.00		X
The Malcontent 500-1000-word feature limited online usage only, no copyright grab		2015		300.00
The Malcontent per 500-800 word piece no rights grab, 3-6 months licence, fee negotiable from		2015		200.00
Africa Science News Service flat fee		2019		600.00
BBC Online feature, 800 words with photos	_BBC	2024		245.00
BBC Online 500 words plus pix	_BBC	2017		250.00
BBC Worklife 1000 to 1400 words with minimum three interviews and unspecified revisions	_BBC	2022		450.00	GR
Buzzfeed purchase of rights to pre-existing research for article		2015		200.00
Choose.net Consumer news writing, per piece, no exes all rights		2015		30.00	GR	XXX
doctors.net attended a conference and to write 2 news features, which she changed after submission to news "stories" , terms - exclusive only to Drs Net, not able to pitch elsewhere		2024		180.00		XXXX
EasyJet website Regular 400 word city guides all rights	_Ink	2015		42.00	GR	XXXX
GlobalData online magazines - MINE Australia per piece, 1000 words minimum, preferably with photos and/or interview - licensed to be accessible in perpetuity in digital magazine and on accompanying website		2023		220.00	GR	X
Incisive Media news reports averaging 300-350 words, regardless of time, location and research involved terms unclear	_IncisiM	2016		12.50	GR	X
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) 1200-1500 word feature		2023		1500.00
Parallax News International news/analysis 4 articles a month for $500 online		2016		125.00
The Vinyl Factory 1500 word interview feature		2017		150.00	GR
Unnamed digital magazine 4-6 pieces per month of 1000 words each, monthly rate, travel costs also paid		2016		1500.00
Website (unnamed) writing and editing per 300 words		2015		30.00
Work for "content agency" / search engine optimisation Writing 600 to 800 words and pic research and provision for "content agency" (work turned down, wouldn't negotiate)		2016		60.00
Key to the rates, by column:
1 Publication / Programme, any details of work and licence
2 Owner at the time the rate was reported, where known	Group
3 The year in which the rate was reported		Year
4 Currency: either or or (US)
5 Amount paid (total of basic licence and extra licences for web use, database resale...)				Amount
7 "Going Rate" according to experienced NUJ members - do try to better it:					GR
or Minimum rate set out in NUJ House Agreement:					HA
8 Underpaid, in the fallible opinion of the Freelance editor:				50.00		X
or Just sometimes we're pleasantly surprised:				1500.00		O

Other rates:

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