What is exclusivity in UGC deals? Meaning and pricing
Exclusivity: Exclusivity is a contract clause that bars a creator from working with a brand's competitors, in a defined category and for a set period, usually in exchange for an extra fee.
Exclusivity is a clause in a UGC contract that stops you working with the brand’s competitors for a set time. A meditation app might ask that you make no videos for other meditation apps for three months. Because it limits who else can hire you, exclusivity is priced as an extra, not given away.
How it works
A clear exclusivity clause pins down four things:
- Category. Which competitors are off-limits. “Meditation apps” is clear. “Wellness” could cover half your clients.
- Duration. How long it lasts, and when it starts: on signing, on delivery or on first post.
- Platforms. Every platform, or only the ones the brand uses.
- What counts. Paid posts only, or any video for a competitor, including organic posts on your own account.
Exclusivity often travels with usage rights. If a brand runs your video as an ad for six months, it may want you off competitor ads for the same six months.
Example
A language app offers $100 per video and asks for 6 months of category exclusivity. You accept the base rate but quote an exclusivity fee on top, priced on what you give up: the language-app deals you could have taken in that window. If they narrow the category to “Spanish-learning apps” or cut the term to 3 months, the fee drops. These numbers are an example, not a market rate.
Exclusivity in Canvas UGC
In Canvas UGC and retainer deals, exclusivity can quietly cap your income. Many creators run several brand accounts at once. If one client bars “all productivity apps”, you may have to drop another. Check the clause against every deal you already hold before you sign.
Why it matters for UGC creators
- It costs you deals. Every month of exclusivity is a month of work you can’t take in that category. Charge for it.
- Narrow beats broad. A tight category and a short term leave room for other clients.
- Get it in writing. “No competitors” with no list and no end date invites disputes. Name the category and the dates.
- Put it on your rate card. Listing exclusivity as its own line tells brands it isn’t free.
If a brand wants exclusivity but pays only a low per-video rate, that’s the moment to negotiate, not after you’ve signed.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Related terms
- Usage rights: Usage rights are the permissions a creator grants a brand to use their videos, defining where the content can appear, whether it can run as paid ads, and for how long.
- UGC retainer: A UGC retainer is an ongoing deal where a brand pays a creator a fixed monthly fee for an agreed volume of videos or posts, often with view-based bonuses.
- Rate card: A rate card is a one-page price list a UGC creator sends to brands, showing base rates per video or package plus add-ons like usage rights, extra hooks and exclusivity.
- Per-video rate: A per-video rate is a flat fee a brand pays a creator for each delivered and accepted UGC video, regardless of how many views it later gets.