Voiceover Rate Guide - Egypt - English
The following tables represent a guide to the voiceover rates typically charged by voice artists in all Arabic speaking countries in the MENA Region. The guide has been compiled by Gravy For The Brain Arabia and a working group of the top VO Professionals in the MENA Region. Note that most quotations are done through negotiation and you should not feel restricted by any upper or lower limits!
   Animation Major Character | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
N/A | |||
Notes | |||
In Progress |
   Animation Minor Character | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
N/A | |||
Notes | |||
In Progress |
   Audiobooks Audiobooks | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
Usage included within the price. Royalty share jobs pay a portion of book sales, but that often leads to little or no pay. |
|||
Notes | |||
1. Per Finished Hour means per hour of playback of the edited recording 2. The PFH rate does not include a cost for you to edit the recordings 3. How long it takes you to complete one PFH depends on how well you perform as a voice artist - know your rates! |
   Dubbing (ADR) | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
By negotiation | |||
Notes | |||
1. Single ADR means one actor voicing individual lines of dialogue, to picture (usually replacing poor or unusable on-set dialogue) 2. Rate quoted is per-line 3. A line is usually 5 to 8 words. 4. This rate applies to ADR in films and series only. |
   Dubbing Audio Description | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
Usage included in the session fee | |||
Notes | |||
1.Audio Description means voicing the on-screen action / dialogue for a visually impaired audience. 2. Rates listed are per-minute, taking into consideration that the minimum session fee is usually calculated for 40 lines. 3. There are reported occurrences of this work being priced per film or episode. 4. Rates displayed are per-line. 5. A line is usually 5 to 8 words. |
   Dubbing Dubbing/Gaming (Less than 80 lines) | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
By negotiation | |||
Notes | |||
1. Dubbing means voicing a character's lines in a different language, e.g., localising an English language film into Arabic. 2. This fee does not apply when the dubbing is Arabic to Arabic - in which case see the other relevant section. 3. The rate commonly includes a 3 hour session for up to 80 lines. For more than 80 lines, please check the relevant section. 4. A line is usually 5 to 8 words. |
   Dubbing Dubbing/Gaming (More than 80 lines) | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
By negotiation | |||
Notes | |||
1. Dubbing means voicing a character's lines in a different language, e.g., localising an English language film into Arabic. 2. This fee does not apply when the dubbing is Arabic to Arabic - in which case see the other relevant section (ADR). 3. The minimum session fee is usually calculated for 80 lines. 4. Rates displayed are per-line. 5. A line is usually 5 to 8 words. |
   IVR Per Page (For more than 20 prompts) | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
One year if possible, though buyouts are common in this sector. | |||
Notes | |||
1. A Page has an average of up to 250 words. 2. Minimum unit is usually one page. 3. A page cannot contain more than one language. If there is more than one language, they should be separated on 2 different pages. 4. For any language other than Arabic, 25-50% is added to the rate. 5. It has been reported that some VOs apply discounts for larger quantities. |
   IVR Per Prompt (For less than 20 prompts) | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
One year if possible, though buyouts are common in this sector. | |||
Notes | |||
1. A Prompt is up to 25 words. Additional words for the same prompt are considered an extra prompt. 2. Minimum fee is usually 15 prompts. 3. For any language other than Arabic, 25-50% is added to the rate. |
   Internet Social Media Commercials (30-sec spot) | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
By negotiation | |||
Notes | |||
1. Add 25% for 60s spots and 50% for 90s spots. 2. Add 25-50% for languages other than Arabic. 3. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower |
   Live Announcement Live Announce - In-Person/On-Site [Back Stage] | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
Per day. Price does include usage, but does not include Commercial usage. | |||
Notes | |||
"Name" and celebrity voices can command significantly more. Many voices also have travel and accommodation provided on top of the fee. |
   Live Announcement Live Announce - In-Person/On-Site [On Stage] | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
Per day. Price does include usage, but does not include Commercial usage. |
|||
Notes | |||
"Name" and celebrity voices can command significantly more. Many voices also have travel and accommodation provided on top of the fee. |
   Live Announcement Live Announce - Pre Recorded | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
Price does include usage, but does not include Commercial usage. | |||
Notes | |||
Price is per session, usually under one hour. It's possible to negotiate higher for bigger scripts. |
   Narration Corporate/Explainer (Up to 10 minutes) | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
By negotiation | |||
Notes | |||
1. If the script is more than 10 minutes, please refer to the e-learning & Narration section. 2. A discount is applied when the number of minutes is more than 1. Here are the discounts: - 2 minutes = 20% - 3 minutes = 30% - 4 minutes = 40% - 5 minutes = 50% - 5+ minutes = 50% 3. Rates displayed are per minute. |
   Narration E-Learning/Corporate/Medical/Other (per minute for | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
This genre does not typically pay usage/royalties, though this can be negotiated in some cases, especially where the end product is for retail. | |||
Notes | |||
11 - 20 ????? = $350 - $420 20 - 30 ????? = $421 - $500 30 - 40 ????? = $501 - $600 40 - 60 ????? = $601 - $800 1. It is reported that the averages are as listed below: 11 - 20 minutes = $350 - $420 20 - 30 minutes = $421 - $500 30 - 40 minutes = $501 - $600 40 - 60 minutes = $601 - $800 |
   Studio Rates Home Studio - Editing & Treatment | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
N/A | |||
Notes | |||
1. The artist, if required may charge additionally for post-production services (if this is not inherent in the original contract) 2. Post production in this instance means the editing, renaming, de-popping/clicking, file separation, renaming, compression/normalisation/EQ of the audio recordings 3. Rates listed are per-hour |
   Studio Rates Home Studio - Recording Rates | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
N/A | |||
Notes | |||
1. Some voice artists do charge for their home recording studio. Some do not. It's up to you to decide on a client-by-client basis as to whether you should do this. 2. Rates listed are per hour, bearing in mind that the minimum measuring unit is 1 hour. |
   Studio Rates Home Studio - Sound Design & Mixing Rates | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
N/A | |||
Notes | |||
1. The artist, if required may charge additionally for post-production services (if this is not inherent in the original contract) 2. Post production in this instance means the editing, renaming, de-popping/clicking, file separation, renaming, compression/normalisation/EQ of the audio recordings 3. Rates listed are per-hour |
   Studio Rates Online Sessions Rates | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
N/A | |||
Notes | |||
1. Online recording sessions are sessions where the client joins the recording session using any online meeting application. 2. Rates listed are per hour, bearing in mind that the minimum measuring unit is 1 hour. 3. Rate includes Recording, editing and treatment. |
   Studio Rates Professional Studio Rates | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
N/A | |||
Notes | |||
1. Rate includes Recording, editing, treatment, sound design and mixing. 2. Rates listed are per hour, bearing in mind that the minimum measuring unit is 1 hour. |
   Television & Radio Commercials - National (up to 30 sec) | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
By negotiation | |||
Notes | |||
1. Add 25% for 60s spots 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower |
   Television & Radio Commercials - Regional (up to 30 sec) | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
By negotiation | |||
Notes | |||
1. Add 25% for 60s spots 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower |
   Television & Radio Promos | |||
Union Rates | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
|
|||
Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | |||
Included as long as retainer contract is active | |||
Notes | |||
1. Rates displayed are for a monthly retainer. |
Radio | ||||||
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Union Rates | Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | Usage Fee/Usage Buyout Structure | Notes | |||
Typical Lower | Typical Average | Typical Upper | ||||
(ADR) | N/A | US$0.16 |
US$0.25 |
US$0.63 | By negotiation | 1. Single ADR means one actor voicing individual lines of dialogue, to picture (usually replacing poor or unusable on-set dialogue) 2. Rate quoted is per-line 3. A line is usually 5 to 8 words. 4. This rate applies to ADR in films and series only. |
Audio Description | N/A | US$0.16 |
US$0.25 |
US$0.63 | Usage included in the session fee | 1.Audio Description means voicing the on-screen action / dialogue for a visually impaired audience. 2. Rates listed are per-minute, taking into consideration that the minimum session fee is usually calculated for 40 lines. 3. There are reported occurrences of this work being priced per film or episode. 4. Rates displayed are per-line. 5. A line is usually 5 to 8 words. |
Audiobooks | N/A | US$25 |
US$50 |
US$150 | Usage included within the price. Royalty share jobs pay a portion of book sales, but that often leads to little or no pay. |
1. Per Finished Hour means per hour of playback of the edited recording 2. The PFH rate does not include a cost for you to edit the recordings 3. How long it takes you to complete one PFH depends on how well you perform as a voice artist - know your rates! |
Commercials - National (up to 30 sec) | N/A | US$100 |
US$200 |
US$300 | By negotiation | 1. Add 25% for 60s spots 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower |
Commercials - Regional (up to 30 sec) | N/A | US$200 |
US$400 |
US$700 | By negotiation | 1. Add 25% for 60s spots 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower |
Corporate/Explainer (Up to 10 minutes) | N/A | US$70 |
US$150 |
US$200 | By negotiation | 1. If the script is more than 10 minutes, please refer to the e-learning & Narration section. 2. A discount is applied when the number of minutes is more than 1. Here are the discounts: - 2 minutes = 20% - 3 minutes = 30% - 4 minutes = 40% - 5 minutes = 50% - 5+ minutes = 50% 3. Rates displayed are per minute. |
Dubbing/Gaming (Less than 80 lines) | N/A | N/A |
US$30 |
N/A | By negotiation | 1. Dubbing means voicing a character's lines in a different language, e.g., localising an English language film into Arabic. 2. This fee does not apply when the dubbing is Arabic to Arabic - in which case see the other relevant section. 3. The rate commonly includes a 3 hour session for up to 80 lines. For more than 80 lines, please check the relevant section. 4. A line is usually 5 to 8 words. |
Dubbing/Gaming (More than 80 lines) | N/A | US$0.16 |
US$0.25 |
US$0.63 | By negotiation | 1. Dubbing means voicing a character's lines in a different language, e.g., localising an English language film into Arabic. 2. This fee does not apply when the dubbing is Arabic to Arabic - in which case see the other relevant section (ADR). 3. The minimum session fee is usually calculated for 80 lines. 4. Rates displayed are per-line. 5. A line is usually 5 to 8 words. |
E-Learning/Corporate/Medical/Other (per minute for | N/A | In Progress |
In Progress |
In Progress | This genre does not typically pay usage/royalties, though this can be negotiated in some cases, especially where the end product is for retail. | 11 - 20 ????? = $350 - $420 20 - 30 ????? = $421 - $500 30 - 40 ????? = $501 - $600 40 - 60 ????? = $601 - $800 1. It is reported that the averages are as listed below: 11 - 20 minutes = $350 - $420 20 - 30 minutes = $421 - $500 30 - 40 minutes = $501 - $600 40 - 60 minutes = $601 - $800 |
Home Studio - Editing & Treatment | N/A | US$10 |
US$15 |
US$20 | N/A | 1. The artist, if required may charge additionally for post-production services (if this is not inherent in the original contract) 2. Post production in this instance means the editing, renaming, de-popping/clicking, file separation, renaming, compression/normalisation/EQ of the audio recordings 3. Rates listed are per-hour |
Home Studio - Recording Rates | N/A | US$5 |
US$10 |
US$15 | N/A | 1. Some voice artists do charge for their home recording studio. Some do not. It's up to you to decide on a client-by-client basis as to whether you should do this. 2. Rates listed are per hour, bearing in mind that the minimum measuring unit is 1 hour. |
Home Studio - Sound Design & Mixing Rates | N/A | US$15 |
US$20 |
US$25 | N/A | 1. The artist, if required may charge additionally for post-production services (if this is not inherent in the original contract) 2. Post production in this instance means the editing, renaming, de-popping/clicking, file separation, renaming, compression/normalisation/EQ of the audio recordings 3. Rates listed are per-hour |
Live Announce - In-Person/On-Site [Back Stage] | N/A | US$400 |
US$500 |
US$800 | Per day. Price does include usage, but does not include Commercial usage. | "Name" and celebrity voices can command significantly more. Many voices also have travel and accommodation provided on top of the fee. |
Live Announce - In-Person/On-Site [On Stage] | N/A | US$500 |
US$1000 |
US$1500 | Per day. Price does include usage, but does not include Commercial usage. |
"Name" and celebrity voices can command significantly more. Many voices also have travel and accommodation provided on top of the fee. |
Live Announce - Pre Recorded | N/A | US$200 |
US$300 |
US$400 | Price does include usage, but does not include Commercial usage. | Price is per session, usually under one hour. It's possible to negotiate higher for bigger scripts. |
Major Character | N/A | In Progress |
In Progress |
In Progress | N/A | In Progress |
Minor Character | N/A | In Progress |
In Progress |
In Progress | N/A | In Progress |
Online Sessions Rates | N/A | US$30 |
US$40 |
US$60 | N/A | 1. Online recording sessions are sessions where the client joins the recording session using any online meeting application. 2. Rates listed are per hour, bearing in mind that the minimum measuring unit is 1 hour. 3. Rate includes Recording, editing and treatment. |
Per Page (For more than 20 prompts) | N/A | US$120 |
US$175 |
US$250 | One year if possible, though buyouts are common in this sector. | 1. A Page has an average of up to 250 words. 2. Minimum unit is usually one page. 3. A page cannot contain more than one language. If there is more than one language, they should be separated on 2 different pages. 4. For any language other than Arabic, 25-50% is added to the rate. 5. It has been reported that some VOs apply discounts for larger quantities. |
Per Prompt (For less than 20 prompts) | N/A | US$10 |
US$15 |
US$20 | One year if possible, though buyouts are common in this sector. | 1. A Prompt is up to 25 words. Additional words for the same prompt are considered an extra prompt. 2. Minimum fee is usually 15 prompts. 3. For any language other than Arabic, 25-50% is added to the rate. |
Professional Studio Rates | N/A | US$20 |
US$30 |
US$50 | N/A | 1. Rate includes Recording, editing, treatment, sound design and mixing. 2. Rates listed are per hour, bearing in mind that the minimum measuring unit is 1 hour. |
Promos | N/A | US$300 |
US$600 |
US$1200 | Included as long as retainer contract is active | 1. Rates displayed are for a monthly retainer. |
Social Media Commercials (30-sec spot) | N/A | US$100 |
US$150 |
US$250 | By negotiation | 1. Add 25% for 60s spots and 50% for 90s spots. 2. Add 25-50% for languages other than Arabic. 3. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower |
**Typical Current Actual Market Rates: The rates specified in these tables are those generally commanded in all Arabic speaking countries in the MENA Region by working voiceover artists. Of course, any voiceover artist can charge anything they want – and should do so - but we have surveyed and found that this range is what voiceover artists typically charge. Accordingly, these rates may not be indicative of those charged by very established or well-known artists through their agents who can generally charge more. In those instances, fees are always agreed by negotiation and are subject to many variables. Also, lesser known artists may charge less in order to establish themselves or to build a reputation. We have tried to cover a typical spread of what the industry normally charges, even though any specific instance may vary from our Typical Low/Typical Average/Typical Upper classifications.
A Note from GFTBA on Rates: Please note that this rate guide is intended to be a guide for current industry rates charged in general by voice artists in All Arabic speaking countries in the MENA Region, and is not intended to imply that these rates are fixed, or set - they are not. As a voice artist you must make your choice as to what you charge, but please do be aware that what you charge as a voice artist also affects other voice artists in the industry. If you as a voice artist want to charge much more, or much less than these rates you are freely within your rights to do so.