Where these numbers come from
Our earlier research found no editing-only price lists in Dubai; most videographers fold the edit into a shoot package. That has changed: several editors now publish rates. All figures below are from their own pages, checked on 13 October 2026. They are asking prices, and the main guide is written by an editor who sells the service.
Rates by unit
Pouya Edits' 2026 guide gives the clearest split between freelance and agency:
| What you buy | Freelance | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | AED 100–600 | AED 700–1,200 |
| Basic edit, per finished minute | AED 150–500 | AED 1,000–2,000 |
| Motion-graphics edit, per finished minute | AED 800–1,500 | AED 2,000–5,000 |
| One social video, edit only | AED 200–900 | from AED 700 |
| Corporate edit, straightforward | AED 1,500–4,000 | AED 5,000–10,000 |
| Corporate edit with animation or VFX | AED 5,000+ | AED 15,000–25,000+ |
Freelance hourly splits further by experience: AED 100–300 for beginners, AED 300–600 mid-level.
Published per-edit prices
| Editor | Published price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Pouya Edits | AED 70 per short-form edit, flat; long-form AED 440; shorts-only month AED 1,100 | Hook, kinetic captions, sound design, colour |
| Nadbook editor | from AED 80 per video on a monthly plan; single edits from AED 800 for a small batch | EN + AR animated captions, 48–72 h batches |
| Mayantha | AED 550 per reel edit; vertical cutdown AED 300 | 15–45 s, grade, licensed music, captions |
| videography.ae | quoted per deliverable; full post-production AED 2,000–7,000 | Grade, sound mix, titles, versions; 2–5 working days |
Add-ons from Studio502's reels card: captions EN/AR AED 300, 24-hour rush edit AED 1,000, extra revision round AED 400.
Worked example: 20 reels a month from your own footage
A café films on phones and wants 20 edited reels a month. At published prices:
| Option | Calculation | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Pouya Edits, flat rate | 20 × AED 70 | AED 1,400 |
| Nadbook editor, monthly plan | 20 × from AED 80 | from AED 1,600 |
| Freelance social edit, mid-range | 20 × AED 200–900 | AED 4,000–18,000 |
| Mayantha reel edit | 20 × AED 550 | AED 11,000 |
| Agency social edit | 20 × from AED 700 | from AED 14,000 |
A tenfold spread for the "same" 20 reels. The difference is usually in what the editor adds: hook writing, motion captions in two languages, sound design, licensed music, revisions. Agree a sample edit before committing to a month.
What nobody tells you
The footage sets the price, not the length. videography.ae explains that an hour of clean two-camera interview with lavalier audio and an hour of mixed phone clips from twelve people are not the same work. Send a representative sample before asking for a quote.
Editing can't fix missing shots. Lunasol warns that an edit-only price is not a production budget if the footage can't support the result. Mayantha offers to say honestly whether you need an edit or a shoot before booking. If you need filming too, see reels production cost.
Music is a licence, not a file. Trending audio in the Instagram app is not cleared for business ads. Ask whether the editor uses licensed library music; see our guide to music copyright in business reels.
Revisions are where the hours go. Freelance flat rates usually include one or two rounds. Studio502 charges AED 400 per extra round. Send consolidated notes from one person.
You should get the project files. videography.ae states that finished files and project files are yours. Ask the same of any editor so the next one can pick up the work.
Which option fits
| Need | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Daily reels from your own phone footage | Flat-rate short-form editor |
| Event or interview footage that was never cut | Edit-only freelancer, quoted per deliverable |
| Brand film recut with new graphics | Senior editor or agency, AED 2,000–7,000+ |
| Animated explainer | Motion designer; see corporate video cost |
| You don't have footage at all | Shoot + edit package |
What Savage Media charges
| Savage Media | Special offer | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| One-off video shoot | from AED 950 | Shot and edited, video from 2 days |
| Savage Story | AED 3,500 first month, then AED 4,500/month | 2 shooting days, 8 edited reels and 15 photos a month |
For a full production estimate, use our video production cost calculator.
