Where do you find UGC jobs and brands looking for UGC creators?
Last updated · by Buse Dülger
You find UGC jobs in five places: creator marketplaces, brands' own creator programmes, job boards and creator communities, direct pitches to brands, and UGC agencies. Most UGC work is remote, freelance and paid per video, so most creators run two or three of these routes at once rather than waiting on one.
Where can you find UGC jobs?
UGC jobs come through five channels: creator marketplaces, brands' own creator programmes, freelance job boards and creator communities, direct outreach to brands, and UGC agency rosters. Marketplaces give you the steadiest flow of briefs. Direct pitches let you set your own rate, but they take the most effort.
Searches for 'UGC gigs', 'UGC work' and 'UGC opportunities' all describe the same thing: short, paid content jobs where a brand uses your video in its own ads, on product pages or in its social feeds. Treat the routes below as a mix. Join two marketplaces, keep a shortlist of brands to pitch, and check one community board each week so you are never relying on a single source of briefs.
Creator marketplaces
Platforms where brands post briefs and creators apply, or where the platform matches you to a brief. Most of them vet your portfolio, hold the brand's payment until the content is approved and record usage terms, so you spend less time chasing invoices. They are the best starting point if you have a portfolio and no client list yet.
Brand creator programmes
Many DTC beauty, supplement and fashion brands run their own creator or community pages with an application form. Look in the footer of the brand's website for 'creators', 'collaborate' or 'community'. Some of these programmes pay per video, while others are affiliate or gifting schemes, so check whether there is a fee before you apply.
Job boards and communities
Freelance boards and general job sites list UGC roles under 'UGC creator' or 'content creator (UGC)'. Creator Slack groups, Discord servers and Facebook groups also share briefs. Quality varies a lot on these boards, so apply the red-flag checks further down this page before you share your address or bank details.
Direct outreach
Pitch brands whose products you already use and whose ads already look like UGC. There is no platform in the middle, so you set the scope, the usage terms and the rate yourself. Direct outreach takes the most effort and has the lowest hit rate, but it is the route that most often leads to repeat work and retainers.
UGC agencies
Agencies keep rosters of creators and cast them for client briefs. You join by sending a portfolio and an intro video. They handle the client relationship and keep a margin, which means a lower fee for you but less selling. Agencies suit creators who would rather film than pitch.
Which creator marketplaces and UGC networks are worth joining?
The marketplaces worth joining are the ones whose brands match your niche and that handle briefs, usage terms and payment for you. A UGC network is simply a pool of creators that a platform offers to brands. Some are open to anyone. Others vet portfolios and put applicants on a waitlist when a category is already full.
Join two or three, fill in every profile field, and after a month judge each one by how many briefs you could realistically apply for. Here are the main options and the kind of creator each one suits.
Hashtag Collabz
A London-based marketplace where UK and US DTC brands in beauty, skincare, supplements, fashion, lifestyle and food and drink post briefs. Vetted creators apply or are matched, and briefs, usage rights and payment are all handled in-platform. AI-generated visuals are not allowed.
TikTok One
TikTok's own hub for brand deals. Creators sign up, then join projects through a direct invitation, an open application or an invite link. TikTok's help centre says brand opportunities need at least 1,000 followers plus any requirements the brand sets, and creators can only send a limited number of applications each week.
Twirl
A UGC platform that reviews each application, including an intro video and portfolio, before it accepts a creator. Accepted creators see open campaigns with a clear brief and the pay stated up front. You do not need followers. The platform handles communication with the brand and releases payment once the content is approved.
JoinBrands
A large marketplace covering UGC, TikTok Shop, Instagram, YouTube and Amazon content. Brands post campaigns with a brief and creator targeting, creators apply with their portfolios, and the brand's payment is held until it approves the content. Creators move up levels based on completed jobs and ratings.
Collabstr
A marketplace where creators list fixed-price packages, including UGC-only ones, that brands can buy outright or negotiate. You don't have to apply to every brief. It suits creators who would rather set their own list of deliverables and prices, and who are happy to sharpen their profile so brands find them in search.
Billo and Insense
Self-serve platforms where brands order creator videos for social ads. Billo focuses on quick UGC video orders. Insense runs a creator marketplace that covers UGC, influencer and affiliate work. Both pitch themselves to brands as low-cost options, so expect a high volume of jobs rather than high fees per video.
What is a creator marketplace and how does it compare to an agency or an influencer platform
Are UGC jobs remote, part-time or full-time?
Almost all UGC jobs are remote and freelance. The brand ships you the product, you film at home and you upload the files to a platform or a shared folder. Most creators start part-time, fitting a few briefs a month around another job, and only go full-time once they have repeat clients or monthly retainers. Expect uneven months, because briefs cluster around product launches, seasonal sales and new ad tests.
Pure UGC, where the brand runs your video on its own channels, needs no audience at all. If a brief also asks you to post on your own account, that post is advertising. The ASA and CMA's influencers' guide explains when content must be disclosed and how to make clear that ads are ads. Treat gifted products the same way: label the post 'Ad' in the UK and '#ad' in the US.
One-off gigs
A single brief: one to three videos, a set number of hooks and a fixed fee. Most first jobs on marketplaces look like this. They are quick to deliver and good for building your portfolio, but you have to keep applying to fill your calendar, and the fee per video tends to sit at the lower end.
Packages
A bundle of videos, for example three videos with two hook variations each, priced together. Brands testing ads like packages because one shoot gives them several variations, and you get a bigger fee for a single filming session. Agree up front how many revision rounds are included.
Retainers
A monthly agreement to deliver a set number of videos, usually with a brand you have already worked with. Retainers are what make UGC a steady income. They tend to come from direct relationships and repeat bookings more than from cold applications, so ask for one after a successful first brief.
How do you apply for UGC jobs?
You apply for UGC jobs in two stages: first to a platform or agency with your portfolio, then to individual briefs. Platform approval can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, and many platforms vet every creator, so treat the application itself as your first sample of work.
If you have no paid work yet, film spec videos for products you already own. Brands judge the hook, the lighting and how you speak on camera, not whether a client paid for the video. Keep each portfolio piece under 60 seconds and make the first three seconds count. The steps below work for marketplaces, agencies and brand programmes alike.
Step 1: Build a focused portfolio
Film three to six short videos in the categories you want to work in, such as skincare routines, supplement unboxings or try-on hauls. Show a mix of formats: a talking-head review, a demo and a problem-and-solution ad. Host them on one link that opens on a phone without a login.
Step 2: Record an intro video
Most platforms ask for a 30 to 60 second intro. Say who you are, your niche, where you film and which products you use every day. Film it in good natural light with clear audio, because reviewers treat it as proof of the quality you would deliver on a real brief.
Step 3: Apply to two or three platforms
Fill in every profile field: your niche, age range, location, the setting you film in, any pets or children who can appear, and your kit. Matching tools filter on these details, so a blank field can hide you from briefs you would otherwise fit.
Step 4: Apply to briefs that fit
Answer the brand's questions specifically, say how you would open the video, and link the one portfolio piece closest to the brief. Applying to fewer briefs that genuinely fit beats sending out dozens of generic applications.
Step 5: Deliver, then ask for a review
Hit the deadline, supply the exact file formats and hooks requested, and handle revisions quickly. Afterwards, ask for a rating or a testimonial. Good reviews push your profile up on most marketplaces and lead to repeat bookings.
How do UGC job listings work?
A UGC listing is a short brief that states the product, the deliverables, how the brand will use the content and what it pays. You apply, the brand shortlists creators, and the creators it books receive the product and a full brief. Read the usage line first: a video the brand only posts on its own social accounts and one it runs as a paid ad for a year are very different jobs, even at the same fee.
Busy platforms are competitive, and some limit how many applications you can send each week. Apply only to briefs where your niche, look and filming setting fit what the brand describes, and answer its screening questions in your own words.
What a good listing states
The product and whether it is shipped to you, the number of videos and hooks, the length and aspect ratio, whether you show your face, the deadline, the fee, the revision rounds, and the usage: where the brand will publish the content, for how long, and whether it can run it as paid ads.
How selection works
Brands review applications, profiles and portfolios, then shortlist. Some platforms auto-accept creators who match the filters, while others put applicants on a waitlist when all the places are filled. If you are not selected, it usually means the brand wanted a different demographic or setting, not that your work was weak.
After booking
You receive the product and the full brief. You film and upload drafts, the brand asks for any revisions within the agreed rounds, and payment is released once it approves the content. Keep your raw files until the usage period ends, in case the brand asks for re-edits.
UGC demand and pay benchmarks
- 35% Share of campaigns on Collabstr that were UGC, up from 15% a year earlier.
- $154 Average UGC payout after negotiation, against an average asking price of $180.
- 80% Share of all creator collaborations on the marketplace that cost brands under $300.
- 40%+ Share of UGC campaigns that come from companies spending less than $5k.
How much do UGC jobs pay?
Most UGC jobs pay per video, and marketplace data puts the typical fee in the low hundreds of dollars. Collabstr's annual Influencer Marketing Report found that UGC packages are listed at an average of $180, while actual UGC payouts average $154 after negotiation. It also found that nearly 80% of all collaborations on the platform cost under $300, and only 2% topped $1,000.
For newer UK creators, a standard 15 to 60 second video typically pays £100-250 (industry range). Fees go up for paid-ad usage rights, extra hooks, raw footage, whitelisting and rush delivery. Beauty and fashion pay less on average because so many creators compete in those niches. Price usage separately, so a brand that wants to run your video in ads for a year pays for that year rather than getting it free with the video.
Which red flags should you watch for in UGC listings?
The biggest red flag is any listing that asks you to pay to apply, buy a starter kit or take a paid course before you can work. The FTC's advice on work-from-home job scams is blunt: honest employers will never ask you to pay to get a job, and anyone who does is a scammer.
The second biggest is a brief with no usage terms. Without them, a brand can run your face in paid ads indefinitely for a one-off fee. Before you share your address or bank details, search the brand's name together with 'scam', 'review' or 'complaint'.
Pay-to-apply or 'required training'
Application fees, 'verification' charges, mandatory paid courses or starter kits you must buy to unlock briefs. Real marketplaces earn their money from brands or from a cut of fees, not by charging creators to get hired. Walk away from any listing that asks you for money first.
No usage terms
If the listing does not say where the content will run, for how long and whether it can be used in paid ads, ask before you accept. A low fee for content that is only posted organically can be fair. The same fee for unlimited ad use is not.
Unpaid 'test' videos
A brand asking for a full custom video 'to see your style' before it books you is asking for free work. Point it to your portfolio instead, or offer a paid trial at a reduced rate with clear usage limits.
Cheques and suspicious links
Never deposit a cheque and send part of the money back, and never pay for products upfront on the promise of a refund. Only open project invites from official company emails or platform domains, and never enter bank passwords or one-time codes on an invite page.
How do you pitch brands directly for UGC deals?
You pitch a brand directly with a short, specific message that shows you use its product, links two relevant samples and makes a clear offer. Choose DTC brands that already run creator-style ads, find the content, social or growth lead on LinkedIn or on the brand's website, and send an email rather than a DM where you can. Keep the first message under 120 words and follow up once after five to seven working days.
A direct UGC brand deal is still a contract. Confirm the deliverables, usage period, revision rounds and payment date in writing before you film, even if all you have is an email thread.
Short pitch template
Subject: 3 UGC videos for [product]. Hi [name], I've used [product] for [time] and filmed two samples showing how it fits [use case]: [link]. I'd love to make three 30-second ad videos, each with two hooks, delivered in seven days. My rate is [fee], including three months of paid usage. Would a quick call work? [Name], [portfolio link]
What to attach
One portfolio link, not a folder of files. Lead with two samples in the brand's category, plus one video that shows you can write a hook. If you have results from an earlier brief, such as a brand reusing your video in ads, mention it in one line.
Following up
Send one follow-up with something new, such as a fresh sample or a hook idea for the brand's latest launch. If it still doesn't reply, move it to a quarterly list and try again when the brand launches a new product.
Sources and further reading
- ASA and CMA, Influencers' guide to making clear that ads are ads — Advertising Standards Authority
- Disclosures 101: New FTC resources for social media influencers — Federal Trade Commission
- How to avoid work-from-home job scams — Federal Trade Commission
- How creators can find and join TikTok One projects — TikTok for Business
- Collabstr Annual Influencer Marketing Report — Collabstr
- Twirl, Become a UGC creator, 2026
- JoinBrands, Homepage, 2026
- Cohley, The Brand Buyer's Guide to UGC Platforms, 2026
Frequently asked questions
Which brands are looking for UGC creators?
Demand is led by small and mid-sized DTC brands in beauty, skincare, supplements, fashion, food and drink, pets and apps. They need a steady supply of new ad videos to test. Look for brands already running creator-style ads on Meta and TikTok, because they are actively buying this kind of content.
What is a UGC deal?
A UGC deal is a paid agreement to make content that a brand publishes on its own channels or in its ads. It sets out the deliverables, fee, revision rounds and usage licence. To land one, apply to marketplace briefs that match your niche, or pitch brands directly with samples in their category.
Can you do UGC jobs remotely or as a side gig?
Yes. Almost all UGC work is remote: the brand ships the product, you film at home and upload the files. Most creators start part-time with a few briefs a month and only go full-time once they have repeat clients or retainers.
Where can you find tech UGC jobs?
Tech and app briefs appear on general UGC marketplaces, on TikTok One and through direct pitches to app and gadget brands. Brands want screen recordings, clear explanations and a convincing 'problem solved' story. Build two or three portfolio pieces that show you walking through an app or device naturally.
Where can you find pet UGC jobs?
Pet food, accessory and grooming brands post briefs on UGC marketplaces, and many filter for creators with a specific animal. Add your pets' species, breed and temperament to your profile so matching tools surface you. Calm, well-lit footage of the pet actually using the product is what gets you booked.
How does UGC work for creators?
A brand briefs you on a product and the videos it wants, ships the product, and you film and deliver the edited files. The brand then uses the content on its own channels or in ads under the agreed usage licence. You are paid per video or per package, usually once the brand approves the content.
What is a freelance UGC creator?
A freelance UGC creator is self-employed and makes videos and photos for several brands without joining any of them as staff. They find work through marketplaces, agencies and direct pitches, set their own rates and invoice per job. Follower count matters far less than the quality of their portfolio.
Can you get UGC jobs with no experience?
Yes, if you have a portfolio, because brands judge your samples, not your CV. Film three to six spec videos for products you already own, apply to platforms that do not require followers, and price your first briefs at the lower end of the range while you collect reviews.
How do food creators find niche deals such as gluten-free brands?
Search marketplaces for briefs in the food and drink category, then pitch free-from and gluten-free DTC brands directly with a sample recipe or taste-test video. Say clearly in your profile that you eat gluten-free, so brands can trust the review is genuine. Make sure any health or dietary claim you make matches what the brand says on its packaging.
Is gifted UGC still an ad?
If you post it on your own account, yes. The FTC's Disclosures 101 guidance says free or discounted products create a material connection with the brand that you must disclose. Label the post '#ad' in the US and 'Ad' in the UK, even when no money changed hands.