Flat fee

A flat fee is a single agreed price for a deliverable, paid whether the post does well or badly. It is the most common way creator work is paid.

Why it is usually the right structure

Because you control the work and not the outcome. A post's performance depends on the platform's ranking on the day, and taking that risk on is taking on something you cannot influence.

It is also simpler to invoice, easier to agree, and does not require you to trust the brand's reporting.

The alternative structures

• Performance-based, where the fee depends on views or clicks. Rare, and it moves platform risk onto you.
• Affiliate, where you earn a share of what your audience buys. Uncapped, and often worth combining with a flat fee rather than replacing it.
• Hybrid, a flat fee plus a bonus above an agreed threshold. Usually the fairest version if a brand pushes for performance.

The one to be careful with

"Exposure", or a fee replaced by free product. Occasionally worth it early on with a brand you genuinely want to work with. Mostly it is a flat fee of nothing.