Sponsored Blog Post Rates and What Bloggers Charge in 2026

A blogger with under 10,000 monthly pageviews charged $208 for a sponsored post on average in 2026. At 100,000 to 299,999 pageviews, the average was $1,674¹. Those figures come from Productive Blogging's 2026 Blogging Income Survey, which collected 129 responses from January 2 to April 29, 2026, with every rate converted to US dollars¹.

This page turns that survey into a buying guide. You'll get the rate bands, the highest rates in each band, what pushes a price up, a worked budget for a first test, and how to negotiate a package. You'll also see why a rate card priced per link is a warning sign.

Facts and prices checked November 11, 2026. See something wrong? Tell us.

Key takeaways

• Productive Blogging's 2026 survey found average sponsored post rates of $208 under 10,000 monthly pageviews, $310 at 10,000 to 49,999, $938 at 50,000 to 99,999, $1,674 at 100,000 to 299,999 and $1,800 at 300,000 to 999,999.
• The highest rate reported in the 100,000 to 299,999 band was $3,500, more than the $2,400 top rate in the larger 300,000 to 999,999 band.
• The survey says rates vary hugely within each band and depend more and more on the blogger's social following, not just pageviews.
• One published blogger formula prices a standard sponsored post at £15 to £25 per 1,000 monthly pageviews, plus fees for social shares and newsletter sends.
• Google treats paid links that pass ranking credit as link spam, so a price sheet that charges per followed link is selling the wrong thing.

The short answer by traffic band

Most bloggers price a sponsored post by monthly pageviews. Here are the 2026 averages, all countries, in US dollars¹.

• Under 10,000 pageviews. About $208.
• 10,000 to 49,999. About $310.
• 50,000 to 99,999. About $938.
• 100,000 to 299,999. About $1,674.
• 300,000 to 999,999. About $1,800.

The jump is steep in the middle. Going from the 10,000 to 49,999 band to the 50,000 to 99,999 band roughly triples the average price, from $310 to $938¹. Going from 100,000 to 299,999 up to 300,000 to 999,999 adds only about $126 on average¹.

So for a buyer, the mid-size blogs often look like the best value per reader. That's a starting point, not a rule. You still have to check who reads each blog.

The 2026 survey rates table

The survey also reported the highest rate it saw in each band. This is where the spread shows.

Two things stand out. The highest single rate came from the 100,000 to 299,999 band, not the biggest blogs¹. And the averages for two bands moved by hundreds of dollars in one year¹. Small samples swing like that. Read the table as a range to negotiate inside, not a price list.

For comparison, the same survey found that sponsored posts earned an average RPM of $100 by main revenue stream, up from $51.74 the year before¹. RPM here means revenue per 1,000 pageviews for bloggers whose main income was sponsored work. It tells you sponsorships pay bloggers well enough that the good ones will take your email seriously.

Why the bands are so messy

The survey itself warns about this. It notes "huge variation" within each pageview band¹. It also found that at almost every level, the blogger who charged the most did not have the most pageviews in that band¹.

Why? A few reasons the survey and bloggers give.

• Social following. Sponsored rates depend more and more on a blogger's social followers and engagement, not just pageviews¹.
• Niche. A finance or software blog reader may be worth more to an advertiser than a general lifestyle reader. Bloggers know it and price for it.
• Work involved. The survey describes sponsored work as less passive and more time intensive than other income¹. A recipe with photos takes longer than a short mention.
• Sample size. The survey had 129 responses in total and skews toward English-speaking bloggers who focus on earning from their blogs¹.

For a buyer, that means two blogs with the same traffic can quote $300 and $900 and both be fair. Judge the quote against the audience and the work, not just the number.

A per-pageview rule of thumb

Some bloggers publish their pricing formula. One guide, written for bloggers and based on 2026 UK and US rates, prices a standard sponsored post at £15 to £25 per 1,000 monthly pageviews, then adds a flat fee for each extra².

Worked example

Take a blog with 40,000 monthly visitors. At £15 to £25 per 1,000, the guide gets about £600 to £1,000 for the post alone, before extras². That sits above the survey's $310 average for the 10,000 to 49,999 band¹. That gap is normal. One is a blogger's target price, the other is what bloggers reported charging.

Common add-ons and their published prices

The same guide tells bloggers to quote 15 to 20 percent above their target rate to leave room to negotiate². Keep that in mind when the first number arrives.

Review vs sponsored post vs gift guide pricing

Not every deal is a flat fee for a full post. The format changes the price and the rules.

• Sponsored post. A full post built around your brand. This is what the survey bands describe¹.
• Product review. Often a free product, sometimes plus a fee. The fee can't depend on the verdict. The FTC's rule bans pay or perks conditioned on a review being positive or negative³. Pay for the time, not the stars.
• Gift guide spot. One item in a roundup. Usually cheaper than a full post because you share the page with other brands. Ask what other brands will appear.
• Giveaway. You supply the prize and may pay a hosting fee. Ask who picks the winner and when the prize ships, and say in the post who supplied it.

Whatever the format, the FTC expects a disclosure near the endorsement, and a free product counts as something of value⁴. For the full review process, see how to get bloggers to review your product.

Why per-link pricing is a red flag

Some sites sell "posts" priced by the link, by domain scores or by whether the link is followed. That's not a sponsorship. It's a ranking deal, and Google says so.

Google's spam policies list "exchanging money for links, or posts that contain links" and advertorials "where payment is received for articles that include links that pass ranking credit" as link spam⁵. Sites that break the policies "may rank lower in results or not appear in results at all"⁵.

Paid links are fine when they carry rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow"⁵. Google added the sponsored value in 2019 for links that are part of ads, sponsorships or other paid deals⁶.

How to spot the wrong kind of seller

• The price sheet lists link counts or domain metrics, not readers.
• The seller says no disclosure label is needed.
• The site covers every topic and has no comments, no newsletter and no social following.
• The same post goes out on many sites.

Pay for readers you can see, a label your buyers will understand, and a link marked sponsored. For the full rules, read sponsored post disclosure rules.

Budget math for a first test

Here's a simple way to plan a first round using the survey averages¹.

Add the cost of products and shipping. Then set one number you'll judge by, such as cost per visit or cost per sale, and track each blog with its own link.

Five to ten blogs is enough to learn from. One post isn't. The bigger problem for most teams isn't the budget. It's finding 30 or 40 bloggers in the right band and niche, and getting an email for each one so you can ask for a quote.

Negotiating a package

A blogger's first quote is often a high opener. That's fine. Here's how to get a fair deal without haggling over pennies.

• Ask for the rate card first. Let the blogger name a price. It's often lower than you'd guess for small blogs.
• Bundle. Ask for the post plus one social share or a newsletter mention as a package. Published blogger pricing treats these as add-ons², so a bundle gives you room to trade.
• Trade time, not truth. Offer a longer lead time or flexible dates in return for a lower fee. Never trade money for a better verdict, which the FTC bans³.
• Price exclusivity only if you need it. Exclusivity is a separate fee². Skip it unless a direct rival would hurt you.
• Ask about usage rights. If you want to reuse photos in ads, expect to pay for licensing².
• Book a series. Two or three posts over a quarter often cost less per post and teach you more.

Remember the 15 to 20 percent buffer some bloggers build in². A polite counter at the lower end of the survey band is normal. For pricing on bigger content deals, see advertorial and sponsored content pricing.

Weighing a blog post against a newsletter or podcast buy? Our guide to sponsored content pricing by channel turns each price into a cost per reader.

A rate request email you can copy

Keep it short. Show you read the blog, say what you want, and ask for the price.

Subject line Rate for a sponsored post on [Blog name]?

Hi [First name],

Your post on [topic] is the kind of thing our customers search for. I'm at [Company], and we make [product].

We'd like to sponsor one post in [month]. We'd send the product, you'd keep full editorial control, and the link would be marked sponsored. Could you send your rate, plus any package with a social share or newsletter mention?

Thanks,
[Your name], [Title]
[Company, postal address]
Not a fit? Reply no and I won't email again.

Treat a sponsorship email as commercial email and follow these rules. CAN-SPAM requires a subject line that matches the message, your valid postal address and a clear way to opt out, honored within 10 business days⁷. Penalties can reach $53,088 per email⁷.

For more templates, see blogger outreach email templates.

Get quotes from bloggers in your niche

Rates only help once you have bloggers to ask. Media List helps you build that list fast.

• Find bloggers. Search 28,000+ blogs by topic, country and language⁸.
• See who to contact. Emails unlock from your plan's allowance, no bot checks.
• Save a shortlist. Keep the blogs in your target band in a saved list, and export it.
• Ask for rates. On Professional, send your rate request to the whole list from built-in email campaigns, and track who replies.

Media List doesn't list rates or traffic. You get the contact, and the blogger tells you the price. Browse examples on the blogger contacts page.

Basic at $99 a month covers search, saved lists and exports. Built-in email campaigns come with Professional at $399 a month. Start with a 3-day trial. It's $0 today, and you can cancel anytime. See all plans on the pricing page.

Questions, answered

How much do bloggers charge for a sponsored post?

Productive Blogging's 2026 survey found averages of $208 under 10,000 monthly pageviews, $310 at 10,000 to 49,999, $938 at 50,000 to 99,999, $1,674 at 100,000 to 299,999 and $1,800 at 300,000 to 999,999¹.

How much does it cost to advertise on a blog?

A single sponsored post costs a few hundred dollars on a small blog and $1,600 or more on a blog with 100,000+ monthly pageviews, based on 2026 survey averages¹. Social shares and newsletter sends cost extra².

How much do bloggers get paid per 1,000 pageviews for sponsored posts?

One 2026 blogger pricing guide suggests £15 to £25 per 1,000 monthly pageviews for a standard post². The survey found sponsored posts earned an average RPM of $100 for bloggers whose main income was sponsored work¹.

Why do two blogs with the same traffic quote different prices?

Rates vary hugely inside each band, and the highest charger usually wasn't the biggest blog¹. Niche, social following and the work involved all move the price.

Should I pay a blogger per link?

No. Google lists paying for posts with links that pass ranking credit as link spam⁵. Pay for the post and its readers, and ask for the link to carry rel="sponsored".

Can I pay a blogger for a positive review?

No. The FTC rule on reviews bans pay or perks conditioned on a review expressing a positive or negative sentiment³. You can pay for an honest review, and it must be disclosed⁴.

Are blog posts cheaper than newsletter ads?

Not always. A 50,000-subscriber marketing newsletter at the benchmark $13.88 per 1,000 subscribers is about $694 per send⁹, close to the $938 blog average at 50,000 to 99,999 pageviews¹.

Related guides

• Sponsored Blog Posts for Brands and How to Buy Them Right
• How to Get Bloggers to Review Your Product the Right Way
• How to Find Bloggers in Your Niche and Their Contact Emails
• Sponsored Post Disclosure Rules for FTC and Google Compliance
• Blogger Outreach Email Templates for Reviews and Sponsored Posts

Sources

1. Productive Blogging, How much do bloggers really earn in 2026, Blogging Income Survey (updated May 28, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
2. Lilach Bullock, Sponsored content blog pricing (2026 UK and US rates), checked 2026-11-11
3. FTC, Final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials announced (Aug 14, 2024), checked 2026-11-11
4. FTC, FTC Endorsement Guides and what people are asking, checked 2026-11-11
5. Google Search Central, Spam policies for Google web search, checked 2026-11-11
6. Google Search Central Blog, Evolving nofollow with new ways to identify the nature of links (Sep 10, 2019), checked 2026-11-11
7. FTC, CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide for business, checked 2026-11-11
8. Media List, Blogger contacts page (Nov 11, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
9. PPC Land, HR newsletter ad rates run 15 times higher than lifestyle lists (Q3 2026 benchmark), checked 2026-11-11