Step 1
Test Editly on a typical YouTube video
Use one of your 3 free exports on footage from your most common YouTube content type.
Editly AI
YouTube Editor for Hire
What does a YouTube editor for hire charge?
YouTube editors: $25-300+/hour. Per-video: $100-2000+ depending on length and editor level. For consistent weekly publishing, annual costs can reach $10,000-$50,000+. Editly Pro: $336/year.
YouTube Editor for Hire vs Editly AI
The direct comparison for YouTube creators choosing between hiring and AI.
| Decision | Other Apps | Editly |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per YouTube video | YouTube editor for hire: $100-1800 per video depending on length and level | Editly: $0.28 per YouTube video ($28/month for 100 exports) |
| Delivery time | YouTube editor for hire: 2-5 business days per video | Editly: 15-20 minutes from upload to YouTube-ready export |
| YouTube captions | YouTube editor: separate step or additional cost | Editly: captions in the prompt — included in the 15-20 minute total |
| Annual cost for twice-weekly YouTube | YouTube editor at $300/video twice-weekly: ~$31,200/year | Editly Pro: $336/year for 100 YouTube videos per month |
Decide on Hiring vs AI — Test First
Step 2
Write the brief you'd give a YouTube editor
'Create a 10-minute YouTube tutorial from this 40-minute recording. Remove silences. Add captions. Start with a hook. Export 1080p 16:9.' Standard YouTube editor brief.
Step 3
Compare the output to your quality standard
Would this Editly output meet your YouTube publishing standard? If yes, AI covers the need.
Step 4
Use your decision data
If AI meets standard: Pro $28/month, no hiring needed for regular content. If human judgment is needed: hire specifically for those elements, use AI for the rest.
3 Free YouTube Exports — Test AI Before You Hire
Test Editly on your YouTube footage before engaging with a YouTube editor for hire. 3 free exports, no card required — honest evaluation.
- 3 free YouTube-ready AI exports — 1080p, captioned
- 15-20 minutes vs days from a hired editor
- Pro $28/month if AI meets your YouTube standard