# Joining as a creator Applying, what you need, sample videos, rates and imported profiles. For creators · 8 questions · Updated 14 October 2026 ## How do I join UGCStars as a creator? Fill in the [creator application](https://ugcstars.com/join/creator). It’s one page and takes about two minutes, and your answers are kept on your device if you need to come back later. 1. Add your details: name, email, country, birth year, gender and the languages you create in. 2. Add at least one social account or portfolio link, plus your interests and the content you make. 3. Fill in the lifestyle details brands search for: skin type, pets and kids. 4. Set your starting rate per video and add up to six sample videos. 5. Agree to the Privacy Policy and to us publishing your profile after review, and choose whether you want opportunity emails. 6. Open the confirmation link we email you. A person on our team then reviews your profile, and we email you the decision. You must be 18 or older to apply. ## Is it free for creators? Do you take a commission? Joining, staying listed, receiving opportunity emails and updating your profile are always free. UGCStars takes no commission: brands pay you directly, and you keep 100% of what you agree. Brands pay us for access to the database, which is how UGCStars is funded. Most of the Creator Hub is free too. Optional extras that cost money always show their price before you buy. ## Do I need a lot of followers? No. There’s no follower minimum. Brands hire UGC creators for the video they get, which they post on their own accounts and in their ads, not for the creator’s audience. Follower numbers are optional on the form and only help brands who want to filter by them. What matters in review is enough examples of UGC work to judge what you make. If you’re starting out, make three to five spec videos with products you already own. [How to build a UGC portfolio](https://ugcstars.com/resources/how-to-build-a-ugc-portfolio) explains how. ## What do I need before I apply? - Social accounts or a portfolio you control, set to public. - Some UGC-style videos: product reviews, unboxings, tutorials, testimonials or similar. - A starting rate for one video with a standard edit, in your currency. - An email address you check often, because brands contact you there. - Honest answers for the lifestyle details. Only add details that describe you and your household. Open each link in a private browser window before you submit, to check it works for someone who isn’t logged in. The [profile checklist](https://ugcstars.com/creator-hub/profile-checklist) covers every part of a profile brands look at. ## How do I add sample videos? Paste links to your best UGC videos on TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, up to six. Links from other sites aren’t accepted. Pick at least one interest category for each video, so it shows to brands searching that category. We review each sample before it shows on your profile, including ones you add later from your account. Creators with three or more verified samples rank higher in brand searches and earn the 3+ Verified Samples badge. Choose videos that show the product clearly early on, and replace older ones as you make better work. [Choosing sample videos that get you booked](https://ugcstars.com/creator-hub/sample-videos) goes through it. ## How do I set my starting rate? Your starting rate is what you charge for one video with a standard edit, in your own currency: USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AUD or MXN. Brands see it on your profile and can filter by it. It’s a starting point, not a fixed price, and you quote each job on its own. Charge separately for extras such as usage rights for paid ads, raw footage, extra hooks and rush delivery. The [UGC Rate Index](https://ugcstars.com/rates) shows median starting rates by niche, country, platform and follower count, so you can see where you sit, and [How to price your first UGC videos](https://ugcstars.com/creator-hub/pricing) walks through it step by step. You can change your rate at any time from your creator account, where you also see the median rate for your niches and country. ## I was invited or nominated. What does that mean? Someone thought you’d be a good fit. Either our team found your public creator profile, or another creator or a brand nominated you, and we sent you one email inviting you to apply. If you apply from the invitation link, the form is filled in with what we already know, so check it and add the rest. An invitation isn’t a listing. You go through the same review as everyone else. If you don’t want to hear from us, use the opt-out link in the invitation. We add your address to our suppression list and won’t contact you again. ## My profile was imported. How do I claim it? Some profiles were created from our earlier records and are marked Unclaimed. If one describes you, open it and press Claim this profile, then verify it’s you in one of two ways: - enter a code we send to the email address on the profile, or - add a code we give you to the bio of a social account linked to the profile, then confirm. You can remove the code afterwards. Once claimed, the profile is yours. Check every detail, since some came from our old database, and update anything out of date. Don’t apply again with a new profile: we allow one profile per person, and a second is declined as a duplicate. If you’d rather not be listed, you can ask us to remove an unclaimed profile instead. 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