How Much is a Videographer per hour in London?

Hi, I’m David from Hire a Videographer, we make professional filming simple, clear and great value.

Today we’re answering: How much is a videographer per hour in London?

Industry overview: what’s common, what varies, why.

“In London, headline hourly rates for experienced freelancers typically sit around £150–£200. But most pros don’t sell true one-hour slots because the real work includes pre-production, travel, setup, lighting and sound checks, and data wrangling afterwards. That fixed effort makes short bookings look pricier per hour, while longer bookings work out better value. Rates also vary with three big levers: the equipment and crew you need (extra cameras, lighting, a second operator), the deliverables you want (raw footage vs. edited highlights/reels), and logistics like central London travel, venue access windows, and late finishes.”

Practical advice for the viewer.
“If you only need a quick piece to camera or a couple of vertical clips, a short booking can make sense, just plan tightly and batch content to maximise your time. For events, conferences or anything with multiple setups, a half-day or full day is usually more cost-effective because the fixed setup time is spread across more filming. If you suspect your schedule may overrun, flag it early; sometimes adding a second operator or adjusting the call time is cheaper than paying overtime.”

Our Specific Hire a Videographer offer.
“We keep it transparent. Our 7-hour package is £695, which works out at just under £100 per hour for a full professional day, cameras, audio, lighting, setup and wrap-down included. For short, social-first shoots, our minimum 2-hour package is £350:  that’s £175 per hour. It’s higher per hour because the first hour is always the most expensive: travel, unloading, rigging, testing and backups all happen before we even hit record.”

Caveats / tips (VAT, travel, editing, social content, etc.).
“Once you go over 7 hours, the hourly rate increases. That’s because very long days (for example, 12 hours) often mean a videographer can’t safely or feasibly work the next day  there’s real fatigue and opportunity cost. To avoid that premium, talk to us about smarter scheduling or adding crew. Always check what’s included in any quote: camera spec and lenses, audio plan (desk feed vs. mics), lighting, backups, and deliverables (raw footage, highlight edits, vertical social cuts, captions). Also confirm travel/parking and whether VAT applies.”

Yes. Brands that care about how they look and sound online still hire professional videographers because they want reliable results, not just “some footage”.

Why not a content creator with a phone?

Phones are brilliant for quick, reactive social posts , but they fall down on sound, lighting, multi-camera coverage, backup and storytelling. A junior content creator with an iPhone gives you volume; a videographer with proper kit gives you clarity, consistency and control.

The cost of hiring a full-time videographer

A solid London videographer on staff will cost roughly £45,000–£50,000 a year once you add employer NI, pension and overheads. On top of that, you’ll need around £12,000–£15,000 upfront for cameras, lenses, lights, sound, edit machine and accessories, plus £5,000–£7,000 a year to maintain and upgrade kit, software, storage and training.

When to employ a content creator vs hire a videographer or team

• Employ a content creator when you need constant, day-to-day social content and you’re happy with lo-fi, quick-turnaround videos.
• Employ  a videographer or production team when tyou are constantly creating high quality content over 8 days a month. 
• Hire a videographer with their own kit and expertise when you want pro results without buying and maintaining gear yourself. You pay a clear day rate, get broadcast-ready footage, and your team can still cut it down into weeks of content.