2025 Star Request Budget Guide

Not sure how much a guest speaker will cost? Unsure where to start with creating a budget for an influencer campaign? Or wondering if you could even afford a star?

We get it - it can be overwhelming.

But you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve got budget guidance for guest speaker fees, influencer costs and brand ambassadorship price ranges.

Any brief, all budgets

We’ll get into the specific budget guidance, but first a quick explanation of Pickstar.

Pickstar is a little different to a talent agency, a speakers bureau or an influencer platform.

Pickstar is a true marketplace.

There are no set fees for a motivational speaker or for a football star to run a skills clinic at your local club.

You enter your brief (what you want a star to do) and a budget and our platform sends this information directly to your preferred stars. They then apply or decline for your opportunity based on this.

So you’ve got complete control of your budget.

There’s no payment or commitment until you select the right star for your opportunity.

And if you’re still completely unsure where to start with budget after reading this guide, no problem. Just enter your opportunity with a nominal budget and we’ll be in touch to give you guidance. Our client solutions team has helped hundreds of organisations secure a star, so they’ve got great insights to share with you.

Pickstar budget guide

The following gives some very rough guidance around how much it costs for stars to do guest speaking, keynote speaking, virtual speaking, MC gigs, social campaigns, brand ambassadorships and fan experiences.

The actual fee will vary based on a number of factors. Use this information as a starting point - and we strongly recommend reading the in-depth guides for more information.

There are a number of factors that impact guest speaker fees (which we go into more detail in our Guest Speaker Budget Guide, but for a 30 minute presentation, guest speakers will charge anywhere from $1,500 up to $20,000+ depending on their profile, the preparation and complexity (e.g a keynote would start at around $4,000 + GST versus a Q&A style format which may be closer to the $1,500 + GST for a lesser known star).

Our extensive guest speaker budget guide gives more details about exactly what you can expect to pay and the factors impacting budget. Read it here.

While our guest speaker budget guide is still relevant for schools, some talent may be prepared to lower their fees slightly. Pickstar's advice however, remains the same - put your best budget forward to ensure you get the best chance to secure the type of star you want.

The differences between a guest speaker and keynote speaker are subtle, but important when considering budget for these types of speakers.

A keynote speaker tends to be an experienced speaker with a deep expertise on a topic. They’ll often be the centrepiece of the event, so it’s worth stretching your budget to get someone of the highest quality.

Keynote speaker fees tend to START around the $4,000 mark, stretching all the way up to $25,000+ for the most highly sought after speakers. To get the best star, we always recommend putting your best budget forward.

Read our detailed keynote speaker budget guide here.

Finding a quality MC can be the difference between an event running perfectly and the whole thing becoming a bit shambolic.

Finding a great master of ceremonies is worth the time. And fortunately using Pickstar, it won’t take much of your time.

MC fees range from around $1,500 and can stretch well above $10,000 for experienced MCs, especially those with extensive media experience and presence.

Check out the great range of stars available to MC your event here.

Introduction to Star Pricing by Tiers and Their Offerings

Our Star Tiers are categorised not merely by their social media following but by their broader influence and recognisability, stemming from significant achievements or status in their respective fields. These tiers reflect the macro influence of these individuals, with their social media reach being a by-product of their notable accomplishments or public presence.

Tier One Star (SUPER STAR)

These are highly recognisable and influential individuals, known extensively in four or more states across Australia, and potentially on an international level. Their prominence is often due to significant achievements or a high-profile status.
Deliverables and Pricing for Tier One Star: Price Range: $15,000-$40,000+

Includes:

• 1 grid post (content shared across 2-3 of the talent’s social channels counts as one post), remaining on the talent’s feed/grid for the campaign term.
• 1 story set on Instagram (minimum of 3 frames with client-specified click-throughs).
• Authorisation for the brand to enhance all talent posts with paid advertising (4-8 weeks duration).

Tier Two Star (HIGH PROFILE STAR)

These stars are well-known, with high recognisability and influence in 2-3 states across Australia. Their influence is often rooted in significant regional presence or notable achievements within their fields.
Deliverables and Pricing for Tier Two Star: Price Range: $7500-$12,000
Includes:

• 1 grid post (content shared across 2-3 of the talent’s social channels counts as one post), remaining on the talent’s feed/grid for the campaign term.
• 2 Instagram story posts (minimum of 3 frames with client-specified click-throughs).
  
• Authorisation for the brand to enhance all talent posts with paid advertising (4 weeks duration).Tier

Three Star (ESTABLISHED STAR)

These individuals are recognised and credible, often due to their elite sports or career status, primarily in one state.
Deliverables and Pricing for Tier Three Star: Price Range: $3,500-$5000
Includes:

• 1 grid posts (content shared across 2-3 of the talent’s social channels counts as one post), remaining on the talent’s feed/grid for the campaign term.
• 2 Instagram story posts (minimum of 3 frames with client-specified click-throughs).
• Authorisation for the brand to enhance all talent posts with paid advertising (4 weeks duration).

This tier-based approach focuses on the overall impact and reach of the Stars, beyond just their online presence, ensuring a more holistic representation of their influence.

A brand ambassadorship isn’t a one-off social media post or appearance at a store. It’s a longer-term agreement between a brand and a high profile star, where the star becomes an integral part of the your marketing strategy with a comprehensive range of deliverables on offer.

When budgeting for a brand ambassador, the amount depends on the level of talent you’re seeking. Here’s a guide:

There are a number of factors that impact the budget for a brand ambassador. However, here is an accurate budget guide to provide you with some ballpark figures for creating a 12 month partnership with a star for all the bells and whistles.

• We've broken this down into 3 tiers, to make it easy to understand based on the different types of Stars, according to their star power and the budgets that will garner the most interest:
  
  SUPER Star ($120,000 +GST - $200,000 PLUS)
  Often a very well-known Star indexing high in recognisability and influence nationally across Australia and in most cases internationally.
  
  HIGH-PROFILE Star ($65,000 - $90,000 +GST)
  Often a very well-known Star indexing high in recognisability and strong influence in multiple key States across Australia.
  
  ESTABLISHED Star ($45,000 - $60,000 +GST)
  Often a Star with good recognisability and credibility (due to their elite sport or career status) typically recognised in a local state or two and with limited media coverage.

Read our ultimate guide to brand ambassadorships here, which features more details on budget.

Want to get your favourite netball player to your friend’s birthday? Or record a video message for your mum’s retirement? Or get your favourite AFL player to host your fantasy draft?

It’s possible with Pickstar.

But your budget will determine the likelihood of this happening.

Top AFL/AFLW, NRL/NRLW, netball and cricket stars have not only busy schedules, but a high demand for commercial opportunities, so clearly will not attend a birthday party for a $50 fee as some people may believe.

The budgets for these fan experiences will vary significantly based on the requirements and time commitments, but for an in-person event, a good starting point is $1,500.

You could also consider a video message. A number of stars are available to record video messages for personal shoutouts (not to promote or associate with a business), which will give you an idea of budget. You can check them out here.

The bottom line
Pickstar is designed to give you complete control with budget. These budget guides are just that - guides. And ultimately, there are so many factors including availability, alignment, location and effort that will impact on the fee stars will charge for various engagements.

To find out which stars are interested in your opportunity, the best approach is to post your opportunity with the budget you've got and see who applies. It's free to post your opportunity and you won't be charged until you actually find and choose the star you want!