How Do Influencers Get Paid by Brands? Methods, Payment Terms and Timelines

Influencers get paid by brands in five main ways: a flat fee per deliverable, an affiliate commission on sales, a hybrid of a smaller fee plus commission or a bonus, gifted product, or a monthly retainer. The structure decides how much risk you carry. A flat fee is predictable, commission pays only when people buy, and product received in exchange for content is generally taxable at fair market value. Usage rights, whitelisting and exclusivity should be priced as separate lines on top of any structure.

Payment terms decide when the money arrives. The options are full payment upfront, a deposit such as 50/50, payment on approval, and net terms such as net 15, net 30 or net 60, counted from a starting point that is usually the invoice date. On an invoice sent November 2, net 30 is due December 2 and net 60 on January 1. Ask which date starts the clock, set a review deadline on approval-based deals, and confirm everything in a short terms email before you film.

Brands pay by bank transfer, international wire, PayPal, platform payout or check. Bank details should go only through a vendor form, a payment portal or a verified company email. On marketplaces, ask who holds the brand's money: some platforms collect the brand's payment first and release it after approval, while others leave payment to the brand. TikTok announced One Pay in September 2026, and Tubefilter reports it pays brand deals made in TikTok One in under 30 days after posting, with no TikTok commission.

For US taxes as of October 2026, brands usually ask for a Form W-9 before paying. A brand that pays you $2,000 or more for services in 2026 generally files Form 1099-NEC, up from the old $600 threshold, while card and payment-app payments go on Form 1099-K, which payment apps must file only above $20,000 and more than 200 transactions. You report all income either way, and backup withholding of 24% can apply without a correct taxpayer ID. Confirm your own situation with a tax professional.

To get paid on time, put the terms in writing, ask new brands for a deposit, tie usage rights to full payment, invoice the day you deliver and keep a paper trail. Red flags include any request to pay first, a check followed by a request to send money back or buy gift cards, and a sudden switch from PayPal to bank details over DM. If a brand pays late, send a reminder the day after the due date, follow up firmly a week later and copy a second contact before escalating.

Aurelia, the creator campaign marketplace, makes getting paid by brands simpler. Brands post campaigns and you apply in a few taps, at any follower count. Every campaign shows your take-home pay, the product, the usage rights and the deadline before you apply, and the take-home you see already has Aurelia’s fee taken out. A paid campaign goes live only after the brand has paid in its creator budget, the money is held until your work is approved, the agreement is written from the campaign, and you're paid to your bank automatically when the brand approves your work. Approved work is always paid, even if the brand cancels the campaign afterwards. Your bank details go straight to Stripe, and Aurelia never sees them.