Before you hire a video editing agency, ask who will edit your videos, how fast they deliver, how revisions work, what the price includes and who owns the files. Their answers tell you more than any showreel, because they show how the work will run every week after you sign.
Below are ten questions worth asking, what a good answer sounds like, and the answers that should make you slow down. We include our own answers so you have something to compare against.
Who will actually edit my videos?
This is the most useful question on the list. Some agencies sell with a senior team and then pass the work to whoever is free that week. Ask whether you get the same editor or the same small team every month, and whether you can talk to them directly.
A good answer names a person or a team and explains how they learn your style. A vague answer like "our editors" is worth a follow-up question.
Can I see work like mine?
A wedding film reel tells you little about how someone edits a podcast or a clinic's reels. Ask for examples in your format and, ideally, your industry: talking-head YouTube videos for a coach, multi-camera podcast episodes, short clips for a doctor, or ads for a product brand.
Also ask what the agency did on each example. Did they edit it, or also write the hooks, plan the clips and grade the color? For reference, our work includes reels for a plastic surgeon that passed 4.1 million views across 15 videos, with the best one at 1.6 million, and lead editing on The Feedback Loop, a startup pitch show shot on Sony cinema cameras in S-Log3 and graded from flat footage.
How fast do you deliver, and what happens when you are late?
Turnaround matters most when you post on a schedule. Ask for the standard time for each format, and when the clock starts: when you send footage, or when the brief is approved.
Our standard is 48 hours for shorts and 72 hours for long videos. Whatever an agency promises, ask what happens if they miss it. A clear answer is a good sign, even if the answer is simply "we tell you early and move your video to the front."
How many revision rounds are included?
Revisions are where costs creep up. Some agencies include one round and charge for the rest. Others say "unlimited" but slow down after the second request. Ask how many rounds are included per video, what counts as a round, and how long each one takes.
We include 4 revision rounds per video, and unlimited rounds on the Pro plan and the biggest packs. Most videos need far fewer once the editor knows your style, which is another reason to keep the same editor.
What exactly is included in the price?
Two quotes with the same number can buy very different things. Ask whether the price covers:
- Captions and on-screen text
- Music licensing and sound design
- Color correction or grading
- Thumbnails and titles
- Exports for each platform, such as vertical and horizontal versions
- Strategy: picking clips, writing hooks and planning what to post
Then ask for the price per finished video, so you can compare like with like. Our prices are public: a single short is $60, a long-form video is $450, a podcast episode is $1,100 with up to 6 camera angles, and a VSL starts at $800. Monthly plans run from $1,250 to $3,850. You can see what each one includes on our pricing page.
Is it a monthly plan or per project, and how do I cancel?
Monthly plans suit businesses that post every week. Per-project pricing suits occasional work. Neither is better on its own. What matters is knowing the terms: how long the commitment is, what happens to unused videos, and how much notice you need to give.
If you are still deciding whether an agency is right at all, we compare the options in in-house editor vs freelancer vs agency.
Who owns the raw footage and the finished files?
You should own your footage and every finished video. Ask how files are delivered, how long the agency keeps project files, and whether you can get the project files if you leave.
Keep your own copy of every finished export either way. Platforms can remove videos, and accounts can be locked, so a folder of masters on your side is cheap insurance.
Do you use AI tools, and for what?
Many editors now use AI for rough transcripts or finding silences. That can be fine. The question is how much of the creative work is done by a person: choosing the moment, writing the hook, timing the cuts and checking the captions.
Ask the agency to be specific. A clear answer is better than a vague promise either way. Everything we make is cut by humans.
How do you handle my accounts and private information?
If the agency uploads for you, ask what level of access they need and who on their team has it. Give the lowest access that does the job, and never share your main password.
Clinics and coaches should also ask how patient or client footage is stored and who can see it. If a video shows a patient, make sure you have their written consent before anything goes out.
How will we know if the videos are working?
Editing is only half the job. The other half is learning from each upload. Ask whether the agency looks at your watch time, retention and saves, and whether that shapes the next batch of edits.
A good partner will suggest what to make next, not just wait for your next folder of footage. If you want a head start on the format side, our guide on what makes a hook work covers the first three seconds.
What answers should make you pause?
- They cannot tell you who will edit your videos.
- Every example is in a different style from what you need.
- The price only appears after a long sales call, and it keeps changing.
- Revisions, captions or music turn out to be extras.
- They want your login details instead of a role or permission on your account.
- They promise a number of views or followers. No editor can guarantee that.
FAQ
How many videos should I order to test an agency?
Start small enough to judge without a big commitment. A handful of shorts or one long video shows you their quality, speed and communication. Our single short is $60, so a trial batch is a low-risk way to see how we work.
Should I pick the cheapest quote?
Compare price per finished video, with the same things included. A low quote that charges extra for revisions, captions and music can end up costing more than a higher one that includes them.
Is a freelancer or an agency better?
It depends on how much you post. One video now and then often suits a freelancer. A steady flow of long videos, shorts and ads every month usually suits an agency or a team.
Want straight answers to all ten questions? Tell us about your videos and we will reply with a plan.