How long can you run a creator's content in ads?

Organic posting is not paid usage

Paying a creator to make and post a video usually covers that post on their account. Running the same video as an ad, from your page or theirs, is paid usage, and it's normally licensed separately, for a set time and set channels.

If a contract doesn't mention paid usage at all, don't assume you have it. Ask, and get the answer in writing.

Common usage windows

Most paid usage licenses fall into a few standard lengths:

• 30 days: testing a new creator or a short promotion.
• 60–90 days: the most common window for UGC and partnership ads.
• 6 months: evergreen performers you plan to scale.
• 12 months or perpetual: rare, and priced accordingly. Perpetual should say so explicitly.

What usage rights cost in 2026

Prices scale with the creator's audience and the length of the window. Published 2026 rate data puts paid usage for micro creators (10K–100K followers) at roughly $300–$1,500 for 30 days and $800–$4,000 for 90 days, with mid-tier and macro creators well above that. Whitelisting access, where you run ads through the creator's handle, is priced separately.

Extending after a campaign is already live typically costs 60–75% of the original fee. Negotiating the length you need up front is almost always cheaper.

What to check in the contract

Before an ad goes live, confirm each of these is written down:

• Start and end date of paid usage, and whether the end date is the last day you may run the ad.
• Channels: Meta only, or Meta and TikTok, YouTube, CTV, out-of-home.
• Which assets: specific videos, or all content the creator makes for you.
• Edits: whether you may cut, re-hook or combine the footage into new ads.
• Whitelisting: whether you may run ads through the creator's handle, and for how long.
• Extension terms: the price to extend, agreed now rather than later.

Keep the end date next to the ad

The window only protects you if someone checks it. Record every licensed asset in one place, one row per video, with its end date and channels, and check live ads against it whenever ads change. Duplicated and re-uploaded ads are where windows get missed.

Common questions

Can I keep running an ad if the creator doesn't complain?

Not if the license has ended. Silence isn't permission, and creators can check the public Meta Ad Library at any time. Renew, or pause the ad.

Does the usage window start when the ad launches or when the contract is signed?

Whatever the contract says. Many start on delivery or first post, not first spend. If it's ambiguous, settle it in writing before launch.

Is whitelisting the same as paid usage?

No. Paid usage lets you run the content. Whitelisting lets you run it through the creator's own handle. They're often priced and timed separately.

What happens if we go past the end date by accident?

Pause the ad, then contact the creator about the extra time. Our guide on expired usage rights covers the steps.