Three variables, and only three
Every exclusivity clause is a combination of how wide, how long and where. Negotiate them one at a time; brands usually open by stacking all three at their widest.
| Variable | Narrow | Wide | What "wide" actually costs you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | "Running shoes" | "Footwear and apparel" | Locks out every clothing brand, not just the competitor |
| Duration | 30 days from publication | Campaign term plus 90 days | An undefined start date can stretch months |
| Territory | US only | Worldwide | Blocks regional brands that were never competitors |
What it is normally worth
The working convention across creator rate cards is +15–25% on the content fee for a standard category lock of about 30 days, scaling with duration. That band is a starting point, not an answer — the honest way to price exclusivity is against your own calendar.
Price it against what it blocks
Ask one question: how many deals in this category would I realistically have taken in that window?
- If you take one beauty deal a quarter and a brand wants 90 days of beauty exclusivity, they are asking you to skip roughly one deal. The uplift should look like one deal, not like 15%.
- If a category never approaches you, exclusivity in it costs you nothing — and is a cheap concession to trade for something you do want, such as a shorter usage term.
This is why exclusivity is the clause where creators with records do best and creators guessing do worst. You cannot price what you have not counted.
Where the wording goes wrong
Gifting and exclusivity do not belong together
A product-only collaboration that also asks for a category lock is asking you to pay for the privilege — you forgo paid work in exchange for a sample. Gifting deals are legitimate and often worth taking: a large majority of creators say they will work for free product when they genuinely like the brand (Aspire, State of Influencer Marketing). Bundled with exclusivity, they stop being that.
A clause you can copy
Exclusivity: Creator will not publish paid content for a brand whose primary business is running footwear for 30 days from first publication, in the United States. Excluded: brands with existing agreements listed at signature. No restriction on non-paid mentions or on other categories. Extension available at the rate on Creator's page.
How Ampya handles it
Exclusivity is one of the nine fields on an Ampya rate card: category, days and uplift, stated up front. When a brand submits an inquiry, the terms they picked travel with it, and anything they ask for beyond your page terms is flagged against the original wording of their message — so a request for wider exclusivity than you published arrives labelled rather than buried in paragraph four.
Questions creators ask
How much should I charge for exclusivity?
The common convention is +15–25% on the content fee for a roughly 30-day category lock, scaling with duration. A better method is to count how many deals in that category you would realistically have taken in the window and price the clause to cover them.
Is exclusivity standard in creator contracts?
It is common but not automatic, and it is always negotiable. Many deals include a short category lock of around 30 days at no extra charge as a goodwill term; longer or wider locks are normally paid for separately.
What counts as a competing brand?
Whatever the contract says — which is why a vague term like "competitors" is risky. Define the category narrowly, or list the specific brands, so the scope cannot be reinterpreted later.
Can I negotiate exclusivity down?
Usually yes, and narrowing is easier than shortening. Brands care most about their direct rivals, so swapping a broad category for a named list of three or four competitors often costs them nothing and frees most of your calendar.
Does exclusivity apply to my non-paid posts?
Only if the clause says so. Make sure it is limited to paid or sponsored content, otherwise mentioning a product you actually bought could technically breach it.