The 2026 pricing table
X (Twitter) posts and threads: micro (10k–50k) $500–2k; mid (50k–250k) $2k–10k; macro (250k+) $10k–50k, with marquee accounts charging six figures for packages. YouTube dedicated videos: $5k–30k mid-tier, $30k–100k+ for large channels. Telegram pinned posts: $500–5k by channel quality. Package deals (post + thread + Space appearance) typically discount 20–30% versus itemized rates.
Treat all quotes as opening positions — rates float with market conditions, and bear-market pricing routinely halves bull-market quotes.
- X micro: $500–2k · mid: $2k–10k · macro: $10k–50k+
- YouTube dedicated: $5k–30k mid / $30k–100k+ large
- Telegram pins: $500–5k
- Packages: 20–30% below itemized
The one-afternoon vetting framework
Four checks filter most fraud. Engagement authenticity: sample recent posts, read the replies — humans or emoji bots? Ratio-check likes to genuine replies. Promotion history: scroll 90 days back — how many promos, did they delete posts after price collapses, do they disclose? Audience match: geography and interest overlap with your target holders (ask for audience screenshots; verify against comment languages). Reference check: ask two projects they promoted about attributable results, not vibes.
Red flags that end conversations: resistance to disclosure, guaranteed-price-action promises, engagement rates that exceed platform norms for their size, and 'DM for rates' accounts with no track record.
Making ROI measurable
Impressions are what you pay for; actions are what you buy. Instrument every placement: unique links, referral codes, dedicated landing paths, and where possible on-chain attribution (wallet connects, claims, mints from tagged flows). A healthy mid-tier wave lands $2–8 per attributable action; anything you can't reconcile against real behavior should be treated as bot spend.
Structure deals to align incentives: modest base plus performance bonus on attributed actions. Good KOLs accept it — their audience genuinely converts. The ones who refuse all performance components are pricing in their own bots.
Questions we hear about this
Launch-scale campaigns typically run 10–30 accounts across tiers in three waves (seed, amplify, sustain). Diversification beats concentration: one macro account failing to convert kills a concentrated budget, while a tiered wave averages out individual variance.
X for speed and narrative momentum; YouTube for depth and durability — videos keep converting for months and rank in both YouTube and Google search. Launches weight X; sustained education and non-degen audiences weight YouTube.
Clear, conspicuous marking of paid promotion — #ad or platform-native paid labels — in every jurisdiction that matters. Undisclosed token promotion has produced enforcement actions and fines. Contracts should mandate disclosure; projects inherit the risk of their KOLs' violations.
Yes, if someone owns vetting, negotiation, scheduling and attribution — realistically a half-time role during launch phases. Agencies (Chalk Labs included) earn their fee on network access and fraud pattern recognition; the framework above is the same one either way.