How to Calculate Commercial Buyouts in Germany (2026 Guide)

Your Day Rate pays for your time on set. The Buyout pays for the right to use that footage. In German advertising, this is almost always calculated as a percentage of the Day Rate, multiplied by the media type, territory, and duration.

The Basics: Day Rate vs. Buyout

In the German film industry—specifically for commercials, corporate films, and print—compensation is split into two distinct pots. If you confuse them, you will either underquote your talent or overspend your budget.

Daily Fee (Tagesgage): This compensates the physical labor. It covers the hours spent on set (usually 10 hours), fittings, and travel time.
Buyout (Nutzungshonorar): This compensates the usage rights. It is calculated based on where (Territory), how (Media), and how long (Term) the material is shown.

Pro Tip: For pure fiction (TV movies/Cinema) involving professional actors, buyouts are often handled via "residuals" or collective agreements (BFFS). The guide below applies strictly to Advertising, Corporate, and Commercial productions where the "VELMA" (Association of Model Agencies) list is the industry standard reference.

The Formula

The standard German calculation for commercial buyouts is straightforward but rigid.

Buyout = Daily Fee x Media% x Territory Factor

Note: Most percentages are quoted "Per Year" unless otherwise stated.

Step 1: Determine the Percentage

Your percentage multiplier changes drastically based on where the ad will run. Here is the hierarchy from the standard 2026 VELMA list:

Territory	Adds Printads	Poster 18/1, Citylights, Posters	POS Standups, POS	Print Flyer, Stickers, Invitiations, Packaging	TV All Stations	Cinema
A Countries	100%	100%	50%	100%	300%	150%
B Countries	50%	50%	25%	50%	100%	50%
DACH	150%	150%	75%	150%	450%	200%
USA	400%	400%	200%	400%	600%	300%
GUS	300%	300%	150%	300%	400%	200%
Africa	200%	200%	100%	200%	300%	150%
Asien	500%	500%	250%	500%	1.000%	500%
Europe	700%	700%	400%	800%	1500%	700%
S. America	400%	400%	200%	400%	600%	300%
USA / Canada	500%	500%	250%	500%	1.000%	500%
Worldwide	1.000%	1.000%	500%	1.000%	2.000%	1.000%

Clientshomepage / Onlineshops Germany: 100 %
Viral Marketing (Social Media, Email-Mailings, You Tube): 100 %
Aggressive Webadvertising (Banner, Popup, Apps, Downloads, Prerolls, Layer Ads, Ad-Clips, Web-sponsoring, Skyscraper, Rectangle) Germany: 150 %
Instagram/Facebook per 10 K Follower: 10 %
Product Exclusivity Germany: 300 %
Below the Line Germany: POS, VKF, PR 200 %
Above the Line Germany: Print, Flyer, Magzine, TV, Poster, Online (Banner, Search Engine Ads), PR , VKF 700 %
Trade Fairs Germany: 50 %

Critical Distinction: If you book usage for only Germany, it counts as a single "A Country" (100% for Print). If you book the DACH region, the fee jumps to 150% for Print.

A Countries (Major Markets)

France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, Spain (Spanien), China, Japan, Turkey (Türkei), Australia (Australien), Canada

B Countries (Secondary Markets)

Argentina, Austria, Belgium, China*, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland (Irland), Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Thailand, Hungary, Africa, S. America etc.

GUS

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus

China's Classification: You will notice China appears in both lists. In practice, this often depends on the scope of the campaign (national vs. regional) or the specific agency agreement. Always clarify this during the casting phase.
DACH Region: While Germany is an "A Country," Austria and Switzerland are listed as "B Countries." However, when booked together as the DACH region, they have their own specific multiplier (see the main table).

Step 2: Add Up the Media Channels

You must pay for each channel the client wants to use. If they want TV and Online, you add the percentages together.

1. Classical Media (Germany / A-Country Rates)

TV Spots: 300% of Day Rate
Print Ads (Anzeigen): 100% of Day Rate
Posters / Citylights (Plakate): 100% of Day Rate
POS (Point of Sale): 50% of Day Rate
Cinema: 150% of Day Rate

2. Online & Digital Add-Ons (Germany Specific)

Digital is often calculated separately or as a specific "Germany" add-on.

Client Homepage / Online Shops: 100%
Viral Marketing (Social Media, YouTube, Email): 100%
Aggressive Web Advertising (Pre-rolls, Banners, Popups): 150%
Instagram/Facebook: 10% per 10,000 followers

3. Special Conditions

Product Exclusivity: 300% surcharge. (e.g., The actor cannot appear in any other car commercial).
Trade Fairs (Messen): 50%.

Step 3: Calculation Example

Scenario:

You are hiring an actor for a car commercial.

Actor's Day Rate: €1,500
Term: 1 Year
Territory: DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
Media: TV Spots + Client Homepage.

The Math:

TV Spot (DACH): Look up TV column for DACH row $\rightarrow$ 450%.
Homepage (Germany): Look up Online Shop $\rightarrow$ 100%.
Total Percentage: $450\% + 100\% = 550\%$.
Calculation: $€1,500 \times 5.50 = €8,250$.

Total Paycheck:

Day Fee: €1,500
Buyout: €8,250
Total Net: €9,750

The "Gotchas": Where Producers Lose Money

The "Per Year" Trap: The percentages listed above are generally for one year of usage. If the client wants the ad to run for two years, you must double the buyout percentage (or negotiate a multi-year discount, usually not more than 10-20%).
A-Country vs. B-Country: Don't pay "A-Country" rates for smaller markets. "B Countries" (e.g., Poland, Belgium, Argentina) are half the price of A Countries for Print (50% vs 100%).
The "All Media" Myth: There is rarely a standard "All Media" buyout in Germany without a massive surcharge. For a full "Above the Line" package in Germany (Print, TV, Online, Posters, etc.), the standard bundle is 700%.