The answer: price the speaker’s contribution
The cost to establish is the speaker’s fee for the virtual keynote you want. There is no single tariff: a speaker sets or agrees a fee for a particular audience, date and contribution. Use a published virtual rate as a reference, then obtain a written quote for that engagement.
This guide focuses on the speaker’s fee and what is agreed for that contribution. Use the actual proposal to establish the price. If your organisation separately commissions event services, manage that separately from the speaker-fee comparison.
Published UK virtual speaker fees
| Speaker | Published virtual fee | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Alison Edgar | From £3,000 + VAT | Speaker’s website |
| Martine Wright | £3,000–£5,000 | Inspirational Speakers |
| Dame Kelly Holmes | £5,000–£10,000 | Inspirational Speakers |
| Clare Balding | £10,000–£20,000 | Inspirational Speakers |
Pages checked 4 October 2026. These are selected published examples, not a survey, an average, a recommendation or a guaranteed quote. “From” is a starting price; a band is an indication. The agency entries do not by themselves settle tax treatment or the scope offered for your event.
A £3,000 starting price and a £10,000–£20,000 band describe different speakers. They do not show that one is three times more useful to your audience. Relevance and evidence of virtual delivery need their own assessment.
Why the same speaker may quote differently
Start with the engagement, not an imagined hourly rate. The talk’s length is only one part of a speaker’s commitment. A concise session can still need significant preparation, and a highly tailored subject can differ from an established keynote. Some speakers offer a standard package; others quote individually.
Tell the speaker whether this is one live delivery, two regional deliveries or a recording made for later viewing. Explain whether the audience is employees, invited customers or the public. If you want replay, describe who would see it and for how long. Ask for the speaker’s fee on that basis; do not assume each detail creates a separate charge.
Name recognition, specialist expertise, demand and availability can also influence a quote. None is a substitute for checking whether the person can address your particular question. A recognised name might help attract an optional audience; an internal specialist audience might place greater value on relevant depth.
A short, comparable fee request
Please quote your speaker fee for one live virtual keynote on [date and time zone], for [audience and approximate size], addressing [central question]. The slot is [total minutes], including [Q&A allocation]. We propose [briefing and rehearsal arrangements]. Please confirm whether [defined internal replay, or no recording] is included, whether tax applies and how long the quote remains valid.
Send the same brief to each shortlisted speaker or representative. Keep the reply with the proposal. If a fee changes after you add a second session, compare the revised scope rather than treating the original quote as a promise for the larger engagement.
How to compare two speaker quotes
| Check | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| Delivery | Is each quote for the same number of live or recorded contributions? |
| Content | Is the proposed topic and level of tailoring comparable? |
| Questions | Is the requested Q&A inside the agreed speaker slot? |
| Preparation | What briefing and rehearsal participation is agreed? |
| Replay | Does the same permission apply to both quotes? |
| Price | Are currency, tax treatment and quote validity clear? |
For example, one proposal may offer a live talk and questions, while another offers the same talk with a defined internal replay. First decide whether replay matters. Then ask for comparable terms.
If you use the comparison worksheet, record the quoted speaker fee and the scope in separate notes. Keep unknown terms marked as unknown until the provider answers.
Is a virtual keynote cheaper than an in-person talk?
Sometimes the speaker’s virtual rate is lower; sometimes it is similar. The published examples do not establish a universal percentage discount. Avoid applying a standard reduction to an in-person listing and presenting the result as a virtual quote.
If the fee exceeds your budget, state your actual speaker budget and ask whether a different contribution is possible. A different speaker, a different date or a more focused brief may be more useful than cutting the talk so short that it cannot answer the audience’s question.
Questions about speaker fees
Can I use a general speaking fee from a directory? Only as an initial lead. Ask whether it applies to a remotely delivered keynote and your proposed scope.
Does a fee include VAT? Use the wording of the actual quote. Do not infer tax treatment from an unlabelled directory band.
Is rehearsal always charged separately? No. Confirm what the speaker includes; this guide assumes no automatic rehearsal surcharge.
Can a speaker be available at short notice? Possibly, but virtual delivery does not establish diary availability. Confirm the date, time zone and preparation time directly.