Brands Looking for UGC Creators (2026): The Real List

By Eric Dahan, founder of Superdeal — 14 years in influencer marketing, founder of Open Influence and MightyJoy.

Updated May 13, 2026.

TL;DR Brands hire UGC creators through three channels: official brand creator portals (Amazon, Walmart, Target, Sephora, e.l.f., Lululemon, and a dozen more — links and how-to-apply below), creator marketplaces (where you bid on briefs), and free indexable creator databases (where brands find you). Of the 15 brand programs in this guide, 11 accept creators with zero or low follower minimums and pay $75–$1,500 per video plus product or commission. The fastest path for a new UGC creator: list yourself on a free database, apply directly to four or five brand portals from this list in one sitting, and pitch five more brands cold using the template at the bottom. Most creators land their first paid deal within 30 days.

👉 List yourself on Superdeal — free, 2 minutes. Get found by brands automatically. No follower minimum.

Where Do Brands Actually Find UGC Creators in 2026?

Four places. Get yourself onto two or three and you stop being invisible.

Their own creator portal. Amazon, Walmart, Sephora, Target, Macy's all run dedicated creator programs with direct applications. They pay in cash, commission, product, or a mix.
Creator marketplaces. Brands post briefs; creators apply. The marketplace handles contracts and payment.
Free indexable creator databases. Brands search by niche, vet portfolios, and message creators. You list once and get inbound deals.
Direct outreach (LinkedIn, IG DM, cold email). Creators pitch brands one by one with a specific clip idea.

The single biggest mistake new UGC creators make is picking only #2 and waiting. The largest UGC programs in 2026 — Amazon Influencer, Walmart Creator, TikTok Creator Marketplace — are not on third-party marketplaces. They have their own portals, and the application takes 10 minutes. This guide walks through each.

How Much Do UGC Creators Get Paid in 2026?

Two answers: per-video rates set by the creator, and program payouts set by the brand.

Per-video rates (creator-set): $75–$200 (beginner), $200–$500 (mid), $500–$1,500 (pro). Independent UGC educator Kristian Larsen documents the same beginner range — $75–$150 for 15-second clips and $100–$200 for 30-second clips, with sub-$100 deals common in your first 5–10 jobs. Glassdoor's April 2026 salary data shows the average US UGC creator earning roughly $102K/year — about $49/hour — with a wide range driven entirely by deal volume and rights add-ons.

Program payouts (brand-set): Amazon Influencer pays 1–10% commission per shoppable storefront sale. Walmart Creator pays 4% commission plus per-campaign cash bounties. LTK takes no cut from creators — your earnings are 100% retailer commission, typically 10–25%. Sephora Squad pays a flat yearlong fee plus product. Most direct-brand UGC contracts are $150–$800 per video plus 30-day paid usage rights.

The pool keeps growing: US influencer marketing spend crossed $10 billion in 2025 and is on track to exceed $13.7 billion by 2027 per eMarketer, and a meaningful chunk is direct UGC budget paid to non-influencer creators with under 10K followers.

What Do Brands Look For in a UGC Creator?

Quick rules so your applications convert.

A focused portfolio. 3–5 sample clips in one or two niches beats 20 random clips. If a beauty brand sees only pet videos, you don't get the deal.
Real product handling. Brands watch how you hold the bottle, open the box, light the label. The fastest way to look pro is to film with the product in good light — not film yourself talking about it.
Fast turnaround. "I can deliver in 5 days" wins over "two weeks," especially on paid-ad creative tests where brands burn 8–15 variants per platform per month.
Comfortable on camera (or great voiceover). Most briefs ask for at least one talking-head clip. If you can't talk to camera yet, lead with voiceover-over-product clips and build up.
Professional communication. Reply within 24 hours. Full sentences. Invoices on time. The 5% of creators who do this get 80% of the repeat work.

👉 List your portfolio on Superdeal for free so brands searching your niche find you automatically.

15 Brands Actively Hiring UGC Creators in 2026

These programs are live and accepting applications as of May 2026. Each link goes directly to the brand's official creator program page. Bookmark this list — apply to 4–5 in one sitting.

Big-Box Retailers (mass-market UGC, accept beginners)

1. Amazon Influencer Program

What they want: Shoppable storefront content + on-page review videos for product detail pages. Massive volume — Amazon's PDP video slots are one of the largest UGC use cases on the internet.
Min followers: ~1,000 across at least one platform (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook).
Pay: 1–10% commission on storefront sales + on-page video royalties (Amazon pays per video on a per-product basis once accepted into the on-page program).
How to apply: Amazon Influencer Program info page → sign in with your Amazon account → connect a social platform → submit. Approval is automated; many creators get accepted same-day.
Best for: Anyone with a focused niche and a phone. The Amazon program is the single largest UGC hiring pipeline in the US.

2. Walmart Creator

What they want: Affiliate links + UGC for special campaigns (back-to-school, holiday, etc.). Walmart actively rolls out paid UGC briefs to accepted creators.
Min followers: 1,000 minimum across linked socials, 18+, public profiles.
Pay: 4% commission base + per-campaign cash bounties + product seeding.
How to apply: creator.walmart.com → "Apply Now" → submit profile + social links. Decision typically within a week.
Best for: Lifestyle, parenting, food, home, and value-shopper niches.

3. Target Creator (Target Partners)

What they want: Lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and home content featuring Target products.
Min followers: No hard minimum, but evaluated on engagement.
Pay: Note — as of 2025 Target pivoted from cash commission to a gamified gift-card-and-product model per Ad Age. Worth applying for the product seeding and brand-credibility line on your portfolio even without cash.
How to apply: creator.target.com/onboarding → 3–5 business day review.
Best for: Lifestyle creators building a portfolio with recognizable brand names.

4. Macy's Style Crew

What they want: Fashion UGC delivered as shoppable video on Macy's own site + creator socials.
Min followers: No strict minimum; engagement and content quality weighted.
Pay: Commission on Style Crew storefront sales + special perks, events, cash incentives, product freebies, and access to flat-fee paid campaigns.
How to apply: Macy's Style Crew Influencer Program application → fill out the application; Macy's team responds by end of the month.
Best for: Fashion, beauty, and lifestyle creators in the US.

5. Nordstrom Affiliate

What they want: Premium fashion / lifestyle content. Run through Nordstrom's affiliate program (Impact-powered) plus the dedicated Nordstrom Creators program for content publishers.
Min followers: Reviewed case-by-case; mid-tier engagement preferred.
Pay: Up to ~12% commission for content publishers, 4% for other publisher types, 14-day cookie window.
How to apply: nordstrom.com/browse/affiliate-program → submit application. Approval typically 3–5 business days.
Best for: Fashion creators with elevated aesthetic + slightly higher AOV audience.

6. Bloomingdale's Affiliate

What they want: Premium fashion, beauty, and home content.
Min followers: Active website or social presence; quality-weighted review.
Pay: 2% baseline commission, 90-day cookie window.
How to apply: bloomingdales.com/b/about-us/affiliate-program-network-partner → Rakuten Advertising application.
Best for: Higher-end fashion and lifestyle.

Beauty (lowest-follower bar, highest brand density)

7. Sephora Squad

What they want: Yearlong paid partnership for beauty content creators. Tiered around content quality, not raw audience size.
Min followers: Active Instagram or TikTok, but Sephora explicitly recruits "all backgrounds and audience sizes."
Pay: Flat yearlong partnership fee + gratis product + studio shoots + industry access.
How to apply: sephorasquad.com — applications open annually (US program; Canadian program runs January launch). 15-minute questionnaire + headshot + supporter testimonials.
Best for: Beauty creators of any size willing to commit to yearlong content output.

8. e.l.f. Cosmetics

What they want: Authentic UGC featuring e.l.f. products — apply, swatch, before/after, look creation. Brand actively encourages creators of every audience size.
Min followers: None disclosed.
Pay: Mix of free product, sponsored campaigns, and direct UGC contracts (rates negotiated case-by-case).
How to apply: Email influencers@elfcosmetics.com with your portfolio. e.l.f. also publishes a public UGC release form, which lets creators submit existing content for the brand to license.
Best for: Beauty / Gen-Z creators just starting out.

9. Tarte Cosmetics Affiliates

What they want: Beauty UGC featuring Tarte products. Program is run through ShopMy and is open to creators of any size.
Min followers: None disclosed; portfolio quality weighted.
Pay: Commission on referred sales, gifting perks, and access to exclusive brand opportunities (PR sends, brand trips, paid campaigns for top performers).
How to apply: tartecosmetics.com/pages/affiliates → join via ShopMy and link Tarte products to start earning.
Best for: Beauty creators of any size who want a low-barrier entry into a recognizable brand's affiliate roster.

Specialist Verticals

10. Lululemon Creator Network / Sweat Collective

What they want: Fitness and wellness content. Two tracks: Affiliates (publishers, blogs) and Creator Network (social influencers + Sweat Collective for trainers/athletes).
Min followers: ~3,000 followers on at least one platform for the Creator Network track.
Pay: 5–20% commission on referred sales, ~$20 average per transaction, 30-day cookie window. Approval typically 2–4 weeks.
How to apply: shop.lululemon.com/help/programs-and-discounts/affiliates-and-creators → choose Creator Network track.
Best for: Fitness instructors, runners, yoga creators, wellness niches.

11. Chewy Affiliates (creator-friendly track)

What they want: Pet content (dog, cat, exotic) for Chewy's storefront platform + organic social. The brand has signed 600+ creators to its Storefronts program and continues recruiting through its Affiliates page.
Min followers: No strict minimum; engaged pet-niche audience preferred.
Pay: 4% commission, 15-day cookie + bonus paid campaigns. Chewy ramps creator hiring before holiday seasons per Marketing Dive.
How to apply: chewy.com/app/content/affiliate → Chewy Affiliates application (creator track inside).
Best for: Pet creators of any size.

Affiliate-First Creator Marketplaces (Open Application)

12. LTK Creator (formerly LiketoKnow.it)

What they want: Shoppable lifestyle / fashion / home / beauty content tagged through LTK app. Daily posting cadence preferred.
Min followers: ~5,000 minimum on at least one platform (lower for US/Canadian creators in some intake windows).
Pay: 100% retailer commission flowed straight to creator (LTK takes nothing from creator earnings). Retailer commissions typically 10–25%, sometimes up to 30%.
How to apply: creator.shopltk.com/apply/creator/home.
Best for: Fashion / home / lifestyle creators with consistent posting cadence.

13. Shopify Collabs

What they want: Creators promoting Shopify-hosted brands (~5M brands run on Shopify) via custom storefronts.
Min followers: Engaged audience (typically 1,000+ on at least one platform). Note — as of mid-2025, Shopify Collabs paused new creator signups; existing creators retain access. Watch for re-opening in 2026.
Pay: Direct brand-set commission per Shopify-store partnership.
How to apply: Wait for re-opening, or get invited by a brand running Collabs.
Best for: Creators with niche audiences that match Shopify-store-friendly verticals.

Platform-Native Marketplaces (where brands directly post briefs)

14. TikTok Creator Marketplace (TTCM, now part of TikTok One)

What they want: TikTok-native UGC for paid Spark Ads / Partnership Ads. Brands post briefs; creators apply directly. (TikTok rebranded TTCM into the unified TikTok One creator hub in late 2024 — same marketplace, broader toolset.)
Min followers: 10,000 followers, plus 100,000 likes in past 28 days, 3+ posts in past 30 days, 18+, account in good standing.
Pay: Per-deal, set in the brief. TikTok takes no cut. TikTok's own data shows Spark Ads delivering CTR lifts of 24–25% and CVR lifts of 24% over non-Spark formats, with CPM and CPC each cut by roughly two-thirds — which means brands pay creators well to whitelist their handle.
How to apply: Inside the TikTok app → Settings → Creator Tools → Creator Marketplace → "Become a creator." Approval typically days to weeks.
Best for: Established TikTok creators (10K+) ready for whitelisted ad work.

15. YouTube Creator Partnerships (formerly BrandConnect)

What they want: YouTube video integrations + Shorts UGC. YouTube migrated BrandConnect into the new AI-powered Creator Partnerships hub in 2026, integrated with Google Ads / DV360 / YouTube Studio, available in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, India, Indonesia, and Brazil.
Min followers: Must be in the YouTube Partner Program — 4,000 public watch hours in past 12 months OR 10M valid public Shorts views in past 90 days, plus 1,000 subscribers.
Pay: Per-deal, brand-negotiated. Gemini-powered matching surfaces creators to brands.
How to apply: YouTube Studio → Earn → Brand Connect / Creator Partnerships → set up a Media Kit and accept Open Calls.
Best for: Established YouTube creators ready for sponsorship integrations.

Bonus: free indexable creator database (zero follower minimum)

16. Superdeal (us — the platform writing this guide)

What we want: Any UGC creator with a portfolio. We're free, we're indexable by Google, and we're agent-readable (AI agents like ChatGPT and Claude pull our database when a brand asks them to find creators).
Min followers: None.
Pay: Direct brand-set per-deal. Superdeal takes a small cut of the deal value (not your time).
How to list: superdeal.io/get-started — 2-minute profile + portfolio upload.
Best for: Anyone starting out, or anyone wanting passive inbound deal flow.

How Should I Pick Which Brand Programs to Apply To?

Don't apply to all 15 — pick by where your portfolio matches and what stage you're at. Here's how the four channels compare:

Brand creator portals (e.g., Amazon, Walmart, Target, Sephora). Time to apply: 10–15 min/brand. Time to first $: 2–8 weeks. Pay model: commission + campaign bounties + product. Best for: building a portfolio with recognizable brand names.
Creator marketplaces (e.g., TikTok Creator Marketplace, YouTube Creator Partnerships). Time to apply: 30 min. Time to first $: 1–4 weeks. Pay model: per-deal cash. Best for: established creators above the follower thresholds.
Free indexable databases (e.g., Superdeal). Time to apply: 10 min. Time to first $: variable (inbound). Pay model: per-deal cash. Best for: beginners — no application gating.
Direct outreach (LinkedIn, IG DM, cold email). Time to apply: 15–20 min/pitch. Time to first $: 2–8 weeks. Pay model: negotiated per-deal. Best for: mid-tier creators graduating to direct brand relationships.

The actual playbook most creators use: list on a free database, apply to 4–5 brand portals, pitch 5 brands cold per week. Three lanes in parallel beats one lane done deeply.

How Do I Pitch a Brand Cold and Actually Get a Reply?

The 5-line pitch template that works for every channel — DM, email, LinkedIn:

Subject: 30-second UGC concept for [BRAND] — [your handle]

Hi [first name],

I'm [your name], a UGC creator in the [niche] space. I'm a real customer of
[BRAND]'s [specific product] — bought it [when], use it [how].

Here's a 30-second concept I'd love to shoot for you: [one specific creative
hook in one sentence — e.g., "the morning routine where I use the cleanser
right after the alarm goes off"].

Portfolio: [your portfolio link]
Rate: [$X for 30s vertical, 30-day paid usage]
Turnaround: [N days from brief]

Worth a quick reply if it's a fit?

[your name + handle]

Why it works: specific product, specific creative idea, portfolio link, locked rate, locked turnaround. No generic "love your brand" filler. The 5% of creators who pitch like this get 80% of the cold-outreach replies.

For the contract terms to send once a brand says yes, see our influencer contract template guide.

Do I Need to Disclose Brand Deals on My UGC?

Yes. Always. In the US, the FTC requires every paid endorsement to include a clear and conspicuous disclosure — and that includes free product, gift cards, store credit, and discounted services, not just cash. This is non-negotiable and the FTC has materially increased enforcement since the 2023 Endorsement Guides update.

Two short links to bookmark:

FTC: Endorsements, Influencers, and Reviews — the official rules page.
FTC: Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers — the plain-English creator guide.

Practical disclosure rules in 2026:

TikTok / Reels: put "#ad" (or the platform's Paid Partnership label) at the top of the caption AND on a text overlay in the first second of the video. The FTC has explicitly said hashtag-only disclosure isn't enough on its own — the disclosure must be unmissable.
Instagram feed: above the "more" cutoff in the caption, plus the Paid Partnership label.
Live streams: repeat the disclosure verbally and on-screen periodically, since viewers join mid-stream.

Brands almost always require disclosure in the contract because they're equally on the hook. Don't argue with it.

Red Flags: When Not to Take a UGC Deal

Five clauses or asks that should make you walk:

"Free product only" with no fee, unless the product retail value is genuinely large (>$300) and the usage is limited (organic only, 30 days). Free-product-for-paid-ads-forever is a no.
"All rights, perpetual, all media." Always charge for usage beyond 30–90 days. Perpetual rights are a six-figure clause — never grant for free.
No written contract. Even a $200 deal needs a Google Doc with scope, rate, deadline, and rights clearly written. Verbal "we'll figure it out" agreements blow up the second a brand decides to run your face on a billboard.
Pre-recorded scripts with weird claims. If the brief tells you to read a script that overpromises ("cures my acne in 3 days," "lost 20 lbs in a week"), skip. The FTC fines are on you, not just the brand.
Pay-on-views or pay-on-conversions only. This is almost always a scam structure — there's no enforcement mechanism for the creator. Demand a flat fee on top of any performance bonus.

For the full clause-by-clause checklist, including the exact language to redline, see our influencer contract template guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I find brands that want UGC creators?

Three reliable channels in 2026: apply directly to brand creator portals (Amazon, Walmart, Target, Sephora, Macy's, e.l.f., Tarte, Lululemon, Chewy — all linked above); list yourself on a free indexable creator database like Superdeal where brands search by niche; and pitch 5 brands cold per week using the 5-line template in this guide.

2. What do UGC creators get paid in 2026?

Beginner: $75–$200 per 30-second video. Mid: $200–$500. Pro: $500–$1,500+. Amazon Influencer pays 1–10% commission, Walmart Creator pays 4% plus campaign bounties, LTK forwards 100% of retailer commission (typically 10–25%), Sephora Squad pays a yearlong flat fee, and most direct UGC contracts are $150–$800 per video plus 30-day usage rights.

3. Do I need followers to be a UGC creator?

No. Most brand UGC programs hire on portfolio quality, not follower count. Amazon, Walmart, e.l.f., Tarte, Chewy, Sephora Squad, Macy's, and Superdeal accept creators with effectively no following. The exceptions are TikTok Creator Marketplace (10K minimum) and YouTube Creator Partnerships (1K subs plus Partner Program eligibility).

4. What's the fastest way to land my first UGC deal?

Run three lanes in parallel: list a free Superdeal profile (10 minutes), apply to 4–5 brand creator portals from the list above (10–15 minutes each), and send 5 cold pitches per week using the email template above. Most creators land their first paid deal within 30 days using this exact playbook.

5. Are paid UGC platforms worth it for creators?

Sometimes. Paid marketplaces work if brief volume is high and the platform doesn't charge creators directly. Avoid any platform that asks for a subscription to see briefs, or any contract granting perpetual rights to all delivered content. Free indexable databases like Superdeal are cleaner — list once, keep all rights outside the contracted scope.

6. What gear do I need to start as a UGC creator?

A modern phone, a $30 ring light or window light, a $25 lavalier mic, and CapCut for editing. Under $100 starter kit if you own the phone. Pro UGC creators almost never use DSLRs — phone-shot is what brands actually want for ad creative.

7. Do I need to disclose paid brand deals on my UGC?

Yes. The FTC requires clear and conspicuous disclosure on every paid endorsement, including free product and discount codes — not just cash deals. On TikTok and Reels, put the disclosure both in the caption (above the more-cutoff) and as a text overlay in the first second. Hashtag-only disclosure does not satisfy the rule.

8. Can I do UGC creator work part-time?

Yes — most creators start that way. A realistic part-time creator earns $500–$2,000 per month doing 4–8 videos for 2–4 brands while keeping a day job, typically batching shoots on weekends. Once you book 8+ videos per month at mid-tier rates plus 30-day paid usage rights, full-time creator income ($5,000–$15,000 per month) becomes viable.

Sources and further reading

FTC — Endorsements, Influencers, and Reviews and Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers
eMarketer — Influencer Marketing Set to Surpass $13 Billion by 2027 and Meta Expands Partnership Ads to Turn Creator Content into Performance
Glassdoor — UGC Creator Salary in the US (April 2026)
Kristian Larsen — UGC Rates: What to Charge for User-Generated Content
TikTok for Business — Spark Ads 101
YouTube Blog — Creator Partnerships: A New Era for Brand and Creator Collaborations and YouTube Partner Program eligibility
Marketing Dive — Chewy ramps up creator storefronts ahead of holiday season
Ad Age — Target ends creator affiliate program — what it means for influencer marketing

Brand creator program pages (official): Amazon · Walmart · Target · Sephora Squad · Macy's Style Crew · Nordstrom Affiliate · Bloomingdale's · e.l.f. UGC release · Tarte Affiliates · Lululemon · Chewy · LTK · Shopify Collabs

For creators: List yourself on Superdeal — free, 2 minutes →. No follower minimum. Get matched to brands automatically.