How Much Does Audio Post-Production Cost in the UK? (A 2026 Guide)

Audio post-production in the UK typically costs between £300 and £800 per day for a freelance engineer, or £1,500 to £15,000+ per project depending on length, complexity and deliverables. A 30-second commercial sits at the lower end; a broadcast documentary or branded film with original sound design sits much higher. The honest answer is that price follows scope — so the most useful thing you can do is understand what actually moves the number.

This guide breaks down how audio post is priced, what you're really paying for, and how to brief a studio so the quote you get is the quote you need.

What "audio post-production" actually includes

Audio post-production is everything that happens to the sound of a film, ad, or podcast after it's recorded. It's the stage where raw dialogue, location sound and footage become a polished, broadcast-ready mix. airaphon is a UK audio post-production studio, based near Tunbridge Wells and serving London and the South East, that handles this end-to-end for brands, filmmakers and content teams.

A typical audio post job can include some or all of:

• Dialogue editing and cleanup — removing noise, clicks and inconsistencies so speech is clear.

• ADR (automated dialogue replacement) — re-recording lines that didn't work on location.

• Sound design — creating and placing the effects, textures and atmospheres that sell a scene.

• Foley — performing everyday sounds (footsteps, cloth, props) in sync with picture.

• Music editing and spotting — fitting score and tracks to the edit.

• Mixing and mastering — balancing every element and delivering to the correct loudness spec (e.g. EBU R128 for UK broadcast).

The more of these a project needs, the more days it takes — and days are the main unit of cost.

What drives the price up or down

Three factors do most of the work in any quote:

1. Length and complexity of the content. A 15-second social ad with voiceover and a music bed might be a single day. A 40-minute documentary with messy location audio, original sound design and a full mix can be two to three weeks.

2. How much creative sound design is involved. Cleaning and mixing existing audio is faster than building a soundscape from scratch. Original sound design — the kind that wins attention for trailers and brand films — is craft work and priced accordingly.

3. Deliverables and revisions. Multiple cut-downs, versions for different platforms, foreign-language splits, and several rounds of client revisions all add time. Agreeing these up front keeps the budget predictable.

Typical UK price ranges in 2026

These are realistic ballpark figures, not fixed rates — every project should be quoted on its specifics:

• Social / short-form ad (15–30s): £400–£1,500

• TV commercial with full sound design and mix: £2,000–£8,000

• Corporate or brand film (2–5 min): £1,200–£5,000

• Podcast episode (edit, mix, master): £150–£500 per episode

• Short film: £1,500–£6,000

• Documentary / longer-form: £5,000–£15,000+

Freelance day rates generally fall between £300 and £800 depending on experience and the studio setup involved.

How to get an accurate quote (and avoid surprises)

The clearer your brief, the tighter your quote. Before you approach a studio, try to know: the final duration, the number of versions you need, your delivery deadline, whether music is licensed or needs sourcing, and the loudness/format spec of wherever it's going. Send a rough cut or a script if you have one. A good studio will then quote a fixed project fee or a clear number of days rather than leaving it open-ended.

Frequently asked questions

Is audio post-production worth the cost for a small brand? Usually yes. Poor audio is the fastest way to make good visuals feel cheap — viewers forgive a rough picture far more readily than bad sound. For a brand, clean dialogue and considered sound design materially affect how professional the final piece feels.

What's the difference between a sound mix and full audio post? A mix balances and finalises audio that's already edited. Full audio post includes the editing, cleanup, sound design and Foley before the mix. If your audio is already tidy, you may only need a mix; if it's raw, you need the full process.

How long does audio post-production take? A short ad can be a single day. A branded film is often three to five days. Longer documentaries run one to three weeks. Build in time for at least one round of revisions.

Can audio post-production be done remotely? Yes. Most UK studios, including airaphon, work remotely with clients across the country — sharing mixes for review online and delivering final files digitally, so location is rarely a barrier.

Do you need to supply the music? Not necessarily. Some clients bring licensed tracks; others ask the studio to source or commission music. Clarifying this early avoids licensing headaches later.

Plan your audio budget with airaphon

If you're scoping a film, campaign or podcast and want a clear, fixed quote rather than a guess, it helps to talk it through with people who mix this work every day. See examples of our sound design and mixing work, or email enquiries@airaphon.com with your project details and we'll give you a straight answer on cost and timing.