Get paid to make videos about apps: how it actually works
A 30-second screen recording of an app doing its job is content companies pay for. The three routes the money takes, and why students have the edge.
Write It teamUpdated 4 min read
App companies have quietly become some of the biggest buyers of student-made video, because a 30-second screen recording from a real user often outperforms a polished ad — and they pay for those recordings through three different doors.
The three routes the money takes
| Route | What you make | How pay works | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketplace briefs | A video delivered to the app company | Flat fee — commonly reported at $25–$150 for beginners | Application queues and competition for every brief |
| Affiliate / revenue share | Videos carrying your tracked link | Commission per install or subscription | Pays nothing until someone actually converts |
| Direct creator programs | Videos posted to your own account | $2 per 1,000 verified views in 14 days, plus $10 over 1,000 views in the first 7 days; $800 total cap per standard video | Program-specific rules and a review step |
Marketplaces suit people who want ongoing brand relationships and higher per-video fees. Affiliate suits people who already have traffic to convert. Direct programs suit beginners, because payment does not depend on winning a brief or on a stranger pulling out a credit card — it depends on you finishing a video that passes review.
Why app videos are the easiest UGC to make
- The demo films itself. A screen recording of the app doing its job is the content. No set, no face, no b-roll — a free screen recorder is the whole camera department.
- You already have the user story. If you genuinely use the app, your before-and-after is the script: the essay that took three hours now takes one, the citation that formatted itself.
- One feature per clip. The best app videos show one thing working, start to finish, in under 40 seconds. That constraint makes them faster to make, not harder.
Structure-wise, open on the pain rather than the app name — the moment someone recognizes their own problem, they stay. Then show the real screen, unsped and uncropped, and end on what changed. Mentioning one honest limitation tends to make the whole clip more believable, which is what the view counts reward.
Write It is one of the apps that pays for this directly, so here is the program in full rather than a vague pointer.
How the Write It creator program works
Applications and new submissions are paused. The new workflow starts with an unpublished draft, then approval to post. A reviewer checks the public video against the approved draft before verifying views.
Submit a draft and wait for approval before publishing. Standard videos earn $2 per 1,000 verified views, plus a $10 bonus only after exceeding 1,000 views within 7 days of posting. Total pay, including the bonus, is capped at $800 per video. AI videos and slideshows earn $0.10 per 1,000 verified views with no bonus, capped at $500 per video. View pay covers the first 14 days after posting. Only approved published videos earn cash.
For example, a standard video with 5,000 verified views in its first week earns $20: $10 in view pay and the $10 bonus. An AI video or slideshow with the same views earns $0.50. Both are subject to review.
Earlier submissions keep their recorded rates, thresholds, caps and payment windows. The new rules apply only to new submissions.
Stacking the three routes
Use those finished clips as the portfolio that marketplace applications require. Add affiliate links only if one of your accounts grows into real traffic — as a starting strategy, commission-only is just unpaid work with extra steps. Write It requires draft approval before posting. Standard videos earn $2 per 1,000 verified views in 14 days, plus $10 over 1,000 views in the first 7 days; $800 total cap per standard video. AI videos and slideshows earn $0.10 per 1,000 views with no bonus, capped at $500 each. Applications are closed.
Write It creator program
Applications and new submissions are paused. You can read the review process and payout terms, or visit your dashboard to manage earlier work.