How much do conference speakers cost?

At NMP Live we’ve been booking keynote speakers and motivational speakers for 20 years, and have an enviable roster featuring hundreds of names from all industry sectors, so we're pretty sure to have the perfect speaker for you.

But how much do keynote speakers cost? What’s the average fee? And how much should I be paying?

One of your first, and certainly the most important considerations, will be determining the budget for your keynote speaker. Fees for professional business speakers vary enormously, from a few thousand pounds at the lower end to six-figure sums for CEOs of global corporations and internationally known A-list entrepreneurs. So consider if the profile and celebrity status of your speaker will have any bearing on the potential success of your event.

Are they going to be a hook and a reason for delegates attending, or essential to selling tickets and putting bums on seats? If so, a popular 'of the moment' celebrity business personality will undoubtedly be a wise choice, but if your delegates will be at the event anyway, perhaps a lesser-known name will be just as professional, informative and memorable, but a fraction of the cost.

We have a number of keynote speakers on our roster with fees that start from £2500*, but typically you should budget somewhere between £2500-£5000* for a first-class, engaging, and informative but, nevertheless, largely unknown name. We have a good selection of keynote speakers in this fee range — ideal for smaller corporate events, SMEs and those on a tighter budget.

You should also bear in mind that, beyond a certain level and the fee you'll pay won’t necessarily guarantee the speaker will be any more engaging, informative or experienced, but what it will afford you is someone with a bigger media profile and a certain level of gravitas or celebrity cache.

For contemporary and sought-after keynote speakers with a current media and TV profile, typically you'd need to consider a budget in the region of £10,000* and upwards.

With only a few exceptions, all of the keynote speaker profiles on our website are linked to a fee group that will give you a broad indication of their cost. Whilst we cannot provide a firm quote until we've spoken with you about the individual details of your event, our website will provide a good indication of the ballpark fee you'll need for a conference speech within the UK.

At NMP Live, we only work with the most well-known, experienced and in-demand keynote speakers who will often (but not always) be making their primary income from speaking engagements. So the fees they charge are generally substantial — in relative terms — and in-line with their profile or experience. If your budget is tight and won’t stretch to hiring a professional speaker, you may find someone from within your industry, a supplier perhaps, who's willing to speak for free or expenses only, in return for plugging their own company or services.

To get started, feel free to browse our extensive roster of keynote speakers, send us an enquiry via the website or call or email one of our friendly agents for free, no-obligation advice and suggestions.

*All fees are subject to VAT and expenses.