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Copywriter Survey
› 2023
Copywriter Survey 2023
520 respondents · Fieldwork February · Published June 2023
520 UK copywriters told us about their work in February 2023, after a year with no survey. Rates jumped, the gender gap narrowed and AI arrived on the agenda.
Download the full report (PDF)Copywriter Survey
2023
520 UK commercial writers
Headline findings
£433
average freelance day rate
Day rates
The biggest rise yet
The average day rate rose £46 to £433, the largest increase we have recorded. With no survey in 2022, it covers two years of change.
£387 in 2021
16%
average gap, men over women
Gender pay gap
The gap narrows
Men earned an average of £56,909 and women £47,958, a gap of 16%. It narrowed for every type of copywriter except in-house.
18%
rate their concern about AI 7+ out of 10
AI concern
A new worry
We asked about competition from AI writing software for the first time. 18% rated their concern at 7 or more out of 10.
51%
of agency copywriters earn £41,000+
Agency life
Agency life pays
51% of agency copywriters earn at least £41,000 a year, against 46% of freelancers. 86% of agency writers take 16 or more days off a year.
Supported by
Headline sponsor
Radix Communications
Supporters
23
- Becky Smith
- Big Star Copywriting
- Cat Copy Creative Ltd
- Cheryl Regan
- Connected Copy
- Content Copywriters
- Declan Morton, Copywriter
- DropCapCopy
- Emma Page
- Firehead
- Gunning Marketing
- Jackie Barrie
- John Cognoli
- Johnny Morgan
- Katie Lingo
- Lorna Smart Wordcrafter
- Mel Barfield
- Melting Pot Creations
- NameDek
- Quietroom
- SeedLegals
- Wordsmith Paper Limited
- WordStuff