Commercial production cost: traditional vs AI (2026)

Producing a 15 to 60 second commercial in the Netherlands costs €8,000 to €25,000 or more, according to Searchlab (March 2026). A 30 second TV commercial falls within that range. Most of the money goes on the shoot day, crew, location and actors. With an AI commercial those line items drop away, and you mainly pay for concept, direction, editing and sound.

Note: this is about production cost. Airtime and media spend, the money you pay to show the commercial on TV or online, come on top and are budgeted separately.

How much does a commercial cost in 2026?

The price of a commercial depends on length, number of shoot days, locations, cast and how many versions you need. Searchlab gives these guide prices for the Netherlands:

• Commercial of 15 to 60 seconds: €8,000 to €25,000+
• Product video: €1,000 to €6,000
• Shoot day: €1,500 to €5,000
• Director: €500 to €1,500 per day

A commercial is not a product video with a bigger budget. It has a story, a director, often actors and several scenes. If you want to compare it with a standalone product video, see AI video production.

Cost table: where the money goes in a traditional commercial

Below are the line items of a traditional production. Where Searchlab gives a separate range, it is listed. The other items sit within the total of €8,000 to €25,000+ and vary widely by project.

Two things stand out:

1. Every extra shoot day adds up directly. Two days of filming means twice the shoot day and twice the director.
2. Location and cast scale with your ambition. A product on a mountain or a beach abroad means travel, accommodation and permits for the whole crew.

How much does a 30 second TV commercial cost?

A 30 second TV commercial falls within the Searchlab range of €8,000 to €25,000 or more for a 15 to 60 second commercial. Where you land in that range depends on:

• the number of shoot days
• the number of locations
• whether you need actors
• how many versions and cutdowns you want

Airtime comes on top. That is media spend and separate from production. Airtime pricing depends on channel, time slot and period, and you get a quote for it from a media agency or the broadcaster.

What disappears with AI commercial production?

With an AI commercial there is no camera crew on set. That removes a large share of the traditional line items:

• Shoot day. No shoot day at €1,500 to €5,000.
• Crew. No camera, lighting, sound or production team on location.
• Location. No hire, permits, travel or accommodation. A product in the mountains costs no more than a product in a studio.
• Actors. No fees or usage rights for cast in a product-led commercial.

An example of what that delivers: in June 2025 Kalshi ran an NBA Finals commercial made for around $2,000 in 2 to 3 days. The creator talks about 95% lower costs than a traditional production.

Where the money goes in AI commercial cost

An AI commercial is not free and not automatically good. The budget shifts to the items that decide whether a commercial works:

• Concept. A story that suits what AI does well, with the product at the centre. A poorly chosen story stands out, as Coca-Cola and McDonald's found. More on that in can AI replace a TV commercial.
• Direction. Every scene is built from a hero shot, so your product stays identical in each shot. Stills first for validation, motion after.
• Editing. Timing, rhythm and a hook in the first three seconds. That is where the viewer decides to keep watching.
• Sound. Music, voice-over and sound design turn separate shots into a commercial.

These items exist in a traditional production too. The difference is that with AI they make up most of the investment, rather than the filming itself.

Traditional vs AI: which should you choose?

Choose traditional if your story revolves around real, well-known people or emotion carried by faces. Choose AI if your product is the focus, you want to launch fast, you need many variants for Meta and TikTok, or you want your product in a location that would be too expensive for a real shoot. For more on volume, see AI ad creatives.

How Setless solves this

I make AI commercials for brands with a physical product. The budget goes on what counts: concept, direction, editing and sound. The Commercial package delivers a 20 to 30 second commercial with 3 cutdowns and 4 key visuals, within 10 working days, with one round of feedback.

See the fixed packages on pricing, the approach on AI commercial production, or start with a free sample based on one product photo.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a commercial cost to produce? A 15 to 60 second commercial in the Netherlands costs €8,000 to €25,000 or more according to Searchlab. The price depends on shoot days, locations, cast and the number of versions.

How much does a 30 second TV commercial cost? Production falls within the Searchlab range of €8,000 to €25,000+ for a 15 to 60 second commercial. Airtime comes on top as a separate media budget.

Is airtime included in commercial production cost? No. Production is making the commercial. Airtime and media spend are paid separately to a broadcaster, platform or media agency.

How much does a shoot day cost? A shoot day costs €1,500 to €5,000 according to Searchlab. A director adds €500 to €1,500 per day on top.

Why is an AI commercial cheaper? The shoot day, crew, location and actors drop away. You mainly pay for concept, direction, editing and sound.

What does an AI commercial cost at Setless? Setless works with fixed one-off packages, with no subscription. Current rates are on the pricing page.