Short answer
Brands looking for UGC creators include Walmart, Target, Ulta Beauty, lululemon, Chewy, Myprotein and Canva, which all took creator applications on their own pages when we read them.
Most of those programs pay commission on sales, not a fee: of the 10 brand pages we read, 6 pay commission, 3 mention a fee or salary, and only 1 states a follower minimum. Paid UGC videos are mostly found on UGC platforms, on TikTok One and by pitching brands you already use with one video idea and two samples.
10 brands looking for UGC creators in 2026
Each of these brands has a "creators" or "affiliates" page of its own, usually linked from its site's footer. We read all 10 on 16 October 2026 and read four again on 27 October 2026. They're grouped by niche (retail, beauty, fitness, pets, software), open programs first.
- 1. WalmartRetail · Walmart Creator
- Asks for18 or older and living in the US; open "regardless of your experience, audience size or niche"
- Partly: PaysCommission on affiliate links and a storefront
- Yes: StatusOpen: Apply now
- 2. TargetRetail · Target Partners
- Asks forA free application, run through Impact
- Partly: PaysUp to 8% on qualifying purchases through your links
- Yes: StatusOpen: Apply now
- 3. Ulta BeautyBeauty · UB Creates Creator Program
- Asks forAn application; the page names no follower or platform rules
- Partly: PaysCommission on product links and banners
- Yes: Status"Currently accepting applications"
- 4. SephoraBeauty · Sephora Squad
- Asks forAn account with a US phone number, a 15-minute application with a headshot, and testimonials from your followers
- Yes: PaysA yearlong paid partnership, free product and a My Sephora Storefront that earns commission
- Check: StatusApplications ran 15 September to 6 October 2026, one class a year; the program's own site returned "not found" when we rechecked on 27 October
- 5. Myprotein (US)Fitness · Team Myprotein
- Asks forOver 10,000 followers; an email with your name, handles and why you want to work with them
- Yes: PaysPerks; a monthly supplement allowance and salary depend on following, engagement and content quality
- Yes: StatusOpen: apply by email
- 6. lululemonFitness · Affiliates and Creators
- Asks forAn application, then learning the brand guidelines before you post your links
- Partly: PaysCommission on purchases through your links, early news of drops, event access
- Yes: StatusOpen: Apply now
- 7. GymsharkFitness · Gymshark Athlete (Gymshark66)
- Asks forNo set criteria: a pledge post, a weekly #gymshark66 post tagging @gymshark, and a final post by 8 March 2026
- Partly: PaysA year of Gymshark clothing, LIFT events with travel, a photoshoot and a year's gym membership for the winner
- Check: StatusThe 2026 competition ended 8 March
- 8. ChewyPets · Affiliate & Creator Program
- Asks forA Creator Track for social-first creators on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube; bank details to sign up
- Yes: PaysCommission through Impact, paid monthly; creators can be invited to campaigns, product seeding or paid partnerships
- Yes: StatusOpen
- 9. CanvaSoftware · Canva Creators
- Asks forA public portfolio link with no login, 5 to 10 strong designs in a mix of formats, all your own work
- Partly: PaysRoyalties on templates people use
- Yes: StatusOpen: Become a Creator
- 10. NotionSoftware · Notion Ambassador Program
- Asks for18 or older, not a student, 1 to 2 hours a month, and time in the ambassadors' Slack
- No: PaysUnpaid volunteers: event grants, swag, early features and a free team workspace
- Check: StatusGlobal applications paused since 31 August 2026 (Korea and Japan still open)
Brands' own pages, read 16 October 2026; Myprotein's, Ulta Beauty's, Canva's and Sephora Squad's read again 27 October 2026; Gymshark's page was last edited 28 December 2025.
What do brands' creator programs actually pay?
- 7 of 10
- were taking applications when we read them
- 6
- pay commission on sales from your links
- 3
- mention a fee, salary or paid partnership
- 1
- states a follower minimum (10,000+)
The 10 brand pages above, read 16 October 2026. The pages are listed under Sources.
So most "creator programs" are affiliate programs: you post, they pay a share of sales. Paid UGC, where a brand pays a fee for a video it runs as an ad, is mostly bought somewhere else (the next section).
Two asks repeat across them: a portfolio a stranger can open without logging in (Canva wants 5 to 10 pieces), and proof people listen to you (Sephora asks your followers for testimonials). Both cost nothing to prepare now; our sample UGC portfolios show the first.
Where do brands actually find UGC creators?
- UGC platformsBrands post briefs with the pay attached and pick from who applies. Most need no followers; our UGC jobs table compares ten on pay, fees and payout.
- TikTok OneTikTok's marketplace, for posts on your own account, from 1,000 followers. See how TikTok Creator Marketplace works.
- Pitches in their inboxA brand with no creator program can still buy a video from a creator who emails a good idea. No middleman, so no platform cut.
- Their own programsThe pages above: commission, product and, now and then, a paid class of creators.
If you're new, take briefs on a platform and pitch at the same time: every finished brief is a sample for the next pitch. Our UGC creator guide covers the first portfolio videos.
How does a pitch turn into a paid job?
Pitch to paid, for a brand you contact yourself
- 1. Pick brands you already useProducts in your niche that already run creator ads. You can say why you, honestly.10 brands
- 2. Find a personA partnerships, marketing or founder email on their site or LinkedIn beats a DM to the brand account.
- 3. Send one idea, two samplesThe cold email below. Under 150 words.
- 4. Send a short script on a yesHook, three beats, the ending. Our UGC script template lays it out.
- 5. Agree terms in writingVideos, hooks, usage (organic or ads, for how long), revisions, fee and payment date. The contract template for UGC deals covers each.
- 6. Film and deliverRaw files only if you priced them.
- 7. InvoiceThe fee from your quote; extra usage is a new line, not a favour.On the agreed date
What should a UGC pitch email say?
- 112
- words in the filled cold email
- 3
- subject lines the template offers
- 2
- follow-ups at most, then stop
Our pitch email template's cold-email example (fictional creator), as the tool builds it.
| Part | What it says |
|---|---|
| Greeting | Hi Jordan, |
| Who you are, and why you | I'm Maya, a UGC creator who makes skincare videos for brands to post and run as ads. I have oily skin and SPF has always been the step I skip, so I'm exactly who you're trying to reach. |
| One video idea | I have an idea for your team: a 30-second get-ready-with-me that shows the SPF going on clear, with no white cast, in daylight. |
| Proof | Two recent videos: maya.example/spf-demo · maya.example/routine |
| Rate | My rate for a video like this starts at $175, with paid ad usage quoted separately. |
| An easy yes | Would it help if I sent a short script first? |
| Sign-off | Thanks, Maya · maya.example |
| Opt-out line | If you'd rather I didn't email again, just reply and let me know. |
Every line does one job. The idea is specific enough to film tomorrow, the proof is two links, and the last question asks for something small (a script) instead of a contract. Swap in your own niche, product and samples.
How should you follow up over four weeks?
A four-week outreach plan
- Week 1Send 10 pitchesTen brands, one email each, each with its own idea. Log the brand, contact and date in a sheet.
- Week 2Follow up onceFive to seven business days after each pitch, reply on the same thread: "Just bringing this back to the top of your inbox. The short version: a 30-second get-ready-with-me that shows the SPF going on clear, with no white cast, in daylight."
- Week 3Last follow-up, new sampleAnyone still quiet gets one more line with a fresh video. Meanwhile, apply to two open programs from the table above and one platform brief.
- Week 4Stop chasing, start a new batchMark the silent ones as no for now. Pitch ten new brands with what you learned from the replies.
Our plan. The follow-up line is our pitch email template's own follow-up text; the template's advice is to follow up once or twice, five to seven business days apart, then stop.
We haven't measured reply rates, so give the plan a full month before you judge it. Pricing, rate cards and gifted-only offers are in our guide to brand deals for small creators.
What didn't we check?
Not checked
- Partly: We didn't apply to any program or send pitches, so we have no acceptance or reply rates.
- Partly: Commission rates other than Target's (up to 8%): the other pages show them only after you join.
- Partly: Glossier's, Wayfair's and Target's older creator URLs were dead or redirected on the day; we used only pages that loaded.
- Partly: Ten brands is a sample of large consumer brands, read on one day (16 October 2026); programs open and close through the year. On 27 October we could recheck only four: Walmart's, Target's, lululemon's, Chewy's and Notion's pages load their details in the browser only, and Sephora Squad's site returned "not found".
