FAST Channel Launch Cost Calculator

How it works

The FAST channel launch cost calculator is a free budget tool that adds up your own quotes and staff costs into one-time, monthly and per-channel totals. It has 18 line items across content, channel technology, distribution and advertising, and people. Six show first and the rest are under "Add more lines". Every amount starts blank.

• Total = one-time costs + (monthly costs x months) + contingency.
• A line set to "each channel" is multiplied by your channel count. The setting appears when you have more than one channel.
• Per channel = total divided by channels. Per library hour = total divided by the hours you enter.
• Simple payback = one-time costs divided by (your monthly revenue estimate minus monthly costs), rounded up to whole months.

Amounts accept 12000, 12,000 or 12k. You can add your own lines.

• The calculator only adds up what you enter. A missing line makes the total too low, so blank lines are listed under "See details".
• Payback assumes revenue and costs stay flat from the first month. Treat it as a rough check.
• There are no taxes, currency conversion or financing costs, and it is not a quote from Revidd or anyone else.

How much does it cost to launch a FAST channel?

It depends on four groups of spending: content (licensing, encoding, captions, metadata), channel technology (playout, delivery, program guide, apps), distribution and advertising (platform fees, ad operations, marketing, legal), and people. Published ranges are wide because those inputs differ so much from one operator to the next, so this calculator gives you the structure and leaves the numbers to you. Want the line-by-line breakdown behind each cost? Read how much it costs to launch a FAST channel.

Does the calculator include typical prices?

No. It contains no vendor prices, averages or benchmarks. It only adds up the numbers you enter, so the result is your budget, not an industry guess.

What costs do people forget?

Captions and subtitles, metadata and artwork, music and clip clearances, program guide data, and the staff time to schedule and check the channel each week.

Is my budget saved or sent anywhere?

It is saved in your own browser so it is still there when you come back. It is not sent to Revidd or any server, and "Clear all" removes it.

Is the calculator free, and why does the report ask for an email?

The calculator is free to use on the page with no account: the totals and the category breakdown. The full report (line-item CSV, text summary, and print or PDF) is also free, but asks for a work email first. The email goes to the Revidd team, who may contact you. Your budget is not sent with it.