Honorarium payments for speakers: How much, when, and how to pay

Planning a successful event often means handling countless details, from logistics to agenda planning to guest management. But there's one aspect that can sometimes be overlooked: providing fair compensation for guest speakers who contribute their time and expertise. This is where honorarium payments come into play.

Understanding the purpose and structure of honorarium payments is key to ensuring fair and meaningful compensation while fostering strong, professional relationships with your speakers.

This article explores the essentials of honorariums — what they are, when to offer them to your speakers, what to offer, and how other leading companies approach rewarding speakers.

What is an honorarium?

The word comes from the Latin term honōrārium, meaning gift. An honorarium is a small, voluntary payment given to someone who provides valuable services outside their usual professional duties, such as keynote speaking sessions, guest lectures, research interviews, academic reviews, panel participation, and more.

What makes honorarium payments unique is that they’re entirely voluntary. Giving someone an honorarium is a gesture of goodwill, showing your appreciation for the speaker’s time and participation rather than being formal compensation.

It’s important to note the difference between an honorarium and speaking fees. Honoraria are given without a contractual agreement, while speaking fees involve negotiated compensation and a formal legal contract. 

Another key point: honoraria are paid directly to the individual, not to a business or corporation.

When to pay an honorarium to speakers

Deciding when to offer an honorarium depends on several key factors. Failing to meet these criteria might result in the payment being viewed as something other than an honorarium, which can have different implications.

Non-recurring service

An honorarium applies to one-time, non-recurring services rather than ongoing engagements. Common examples of eligible services include guest lectures, conference or webinar presentations, participation in panels or workshops, keynote speeches, and research presentations.

Recognition of expertise

An honorarium is not a typical payment for a service delivered at an agreed-upon price. Instead, it’s a gesture of appreciation offered to recognize a person’s unique knowledge, expertise, or standing in a particular field.

Custom content

The time and effort a guest or speaker invests can directly influence both the timing and amount of their honorarium. For instance, crafting an entirely new presentation for a webinar or conference may warrant a higher honorarium than participating in a panel discussion or delivering a pre-existing presentation.

Travel and lodging

Honoraria are often used to help cover speaker costs, especially travel-related expenses. If your event requires a guest to travel to deliver an in-person speech at a conference or convention, you’ll likely want to provide an honorarium or increase the amount to reflect your speaker’s additional commitment.

Typical honorarium policies and payments

Every organization has different considerations when it comes to developing honorarium policies and budgets. Here are a few key considerations as you dial in your company’s approach.

Payment amount

Honorarium amounts can range from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on a variety of factors.

• Type of event: Corporate events, which typically have larger budgets to work with, can often provide larger honorariums than academic or nonprofit gatherings. 

• Speaker role: A keynote speaker or presenter delivering a new presentation might command a higher honorarium than someone participating in a panel discussion or presenting an existing talk.

• Location: Logistical needs also factor in. If the speaker needs to cover travel and lodging expenses, your honorarium should reflect these additional costs. On the other hand, virtual events like a webinar or online seminar don’t need to offset travel costs.

• Speaker experience: How long has the speaker been an expert in their field? Since an honorarium is a token of appreciation for their expertise rather than a set fee for a service, the speaker’s experience level should play a significant role in determining the amount. Those with greater experience or a long-standing reputation in their industry may warrant a higher honorarium. Recent accomplishments, such as publishing a new book or report, can draw larger audiences to a session or webinar and also justify a larger honorarium amount.

• Presenter profile: The speaker’s reputation and influence can significantly affect the honorarium amount. High-profile experts such as thought leaders, best-selling authors, or celebrities, can often require larger honorariums or full-on speaker fees. Their visibility and ability to attract a larger audience add considerable value to the event, but often come at a higher cost. 

Payment timing

While there are no strict rules about when an honorarium must be paid, it’s a smart idea to determine the amount in advance —  ideally before your event occurs. Most organizations typically send honorarium payments before the event or within 30 days after. This approach ensures clarity, builds goodwill, and positions your company as a responsive collaborator.

Forms of payment

Traditionally, honorarium payments are issued via cash or check. Today, digital payment options have introduced greater flexibility by allowing organizations to distribute honoraria through various payout options, including gift cards, virtual prepaid Visa cards, or monetary transfers. 

Honorarium payments can also come in the form of a donation — instead of paying the speaker directly, your organization can donate the amount to a charity or nonprofit on their behalf. This is a great option for industries with strict gift rules or executive-level presenters.

By understanding these factors and tailoring them to your event’s goals and budget, you can ensure your honorarium decisions are thoughtful, fair, and professionally executed.

Speaker honorarium examples

If you’re unsure what an appropriate honorarium payment might look like for your event or speaker, these examples provide some helpful guidance.

TEDx Talks

TED doesn't pay its speakers, but according to their website, they always cover travel-related costs and hotel accommodations if necessary. They also demonstrate gratitude for speakers who share their ideas and expertise freely by covering all production costs for their recorded sessions. 

While TED doesn't publicly share honorarium amounts for travel and lodging, their approach can serve as inspiration when planning how to manage similar contributions at your own event.

George Mason University

George Mason University outlines suggested honorarium amounts on its official website, which vary depending on the event type:

• Guest speaker: $500–$750 plus travel expenses

• Panel discussion participant: $150–$300 plus travel expenses

• One-hour panel, seminar, or debate participant: $250–$500 plus travel expenses

These small honorariums can still be effective when paired with a great speaker experience and a personalized thank-you note from your organization.

Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP)

The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) holds several regional events throughout the year to bring together members across the US. The organization offers a $1000 per-day speaker honorarium that includes travel expenses, aligned with the valuable expertise of its research presenters.

Summary

Honorarium payments are best suited for one-time services, such as webinar presentations, keynote speeches and more, serving as a token of appreciation for your guest’s time and expertise. Knowing the right timing and method for distributing honoraria to guests ensures a seamless and efficient process.

Furthermore, thoughtfully incorporating honorarium payments into your event planning shows appreciation for your speakers’ time and expertise while fostering collaboration, respect, and lasting connections.

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