# How to make money on YouTube

URL: https://howinfluencersmakemoney.com/how-to-make-money-on-youtube/
Facts checked: 2026-10-21
Independent and unsponsored: no company paid for, reviewed, or approved this page.

You make money on YouTube from fan payments, Shopping, ads, sponsorships and your own products. Memberships, Super Chat and Shopping open at 500 subscribers, and YouTube keeps 30% of fan payments. Ads need 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views, and YouTube keeps 45% of long-form ad revenue.

YouTube gives creators eight ways to earn, and ads are the hardest one to reach. YouTube says it paid more than $100 billion to creators, artists and media companies in the four years to September 2025. A new channel can start earning from sponsorships and affiliate links long before it qualifies for any of that ad money.

This guide covers every way to make money on YouTube as of October 2026, the order we would add them in, and what each one costs you in YouTube's cut, payout delays or your own hours. For ad rates and payout dates in detail, read [how much YouTube pays](https://howinfluencersmakemoney.com/how-much-does-youtube-pay/).

## The numbers

- Memberships, Super Chat, Super Thanks and Shopping open at 500 subscribers, half the bar for ad revenue.
- YouTube keeps 30% of memberships and Super Chat, and 45% of long-form ad revenue.
- Brands pay sponsorships directly. YouTube Creator Partnerships runs in 24 countries, and its help page lists no YouTube fee.
- Shopping affiliate commissions arrive 60 to 120 days after the sale.
- From February 1, 2027, new channels need 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views to earn from ads.

## What are all the ways to make money on YouTube?

There are eight ways to make money on YouTube: long-form ads, Shorts ads, channel memberships, Super Chat and Super Thanks, Shopping affiliate commissions, your own products, YouTube Creator Partnerships deals, and sponsorships you find yourself. The first five pay through AdSense and need the YouTube Partner Program, usually called YPP. The last three pay you from your store or the brand.

Ads open last. Sponsorships need no threshold at all, and fan payments, Shopping and your own store open at 500 subscribers. The table shows when each stream opens and what YouTube keeps.

Ways to earn on YouTube and what YouTube keeps, October 2026

| Income stream | When it opens | What YouTube keeps | How you get paid |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Long-form ads and Premium | 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 watch hours in 12 months or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days | 45% of net ad revenue | AdSense, monthly |
| Shorts ads | Same as long-form ads | 55% of the pool revenue allocated to you, after music costs | AdSense, monthly |
| Channel memberships | 500 subscribers, 3 uploads in 90 days, plus 3,000 watch hours or 3 million Shorts views | 30% of net revenue | AdSense, monthly |
| Super Chat, Super Stickers, Super Thanks | Same as memberships | 30% of net revenue | AdSense, monthly |
| Shopping affiliate | YPP with at least 500 subscribers, in 14 countries | Nothing for now. A temporary incentive passes 100% of merchant commissions to you | AdSense, 60 to 120 days after the sale |
| Your own products | YPP at the subscriber threshold, or an Official Artist Channel | No YouTube fee listed. Your store platform charges its own | Your store platform |
| YouTube Creator Partnerships | In YPP, 18 or older, in one of 24 countries | No fee listed on YouTube's help page | The brand, under your contract |
| Sponsorships you find yourself | No YouTube threshold | Nothing. You must tick the paid promotion box | The brand |

## In what order should you add income streams?

Add income streams in the order YouTube opens them, and start sponsorships and affiliate links before you reach any threshold. Waiting for ads means waiting for the highest bar on the platform, and that bar doubles for new channels in February 2027.

- **Before 500 subscribers.** Put outside affiliate links in your descriptions and take small sponsorships. Neither needs YPP. Disclose both.
- **At 500 subscribers.** Apply once you also have 3 public uploads in 90 days and either 3,000 watch hours in 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days. Turn on memberships, Super Thanks and Shopping the day YouTube accepts you.
- **At 1,000 subscribers.** Ads and YouTube Premium revenue open at 4,000 watch hours in 12 months or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days. From February 1, 2027, new applicants need 8,000 watch hours in 365 days or 20 million Shorts views in 90 days.
- **Once viewers ask what you use.** Sell your own product. You keep the sale price minus your store's fees, but you pay for making it, shipping it and supporting buyers.

## Do sponsorships pay more than ads on a small channel?

On current estimates, a sponsored video on a channel under 100,000 subscribers earns several times what the same video makes from ads. At AIR Media-Tech's median long-form RPM of $2.30, measured across 300 channels from May 2025 to May 2026, a video with 20,000 views earns about $46 from ads. Influencer Marketing Hub's planning estimate, updated October 6, 2026, puts sponsored videos at $200 to $1,000+ for creators with 10,000 to 100,000 followers. It does not say how it measured the range.

Ads still matter. They pay on every monetized video with no pitching, and they keep paying on old uploads. Treat them as the floor and deals as the ceiling.

Stay active once you are in. YouTube's help center says it may turn off monetization on channels that have not uploaded a video or posted to the Posts tab for 6 months or more.

## How much do YouTube ads and Shorts pay?

YouTube pays partners 55% of net ad revenue on long-form videos and 45% of the Shorts ad revenue allocated to them. YouTube keeps the rest. Partners also get a share of YouTube Premium subscription money, split by how much Premium members watch their videos.

Shorts pay from a monthly pool. YouTube splits Shorts Feed ad revenue by engaged views, takes out music licensing costs, and pays you 45% of your slice. A Short with one licensed track sends only half its revenue to the creator pool.

Per view, the formats are far apart. AIR Media-Tech's 2026 study of 274 channels puts most niches at $0.07 to $0.20 per 1,000 Shorts views, against the $2.30 long-form median. Use Shorts to find viewers and long videos to earn from them. Videos of 8 minutes or longer can also carry mid-roll ads. Rates by niche and country are in [how much YouTubers make per view](https://howinfluencersmakemoney.com/how-much-do-youtubers-make-per-view/).

Ads take the least of your time once you qualify, because YouTube sells and places them. The cost is the entry bar, the share YouTube keeps, and new rules from February 1, 2027. From that date, each month's Shorts pool pay needs 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days, and partners must accept the new terms in YouTube Studio by January 31, 2027.

## How do memberships and Super Chat pay?

YouTube pays creators 70% of net revenue from channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks, and keeps 30%. Its help center says YouTube currently covers card fees. For Supers bought on iOS, Apple's App Store fee comes out before the split.

Fans can also buy Jewels to send gifts during live streams at the 500-subscriber tier. YouTube does not publish a revenue share for them.

These streams cost you time more than money. Members expect perks every month, such as extra videos, badges or a members-only chat, and Super Chat only happens in live chat. They suit creators who already go live or post often. Skip memberships if you cannot deliver perks every month.

Thirty percent is a large cut next to most outside membership platforms. What you get for it is convenience, because fans pay without leaving the video. Compare the fees in [how to sell to your fans](https://howinfluencersmakemoney.com/how-to-sell-to-your-fans/) before you move paying fans off YouTube.

## How does YouTube Shopping pay?

YouTube Shopping pays partners a commission, set by each brand, when viewers buy products tagged in their videos, Shorts and live streams. YouTube announced on March 25, 2026 that partners with at least 500 subscribers can join. The program runs in 14 countries, including the United States, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Japan and Mexico.

Music channels, Official Artist Channels and channels set as Made for Kids cannot join. YouTube's help page says eligible channels are invited, and you join under Earn, then Programs, in YouTube Studio.

YouTube takes nothing from commissions for now. Its help page says a temporary incentive passes 100% of affiliate merchant commissions to creators, with at least 30 days' notice before it ends. The catch is the wait. Commissions arrive through AdSense 60 to 120 days after the purchase, and a return reverses them.

Shopping suits review, tech, beauty and home channels where viewers already ask where to buy. Outside affiliate programs work at any channel size, and our guide to [affiliate marketing for influencers](https://howinfluencersmakemoney.com/affiliate-marketing-for-influencers/) compares them.

## How do sponsorships and YouTube Creator Partnerships work?

Brands pay you directly for sponsorships, and YouTube takes no cut. YouTube Creator Partnerships is YouTube's own marketplace for these deals. Tubefilter reported on March 23, 2026 that it grew out of the BrandConnect hub.

YouTube's help page lists four conditions: you are 18 or older, in YPP, based in one of 24 countries including the US, UK, India and Brazil, and without current Community Guidelines strikes. Brand inquiries can list deliverables and an amount you could earn. You set suggested rates for long-form and Shorts deals in your preferences. YouTube says the amounts brands list are not final offers, and the brand pays you under the agreement you sign with it.

A brand can also ask to run your video as an ad from its own Google Ads account. You can accept or decline. Charge more when you accept, because the brand gets extra reach from your work.

Collabstr's 2026 Influencer Marketing Report, as covered by Storyboard18 on March 20, 2026, puts the average YouTube deal on its marketplace at $255, an estimate from more than 21,000 collaborations. Deals take the most of your time of any stream here, with pitching, scripts and approvals. You must also tick the paid promotion box in YouTube Studio, which adds a disclosure label, and follow the [FTC disclosure rules](https://howinfluencersmakemoney.com/ftc-disclosure-rules-for-influencers/). Start with [how to get brand deals](https://howinfluencersmakemoney.com/how-to-get-brand-deals/) and [how much to charge for sponsored posts](https://howinfluencersmakemoney.com/how-much-to-charge-for-sponsored-posts/).

## How do you sell your own products on YouTube?

Connect your own store to YouTube Shopping and tag your products in your content. YouTube's help center says payments for your merch and products go through your store or retailer, and YouTube and AdSense are not involved.

To connect a store, you must be in YPP and meet its subscriber threshold or run an Official Artist Channel. Your channel cannot be set as Made for Kids or have Hate Speech strikes. At the 500-subscriber tier, YouTube lists connecting your official merchandise store among the Shopping features.

Your store platform takes its own fees, so check its pricing first. Products are the most work on this list, with stock, shipping and customer service, or the weeks it takes to build a course. They also give you the most control, because you set the price and keep the buyer list. Read [how to sell to your fans](https://howinfluencersmakemoney.com/how-to-sell-to-your-fans/) to compare platforms.

## Questions people ask

### How many subscribers do you need to make money on YouTube?

You need 500 subscribers for memberships, Super Chat, Super Thanks and Shopping, plus 3 public uploads in 90 days and either 3,000 watch hours in 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days. Ad revenue needs 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views. Sponsorships need no minimum.

### Can you make money on YouTube without being monetized?

Yes. Sponsorships and outside affiliate links need no YouTube threshold, because the brand pays you directly. You still have to tick the paid promotion box on sponsored videos. Everything paid through AdSense needs the YouTube Partner Program.

### Does YouTube take a cut of sponsorships?

No. The brand pays you directly, including for deals found through YouTube Creator Partnerships, whose help page lists no YouTube fee. YouTube's rule is disclosure. Tick the paid promotion box in YouTube Studio so viewers see a label.

### What is the fastest way to start making money on YouTube?

Affiliate links and small sponsorships, because neither needs the Partner Program. Next comes the 500-subscriber tier, which opens memberships, Super Thanks and Shopping. Ads come last, and from February 1, 2027 new channels need 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views to get them.

### How much does YouTube pay per 1,000 views?

YouTube publishes no rate. AIR Media-Tech's estimate from 300 channels, May 2025 to May 2026, puts the median long-form RPM at about $2.30 per 1,000 views. Its 2026 Shorts study puts most niches at $0.07 to $0.20.

### Does YouTube take a cut of merch sales?

YouTube's help center says payments for your own merch and products go through your store platform, and YouTube and AdSense are not involved. Your store platform charges its own fees.

## Sources

- YouTube Help: YouTube Partner Program overview and eligibility: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72851 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Help: Overview of the expanded YouTube Partner Program: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/13429240 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Help: Changes to the YouTube Partner Program: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12843009 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Blog: New opportunities to earn and changes to the YouTube Partner Program, August 10, 2026: https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-partner-program-updates-2027-new-opportunities-earn/ (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Help: YouTube partner earnings overview: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72902 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Help: YouTube Shorts monetization policies: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12504220 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Help: Manage mid-roll ad breaks in long videos: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6175006 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Help: Super Chat and Super Stickers: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7288782 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Help: YouTube Shopping affiliate program overview and eligibility: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/13376398 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Blog: Expanding YouTube Shopping to creators with 500+ subscribers, March 25, 2026: https://blog.youtube/creator-and-artist-stories/youtube-shopping-expansion-500-subscribers/ (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Help: Get started with Shopping on YouTube: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12257682 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Help: Get started with YouTube Creator Partnerships: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9385307 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Tubefilter: YouTube's BrandConnect hub is evolving into a streamlined Creator Partnerships platform, March 23, 2026: https://www.tubefilter.com/?p=191416 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Help: Paid product placements, sponsorships and endorsements: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/154235 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- YouTube Blog: Made on YouTube 2025, September 16, 2025: https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/made-on-youtube-2025/ (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Google AdSense Help: Payment timelines for AdSense for YouTube: https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/7164703 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- AIR Media-Tech: YouTube RPM in 2026, real data from 300 channels: https://air.io/en/air-data-findings/how-much-does-youtube-really-pay-in-2026-real-rpm-data-from-300-channels (accessed 2026-10-21)
- AIR Media-Tech: YouTube Shorts RPM vs long-form, data from 274 channels: https://air.io/en/air-data-findings/youtube-shorts-rpm-vs-long-form-how-much-do-shorts-earn-in-2026 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Influencer Marketing Hub: Influencer rates, updated October 6, 2026: https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-rates/ (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Storyboard18: Collabstr 2026 Influencer Marketing Report coverage, March 20, 2026: https://storyboard18.com/how-it-works/80-influencer-deals-under-300-brands-shift-to-ugc-report-92782.htm (accessed 2026-10-21)