How much do YouTubers make? Is it only $50, or can it be millions every month?
If you’re a content creator, you might be thinking about whether this is a good career path for you. We understand. After all, it’s important to have a clear idea of what to expect, right?
Also, YouTube revenue can come from AdSense, Super Chats, channel memberships, and selling merchandise. So, which way should you focus on to make money?
This article will explain how much YouTube pays per view and explore different ways to maximize earnings from your YouTube channel. Let’s dive in!
How Much do YouTubers Make?
A YouTube channel can generate around $68,714 a year, according to ZipRecruiter. It means your YouTube salary is around $5,726/month.
But if you’re just starting out as a YouTuber with a small subscriber base and not many views, you might not earn any revenue from YouTube monetization at first.
On the flip side, popular YouTubers like MrBeast can make over $700 million per year from different income sources. So, how much do the YouTubers make from different income streams?
How Much do YouTubers Make Per View from Ads
Most YouTubers make money through in-video advertising. So, how much do YouTubers earn from this revenue stream?
As of 2024, it is estimated that YouTubers can earn between $0.10 to $0.30 per ad view in the United States.
But, bear in mind that YouTube doesn’t pay YouTubers per ad view directly, and the actual earnings aren’t fixed for all countries and niches.
A common method to calculate YouTube ad revenue is cost per mille (CPM). This refers to the payment advertisers make for every thousand ad views on a YouTube video.
YouTube CPM usually falls between $0.25 and $4.00. But it’s better for YouTubers to always stay updated with the latest information on how much YouTube pays for 1 million views.
But don’t assume that you will start earning a YouTuber salary just by uploading videos on your YouTube channel. Those ads do not appear out of nowhere. You have to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) first to monetize your content.
“Alright, but how much money can I make on YouTube once I do all this?”
YouTube will review your YPP application, which can take up to 30 days. Once you’re approved, you’ll be able to manage ads and access other monetization tools on your YouTube channel.
Until this approval, it is not relevant to answer the question of how much money you make per view on YouTube. But if you want a rough estimate, you can try using Google’s AdSense Calculator.
When using the tool, you’ll notice that YouTubers from different regions and niches have varied CPM rates.
For example, if your CPM is $5 and you have 100,000 ad views, you would earn $500. After YouTube’s 45% cut, you would be left with $275.
This simulation will help you understand how much YouTube pays per view for creators.
Read More: YouTube Channel Ideas to Get You Inspired
How Much Can Make from YouTube Memberships?
Offering channel memberships can help boost a YouTuber’s earnings. But, how much do YouTubers make from memberships?
It all depends on your membership fee, but YouTube takes a 30% cut.
For example, if your membership is $5 a month and you have 100 members, you’ll earn $350 while YouTube takes $150.
How can you do that? First, launch a channel membership for your audience. This allows you to offer perks like custom emojis and badges for your YouTube live streams.
Channel memberships also let you put videos and live broadcasts behind a paywall. However, not all of your current subscribers may want to pay for content.
To attract them, create valuable videos. Long-form content that showcases your expertise on specific topics is a great way to do this.
How Much Can You Make from Super Chats, and SuperThanks?
You can earn revenue as a YouTuber by activating Super Chats, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks. These monetization features allow your audience to support you as a content creator.
- Super Chats let viewers highlight comments in live streams, pinning them at the top.
- Super Stickers are animated graphics that pop in the live chat.
- Super Thanks allows viewers to send a one-time payment to show appreciation for a video.
These features let viewers give you tips on YouTube, but each one works a little differently. These tools help YouTubers make money from their videos or live streams.
YouTube offers four Super Chat tip options: $2, $5, $10, and $50. The amount depends on how much viewers want to contribute.
Keep in mind that YouTube takes a 30% cut from your earnings on Super Chats, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks, similar to membership fees.
Read More: How to Make Money Streaming
How Much Money Do YouTubers Make From Affiliate Marketing?
As a YouTuber, you can boost your income through affiliate marketing. Even with a few subscribers, promoting products or brands in your videos can generate earnings.
But how much do YouTubers make from affiliate marketing?
Joshua Mayo, a YouTuber who focuses on content about how to monetize online, earns up to $146,141.21 from affiliate marketing alone. Overall, he earns around $613,960.
The first step is to join an affiliate program, such as Amazon Associates. Once you sign up, you’ll get a special link to share. When people buy through that link, you earn money from the sales.
How much do YouTubers earn from affiliate marketing? It depends on the commission rates of the programs. For example, Amazon Associates offers 1% to 10%, Etsy gives 4% to 10%, and ClickBank can go up to 90%.
Many people think affiliate marketing makes money faster than AdSense, and we agree. You don’t need a lot of views to start earning. Since 85% of millennials buy things after watching videos, this method can work well if your content is awesome.
How Much Do a YouTuber Make With Merchandise Sales?
Many YouTubers sell branded merchandise to their subscribers, especially if they have a strong personal brand like Graham Stephan. How much revenue does a YouTuber generate from selling merch?
In 2019, he said he could make up to $2,028.73 from selling merchandise.
He pointed out that this way of making money on YouTube isn’t as profitable as some other methods, but it still gives a good chance to earn money and create a strong brand.
Why is that? You don’t have to start big. Starting a business can be expensive, but you can begin with affordable items like clothing.
Look at YouTubers like Zach King, Smosh, and Ninja. They’ve done it successfully.
How much do YouTubers make from merch sales? It depends on factors like prices and number of purchases, but some sources state that YouTubers who typically sell six merchandise per month earn $70 on average.
The key to selling creator merchandise is to offer goods associated with your content or persona. For example, Emma Chamberlain often features a cup of coffee in her vlogs. This makes it natural for her fans when she begins to sell her coffee blends.
Instead, you can sell on Gank, a platform where content creators can start offering merch and other exclusive perks with zero cost.
How Much Do YouTubers Make Money from Brand Sponsorships?
Brands often look for creators on video platforms to promote their products or services. So, how much do YouTubers make from brand sponsorships?
You can earn from $10 to $50 for every thousand views on your videos. These rates are open to negotiation. Having more subscribers increases your chances of landing a big deal.
And did you hear about MrBeast’s massive $100 million deal with Amazon Prime? It shows the incredible potential.
But don’t get it wrong. You don’t have to wait until your channel has millions of viewers. You can start looking for sponsors with just 1,000 subscribers.
To connect with brands, consider joining influencer platforms such as Grin and Aspire.
How Much Do YouTubers Make from Crowdfunding?
From crowdfunding, you can earn hundreds to thousands of dollars each month.
Many crowdfunding platforms take a small cut of your earnings. For example, Patreon retains 5% or 12% based on your account type.
On top of that, there is a payment processing fee of 5% + $0.10 for donations that are $3 or less and 2.9% + $0.30 for donations over $3.
Gank, on the other hand, allows you to accept crowdfunding with no platform fee. Thus, you can realize your content creation goals easier.
But remember that you can only use this YouTube monetization strategy once you have built a strong fanbase.
For example, you want to be able to make more visually appealing videos with a professional lighting set. So, you ask your subscribers to help realize that goal in return for better-looking content.
But, how much do YouTubers make from crowdfunding? Well, it all depends on your project goals. But, the total amount can be limitless because your fans can donate whatever they want
Factors that Influence YouTubers Earnings
So, how much do YouTubers make? Well, YouTubers salaries can go up and down because of various factors. Some of them are:
1. Location
Your YouTube channel’s location impacts your earnings. Why? CPM rates differ across countries. In the US, you can earn a maximum of $13 per thousand views, while in Japan, it’s around $10.53.
Living costs vary by country, affecting how much advertisers pay YouTube to show their ads. So, if you start your channel in a country with high living costs, you can earn a higher CPM rate.
In the US, a channel with 1 million views could earn around $7,000. But in India, a channel with the same views might only make $500 due to different ad rates and viewers.
2. Niche
How much money can you make on YouTube? It depends on your channel’s niche. But remember that advertisers tend to bid on content in popular industries. So, some niches are more profitable than other.
Popular niches like finance, technology, and business attract top advertisers, leading to higher CPMs. Finance channels or making money online can make about $12 per thousand views, while gaming videos usually earn $2-$5.
3. Topics
YouTube’s community guidelines prohibit sensitive topics like adult content, dangerous acts, and firearms. If your content includes these topics, YouTube may restrict or remove ads from those videos.
That said, you can’t make as much money on YouTube from controversial content compared to other types of content.
Also, when creating channels for kids, you need to be mindful. YouTube cannot collect personal data from kids, so targeted ads cannot be placed on videos for them. As you might guess, this results in fewer ads and less profitability.
4. Audience
How much you make per view on YouTube depends on the age range of your viewers.
Gaming channels often attract teenagers and young adults, who may not have much disposable income. In contrast, creators focusing on business and marketing typically appeal to audiences who are financially stable.
Advertisers are more inclined to place commercials on videos discussing business. That’s the reason why money-making content typically has a higher CPM rate than niches like video games.
5. Types of Ads
Not all factors that affect how much YouTubers make are beyond your control. To boost your YouTube channel’s earnings, you can try experimenting with various types of advertisements.
There are five types of YouTube ads:
- Display ads (banner overlays)
- Non-skippable video ads (ads that are between 15 to 20 seconds long)
- Skippable video ads (longer ads that can be skipped after five seconds)
- Bumper ads (six-seconds non-skippable ads before videos)
- Back-to-back ads (two short non-skippable ads)
Each ad type has a different CPM rate. Skippable and non-skippable ads usually generate the highest revenue due to their duration. You can change your YouTube earnings by experimenting with different ad types.
6. Ad Blockers and YouTube Premium
Not all video views result in ad views. Some viewers may use ad-blockers that prevent ads from being displayed. This can significantly impact how much you make on YouTube.
When viewers use ad blockers, YouTubers lose potential ad revenue because advertisers only pay for viewed and engaged ads. But, YouTube is taking steps to combat ad blocker usage. Starting May 2024, YouTube will skip videos entirely for viewers with ad blockers installed.
This move aims to encourage viewers to either disable ad blockers or subscribe to YouTube Premium, the platform’s ad-free subscription service.
Read More: How Much Does TikTok Pay
Top-Earning YouTubers
To give you a little detail on how much money YouTubers make, here are some top earners and their streams of income:
| # | Name of YouTubers | Subscribers as of December 2024 | Estimated Earnings | Income Streams | Channel Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MrBeast | 334 millions | MrBeast net worth is $700,000,000 | Ads, merchandise, sponsorships, Beast Burger, philanthropy | Challenges and philanthropy videos |
| 2 | Like Nastya | 123 millions | Like Nastya net worth is $260,000,000 | Ads, brand deals, licensing deals, merchandise, mobile app | Playful, educational videos for children |
| 3 | Logan Paul | 23.6 millions | Logan Paul net worth is $155,000,000 | Ads, boxing, merchandise, PRIME sports drinks, investments | Vlogs and boxing matches |
| 4 | Ryan Kaji | 57 millions | Ryan Kaji net worth is $100,000,000 | Ads, merchandise, TV show | Toy reviews and educational content for kids |
| 5 | PewDiePie | 110 millions | PewDiePie net worth is $45,000,000 | Ads, merchandise, book sales, sponsorships, Tsuki Market (clothing brand) | Gaming commentary and comedic videos |
| 6 | Rhett and Link | 5.37 millions | Rhett and Link net worth is $40,000,000 | Ads, merchandise, podcasts, TV show, Mythical Kitchen (YouTube channel), Mythical Society (membership program), Smosh (YouTube channel) | Comedy and talk show |
| 7 | Markiplier | 37.1 millions | Markiplier net worth is $38,000,000 | Ads, merchandise, podcasts, live shows, sponsorships, Unus Annus (YouTube channel), Cloak (clothing brand), investments | Gaming commentary and comedic content |
| 8 | Vlad and Niki | 128 millions | Vlad and Niki net worth is $25,000,000 | Ads, brand deals, merchandise | Playful adventures and toy reviews |
| 9 | Preston Arsement | 28.7 millions | Preston Arsement net worth is $22,000,000 | Ads, gaming, merchandise, live donations | Gaming videos |
| 10 | Dude Perfect | 60.6 millions | Dude Perfect net worth is $20,000,000 | Ads, sponsorships, merchandise, mobile game | Trick shots and sports challenges |
How Much do YouTubers Make: Conclusion
YouTubers can earn $100 to millions monthly through monetization, depending on location and video views.
If you focus on affiliate marketing, you can earn up to $1 million if the program has a good commission rate. From brand partnerships, you can earn anywhere from $100 to millions of dollars.
So, yes, there is no definite answer to the question “How much do YouTubers make?”
We hope that this article can become a guide for you to start creating videos on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe to Gank blog for more insights around content creation!
