If the question is, “How much do YouTubers make?” then the simple answer would be: it depends. Many factors can affect your YouTube income as a content creator.
But, it’s undeniable that YouTube is an great platform to make money, being the second largest social media platform globally. As a content creator, you have multiple income sources available, including AdSense and merchandise sales.
This article will discuss how much YouTube pays per view and different ways to make money from your YouTube channel to boost your earnings. Without further ado, let’s read!
How Much do YouTubers Make?
On average, a YouTuber can earn around $1,321 per week or $68,714 per year according to data from Zippia and ZipRecruiter.
But if you’re just starting out with a small following and not many views, you might not make any money 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
One main way YouTubers make money is through on-video advertising. As of 2024, it is estimated that YouTubers can earn between $0.10 to $0.30 per ad view in the US.
But, bear in mind that YouTube doesn’t pay per ad view directly and the actual amount isn’t set in stone 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 video.
Various sources suggest that CPM usually falls between $0.25 and $4.00. But it’s better to always make sure you’re up to date 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 YouTube channel. Those ads do not appear out of nowhere. You have to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) first.
You have to apply to YPP by fulfilling the following criterion:
- Live in a region where YPP is available
- Create a Google AdSense account and connect it to your YouTube channel
- Must be older than 18 or have a legal guardian above 18 years old to manage the AdSense account
- Have at least 1,000 subscribers
- Have at least 4,000 public watch hours in the past year
- Accept YouTube’s community guidelines
- Have no active community guidelines strike on your channel
“Alright, but how much money can I make on YouTube once I do all this?”
YouTube will review your YPP application that can take up to 30 days. Once you’re approved, you’ll be able to manage ads and access other monetization tools on YouTube.
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 creators 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.
Read More: YouTube Channel Ideas to Get You Inspired
How Much Can Make from YouTube Memberships?
Don’t just depend on ad revenue. Offering channel membership can help increase a YouTuber’s income.
Before we get into “how much do YouTubers make from membership subscription?”, let’s talk about what it allows you to do.
By opening a membership subscription to the audience, you can offer perks like custom emojis and badges that can be used during your YouTube live streams. Not only that, channel membership also lets you put videos and live broadcasts behind a paywall.
Remember that not all of your current audience may be willing to pay for videos. But you can attract them with valuable content. Creating long-form videos that demonstrate your expertise on specific topics is a great way to do that.
So, how much do YouTubers make from channel membership? The answer depends on how much you charge for the membership fee, but YouTube takes a 30% cut from it.
For instance, if your subscription costs $5 per month and you have 100 members, you will earn $350 while YouTube gets $150.
How Much Can You Make from Super Chats, and SuperThanks?
Another method of making money through YouTube is enabling super chats, super stickers, and super thanks.
- Super Chats allow viewers to highlight messages in the live chat, pinning them to the top for a certain time
- Super Stickers are animated images that stand out in the chat
- Super Thanks lets viewers send a one-time payment as a token of appreciation for a video.
All of them basically allow viewers to tip you within the video platform, but each works differently. These are monetization features provided by YouTube to help content creators earn money from their recorded videos or live streams.
How much do YouTubers make from Super Chats, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks? YouTube offers four tip options: $2, $5, $10, and $50. Thus, the amount depends on how much viewers are willing to spend.
It also should be noted that similar to membership fees, YouTube takes 30% out of your income from super chats, stickers, and thanks.
Read More: How to Make Money Streaming
How Much Money Do YouTubers Make From Affiliate Marketing?
As a YouTuber, you can diversify your income by making money through affiliate marketing. Even with just a couple of subscribers, you can endorse certain products or brands and earn from it.
Before we get into “how much do YouTubers make from affiliate marketing?”, let’s understand how it works first.
The first step is to join an affiliate program. There are many companies that offer such a program today, with Amazon Associates being one of the most well-known.
Once you are registered as an affiliate, you will get an affiliate link. You need to entice your audience to buy from this link as it is the only way you will get a commission from each sale.
It is important to choose a brand that sells products related to your niche. Otherwise, it will be difficult to persuade viewers to buy the said goods.
Many believe affiliate marketing can generate income faster than AdSense, and we tend to agree. You don’t need a massive amount of views to start earning. Moreover, given that 85% of millennials make purchases after watching videos, this method is promising if your content is engaging.
But, how much do YouTubers make from affiliate marketing? It depends on the commission rates of the programs they join. For example, Amazon Associates offers 1% to 10%, Etsy offers 4% to 10%, and ClickBank can go up to 90%.
How Much Do a YouTuber Make With Merchandise Sales?
Many YouTubers sell merchandise to their followers, especially if they have a strong personal brand.
You do not have to start big, though. As the cost of starting a business can be high, you can begin by selling affordable items like apparels. Just look at YouTubers like Zach King, Smosh, and Ninja who do this.
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.
So, how do you sell goods as a content creator? Using a website is a good choice as it gives you full control over its policies and content. However, building a website can be expensive for new creators.
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?
Once you have built a strong fanbase, you can earn extra YouTuber income through crowdfunding. Doing so does not only enable you to receive monetary appreciation from loyal fans, but also ask for financial help to improve content creation efforts.
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. If you can keep your audience happy, you can earn hundreds to thousands of dollars each month.
Though, it should be noted that many crowdfunding platforms take a small amount of your earnings. Patreon, for instance, keeps 5% or 12% of your income depending 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.
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 June 2024 | Estimated Earnings | Income Streams | Channel Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MrBeast | 272 millions | MrBeast net worth is $700,000,000 | Ads, merchandise, sponsorships, Beast Burger, philanthropy | Challenges and philanthropy videos |
| 2 | Like Nastya | 116 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 | 23.5 millions | Logan Paul net worth is $155,000,000 | Ads, boxing, merchandise, PRIME sports drinks, investments | Vlogs and boxing matches |
| 4 | Ryan Kaji | 37.1 millions | Ryan Kaji net worth is $100,000,000 | Ads, merchandise, TV show | Toy reviews and educational content for kids |
| 5 | PewDiePie | 111 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 | 5.21 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 | 36.7 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 | 118 millions | Vlad and Niki net worth is $25,000,000 | Ads, brand deals, merchandise | Playful adventures and toy reviews |
| 9 | Preston Arsement | 26.4 millions | Preston Arsement net worth is $22,000,000 | Ads, gaming, merchandise, live donations | Gaming videos |
| 10 | Dude Perfect | 60.2 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
The money you earn from 1 million YouTube views depends on your niche and channel’s location. But to make money from ads, you must meet the requirements to join the YouTube Partner Program.
But it’s possible to make a living as a YouTuber through a couple of methods. 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.
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 our blog for more insights around content creation!
