Wondering how much money YouTubers make?
Everyone has heard of YouTube, and you probably watch videos on YouTube all the time. If so, you may be wondering how much money your favorite YouTubers make.
I’m sure you’ve watched a fun YouTube video and have wondered if you could do something like this yourself. After all, the top YouTubers make millions of dollars a year. Plus, they always look like they’re having a ton of fun.
And, this is something I personally wonder about all the time. I’ll watch a video, look to see how many subscribers they have, and think to myself, “I wonder how much money they make?!”
Being a YouTuber can be an enjoyable way to earn money from home, after all.
Key Takeaways
- The highest-paid YouTuber is Mr. Beast, of course! This popular YouTube channel makes an estimated $54,000,000 each year.
- How much money YouTubers make depends on things like how much people interact with their videos, the number of subscribers, views, engagement rates, and the ways they make money from their content (such as through ads, sponsorships, memberships, or merchandise).
- On average, a YouTuber makes around $0.018 per view, which is equal to $18 for every 1,000 views. So, a video with 1,000,000 views may earn a person around $18,000 from YouTube ads.
How Much Do The Top YouTubers Make?
A few years ago, I was hanging out with a popular YouTuber, and we started talking about how much money YouTubers make. They told me that a good average is around $1 per YouTube subscriber.
So, if a YouTuber has around 500,000 subscribers, they can usually earn around $500,000 a year across all monetization methods put together – YouTube ads, selling merchandise, Patreon, sponsored partnerships, etc.
Here is how much some of the top YouTubers make each year, according to Forbes estimates:
- MrBeast – $54 Million
- Jake Paul – $45 Million
- Markiplier – $38 Million
- Rhett and Link – $30 Million
- Unspeakable – $28.5 Million
- Nastya – $28 Million
- Ryan Kaji – $27 Million
- Dude Perfect – $20 Million
- Logan Paul – $18 Million
- Preston Arsement – $16 Million
There are many more that make a great income too. Some top creators, like Ali Abdaal and Nuseir Yassin who share educational and inspirational content, have channels with over a million subscribers. Travel YouTubers like Kara and Nate as well as Sailing La Vagabonde make a healthy income as well. These creators are part of an exclusive group that can earn a lot, often reaching six to seven or even eight figures every year.
Their income doesn’t only come from ads but also from other things like brand deals, selling merchandise, and having people join as Patreon members. Diversifying their income sources has helped them become financially successful.
Now, you don’t need to have 1,000,000+ subscribers in order to make money on YouTube. There are plenty of YouTubers with less than 100,000 subscribers who make a good amount of money as well!
Recommended reading: How Much Money Do Twitch Streamers Make?
Who is the highest paid YouTuber? Who is the richest YouTuber?
Jimmy Donaldson, also known as MrBeast, is recognized as one of the highest earners on YouTube for the last couple of years. He makes millions every year with his unique videos that involve doing good things and taking on exciting and crazy challenges.
I have personally watched Mr. Beast tons of times in the past, and his videos are extremely entertaining – so I completely understand why he does so well!
When we talk about the richest YouTuber, names like Jeffree Star or PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg) often come up as well. These experienced creators have been making content for a long time, and they’ve built successful businesses beyond YouTube. Their wealth doesn’t only come from their YouTube channels but also from other successful projects they’ve started outside of YouTube.
What Factors Influence Earnings?
Making money on YouTube isn’t just about luck. It depends on many real factors, and each of these factors adds something unique to how much you can earn.
Subscribers
Having more subscribers shows how many people follow your channel, but it doesn’t directly mean you earn more. A higher subscriber count makes your channel more credible, and it also gives you a bigger audience, which can lead to more people watching your videos.
Video views
The number of views your videos get is important for how much you can earn. The more views you have, the more money you can make from ads, usually. And, factors like how long your video is and the kind of people watching it also affect how much advertisers pay for ads on your videos.
Engaging content and audience interaction
Creating content that people find interesting and connect with can lead to more comments, likes, and shares. So, when your audience interacts a lot, it boosts your visibility on the YouTube platform. This increased exposure can indirectly impact your earnings by attracting more attention to your videos.
Watch hours
The total watch hours show how much time people have spent watching your videos. Having more watch hours is important for making money as it can lead to getting better ads on your videos and earning more money overall.
The Basics Of YouTube Earnings
There are many ways to make money with a YouTube channel. The main way is through ads, which are handled by the YouTube Partner Program (YPP).
Here’s a simple breakdown of YouTube ads:
AdSense – This Google-owned program is important for YouTubers, and by linking your channel to your AdSense account, you allow ads to be placed on your videos, which earn you money. If you’ve ever watched a YouTube video, then you have seen these advertisements at the beginning, middle, or end of a video all the time – we’ve all pressed “Skip Ad” on a video, right?! – These are the ads that I’m talking about.
Monetization eligibility – To qualify for the YPP, your channel needs at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours over the past 12 months. Once accepted, you can monetize your videos.
| Criteria | Requirement |
| Subscribers | 1,000 or more |
| Watch Hours | 4,000 valid public watch hours in 12 months |
Ad revenue – The income from ads comes in two forms – Cost Per Mille (CPM or almost known as Cost Per Thousand), which is the cost per 1,000 ad views and Cost Per Click (CPC), where you earn each time a viewer clicks on an ad.
- CPM can range significantly (around $0.18 – $4.00 USD) and is impacted by factors such as traffic quality, the viewer’s country, and the niche you create videos about.
- CPC varies based on the price advertisers are willing to pay per click.
Recommended reading: How I Grew From 0 Subscribers To Over $100,000 On YouTube In Less Than One Year
Ways To Make Money As A YouTuber
YouTube ads aren’t the only way to make money with your YouTube channel. Other revenue streams include:
Brand partnerships and sponsorships
Companies look for YouTubers who can persuade their viewers to buy things through influencer marketing. Getting sponsorships from brands can bring in a good amount of money. They might pay you a set amount for sharing and mentioning their product in a video or you could earn a commission based on how many people sign up for the product or service.
Affiliate marketing and product placement
Affiliate marketing means talking about products in your videos and getting paid a commission for every sale made through a referral link.
Affiliate marketing is my favorite way to make money online, and it’s something that can be applied to a blog, YouTube channel, and more.
Recommended reading: Affiliate Marketing Tips For Bloggers – Free eBook
Selling merchandise
Selling your own custom merchandise, like clothing, stickers, and accessories, can make you a good amount of money on YouTube. You can design and sell products with your brand’s logo or catchy phrases, which also helps more people know about your brand. Here’s an example of merchandise sold by the popular sailing channel SV Delos. They sell sweaters, beach towels, hats, mugs, bags, canvas prints, and more.
Paid promotions and Super Chat
During live streams and live chats, viewers can use features like Super Chat and Super Stickers to pay and have their messages stand out. You can also make money by selling paid promotions or giving shoutouts to brands during your videos or streams in exchange for a set fee.
Patreon
Patreon is a website where creators get monthly support from fans who enjoy their content. Fans help out by giving money because they like what the creator is sharing.
You can give special perks to your fans who contribute monthly, like early access to content, merchandise (some creators give stickers and other things for specific contribution levels), exclusive content only for Patreon supporters, and more based on different pledge levels.
Financial Planning For YouTubers
If you want to become a YouTuber creator, then I think that smart personal finance management is extremely important.
This is because your income from YouTube can fluctuate a lot, and it is also not guaranteed!
Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Know that earnings are not guaranteed and can change month to month.
- Start an emergency fund (if you don’t have one yet), so that you are not stressed over low-income months.
- Plan for taxes since YouTube income is taxable and usually not withheld at the source.
- Diversifying your income streams can help you not be as reliant on one.
By staying informed and prepared, you can navigate the financial aspects of being a YouTube content creator more confidently.
Strategies For Growing And Monetizing A YouTube Channel
To make money from a YouTube channel, you will want to concentrate on two main things: growing your subscriber count and making content that keeps viewers interested. Both are extremely important for building a money-making stream from your YouTube presence.
Building subscriber numbers
- Engage with viewers – Respond to comments, create community posts, and consider going live to interact directly. An engaged audience is more likely to subscribe.
- Promote your channel – Utilize other social media platforms and collaborations to draw attention to your channel.
- Encourage viewers to like and subscribe – There is a reason why all of your favorite YouTube channels are always asking you to like and subscribe (“Smash the subscribe button” is something we all probably hear a lot and for good reason) to their channel – it helps them grow!
Creating appealing video content
- Regular upload schedule – Keep your audience interested by regularly uploading videos. Remember, quality is more important than quantity. Each video should provide value, whether it’s educational, entertaining, or a mix of both.
- SEO-optimized video descriptions – Use relevant keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and tags to improve search visibility. Include clear calls to action, such as subscribing or checking out channel memberships.
Frequently Asked Questions On How Much YouTubers Earn
Below are answers to common questions about how much money YouTuber creators make.
How much does a YouTuber with 1 million subscribers make?
I think that many YouTubers with 1,000,000 subscribers probably make around $1,000,000 a year across all monetization methods (YouTube ads, sponsored partnerships, selling merchandise, etc.).
What is the average income for a YouTuber with 100,000 subscribers?
The money a YouTuber with 100,000 subscribers makes can vary a lot. While having 100,000 subscribers makes them definitely popular, the actual earnings depend on how many views they get and how engaged their audience is. They may be earning around $50,000 to $100,000 each year.
What genre makes the most money on YouTube?
There are many popular topics like gaming, how-tos, product reviews, family, travel, comedy, and more that do well on YouTube.
How much do YouTubers make per view? What is the average YouTube income per 1,000 views?
The money YouTubers make for each view can vary. On average, a YouTuber typically earns around $0.018 per view, which is equivalent to $18 for every 1,000 views.
How much do YouTubers make a year?
This is a hard question to answer as there are so many different YouTube channels. Some may make $0, and others may make millions of dollars.
How Much Do YouTubers Make? – Summary
I hope you enjoyed this article on how much money YouTubers make.
Figuring out how profitable a YouTube channel is can be complicated, as you probably noticed above.
It’s not just about calculating earnings per view; it depends on factors like the quality of traffic, whether the audience watches ads, and how well videos match advertiser preferences.
Also, some YouTubers openly share their financial successes, while others keep their earnings private, resulting in a broad range of reported incomes. I completely understand them wanting to stay private too, but it is only normal to wonder, as well, as a viewer.
Successful YouTubers usually diversify their income, combining revenue from YouTube with things like selling merchandise or selling digital products like courses.
Who is your favorite YouTuber? How much money do you think your favorite YouTubers make?
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