How many views do you really need to get paid on YouTube? You will hear a lot of “it depends.” but that isn’t good enough if you ask me.
So, using my experience as a YouTube consultant and taking real-world examples from creators with between 1,500 subscribers and over 2 million subscribers, I will break everything down in this article.
Most channels earn between $2 and $13 per 1000 views. YouTube requires you to earn at least $100 before they pay out. That means if you have a channel that averages $5 per 1000 views, it would require 20,000 views to get your first YouTube payment once you’re accepted into the YouTube Partner Program.
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How Many Views Do You Need To Get Paid On YouTube?
On average, you need around 70,000 views to get your first paycheck from YouTube. Many factors impact this; some of the most important include:
- Your channel’s niche
- Video length
- Audience engagement
- Audience demographics
- Acceptance into YouTube’s Partner Program
I’ve outlined 70,000 views as the average because it takes approximately 50,000 views (long-form views, not shorts views) to meet the eligibility requirements for the partner program.
The remaining 20,000 views would be required to reach the minimum payout threshold of $100 if your channel has a $5 RPM (the average I’ve seen for most channels).
Let’s take a look at the YouTube Partner Program in more detail.
The YouTube Partner Program
The YouTube Partner Program is required to make money from ads on YouTube. Once you’re in the program, YouTube will show ads on your videos, and you’ll get a share of the money that advertisers pay YouTube.
The requirements for the YouTube Partner Program are:
- Follow all the YouTube monetization policies.
- Live in a country/region where the YouTube Partner Program is available.
- Have more than 1,000 subscribers.
- Have a linked AdSense account.
- One of the following:
- More than 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months.
- 10 Million Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Usually, when you achieve 1,000 subscribers, this is also enough to actually get you accepted into the YouTube Partner Program as well.
The 4,000 hours of watch time can often be achieved on your way to getting 1,000 subscribers if your videos aren’t extremely short and your viewers watch a good portion of your videos.
Here’s a breakdown of this practically:
4,000 hours = 240,000 minutes. To achieve 240,000 minutes of watch time, with an average video duration of 10 minutes and a 50% retention rate (the percentage of your video that is watched), you will need 48,000 views.
From my experience, if you upload consistently and create videos for your audience, on average, 2% of your views will turn into subscribers. And 2% of 50,000 views is 1,000 subscribers.
Remember that these views don’t have to be one video. If you have 50 videos with 1,000 views each on average (with 5 min average watch time), that will also get you past the 240,000 minutes requirement.
Here are four more tips to get into the YouTube Partner Program quicker:
- Make videos around a specific topic and upload them consistently. Find something interesting and then make videos around only that topic.
- Make sure your videos provide your viewers with answers and not questions.
- Create as many videos as you can in the first 60 days. It’s not about quality; this is where you create and see what people are interested in, and you improve rapidly by creating more videos. Aim for 30 videos.
- Gear doesn’t matter unless it’s part of the content of your video. I.e., a guitar player probably needs a guitar.
One Viral Video Vs Multiple Videos
While having a single video go viral may be great while it’s happening, it’s not as good as it may seem if you want to earn an income from your YouTube channel regularly.
If you’re only monetized from one video, you have one single point of failure. When that video reaches the end of its lifespan, then your revenue will also dry up.
And by chasing virality, creators often lose touch with what their audience is interested in most, causing their content not to be related. When a video does go viral, then viewers don’t watch other videos, they don’t subscribe, and the rest of the content on the channel doesn’t grow.
I prefer building channels around multiple videos catered to a specific audience. There are many benefits to this approach, some being:
- Your channel can grow faster, as YouTube will suggest your other videos to people who have watched your content. This increases the likelihood they subscribe.
- The more videos you have, the more opportunities your channel has to be found by potential viewers and subscribers.
- The more videos you have, the more context YouTube has on what your channel is about. And the more context YouTube has, the more accurately it can recommend your videos to people likelier to watch them.
- With a specific audience, YouTube can match your content to similar people more quickly, causing your entire channel to grow exponentially.
Views Vs Subscribers
Views are substantially more important when earning on your channel. While 1,000 subscribers are a requirement to get into the YouTube Partner Program, it doesn’t affect how much money you earn from the ads that show on your videos.
How much you earn depends on your views, the type of content you create, and the demographics of the audience watching your content.
A channel with 10,000 subscribers can earn substantially more than a channel with 100,000 subscribers if they either have a higher RPM niche or get more views.
For example, a channel that focuses on finance (one of the highest RPM niches on YouTube) will more often than not get a higher RPM than a channel that focuses on music.
The same can also be said for a channel whose audience is based in the USA versus a channel whose viewers are mostly based in Asia.
This is why Graham Stephan, a finance YouTuber with a large US-based audience, has a high RPM of $18.66.
If you had a channel with an RPM of $9.33, you would need twice as many views as Graham to earn the same income from YouTube ads.
Now, if you had a channel that attracts even more views than that, you could earn more than Graham, even if you have a much lower RPM.
As you can see, we haven’t spoken about subscribers here because it all comes down to your audience, content, and views.
How Many Views On YouTube Do You Need To Make $1,000?
To make $1,000 on YouTube takes between 500,000 (with an RPM of $2) and 77,000 (with an RPM of $13) views. This is the average range of RPMs most YouTube channels receive.
These views would be after getting accepted into YouTube’s partner program.
Here are real-life examples of how many YouTube views you need to make $1,000:
- Passive Marie = 209,644 (Finance/Animation)
- Datnaijagirl =203,665 (Expat)
- Tfmilk = 877,193 (Gaming)
- Brianna Stone = 153,374 (Lifestyle)
- Josh Winiarski = 108,460 (Tech)
- Dan Becker = 151,057 (Outdoors)
- Daniel Inskeep = 73,584 (Finance)
These figures are only from YouTube ads, you can earn more through affiliate marketing on YouTube, sponsored videos, selling your own products or services, etc.
Real-Life Examples Of YouTube Earnings
Let’s take a look at some practical examples of how much YouTubers of different channel sizes and in different niches make.
We’ll start by breaking down how much you can earn with a video that does well, before looking into overall channel stats for YouTubers with less than 20k subs, all the way up to channels with over 2 million subscribers.
How Much Does YouTube Pay For 100k Views?
From the examples below, YouTube pays between $180.26 and $1,355.57 per 100k views. This number varies widely depending on the RPM of the channel, which correlates to the niche and the channel’s audience.
Below you can see real-world examples of different channels in different niches and see exactly how much YouTube pays for 100k views (these videos have received between 46,573 and 169,710 views, the figures below are per 100k views for better comparison).
- Josh Winiarski = $599.51 (Tech)
- Alexis Eldredge = $1,355.57 (Organization)
- Alexis Eldredge = $631.87 (Lifestyle)
- Stef Dev = $180.26 (Finance)
- Danie Jay = $640.64 (Creator Education)
- Danie Jay = $578.64 (Travel)
- Josh Winiarski = $921.78 (Tech)
- Leilaland = $253.22 (Expat)
- MrManful = $906.51 (Finance)
- Christina’s Side Hustles = $1,286.90 (Finance)
Some channels are listed multiple times as they have videos within different niches, which highlights the point regarding different aspects that affect RPMs.
How Much Does YouTube Pay For 1 Million Views?
From the examples below, YouTube pays between $1,143.80 and $34,903.99 per 1 million views. This number varies widely depending on the RPM of the channel, which correlates to the niche and the channel’s audience.
Below you can see real-world examples of different channels in different niches and see exactly how much YouTube pays for 1 million views (these videos have received between 984,000 and 1.4 million views, the figures below are per million views for better comparison).
- Matt Brighton = $12,867.21 (Business)*
- Nay Nicole = $34,903.99 (Business)
- Athina = $4,236.47 (Fitness)
- Jessica Os = $5,711.60 (Relationships)
- Diddly ASMR = $1,822.41 (ASMR)
- Shelby Church = $11,544.22 (Finance)
- Mary Spender =$5,184.56 (Finance)
- Landon Bailey = $4,884.44 (DIY)
- Tfmilk = $1,143.80 (Gaming)
- Spencer Cornelia = $5,315.68 (Exposing Scams)
The figure taken from Matt Brighton was from almost 1 million views on his channel and not from a single video. As he is based in the UK, I also converted the pounds figure (£9,117.40) to dollars at the exchange rate when his video was released for better comparison.
How Much Do Videos With Over 1.5 Million Views Earn?
Below you can see real-world examples of different channels in different niches and see exactly how much YouTube pays for videos that get more than 1.5 million views.
As you can see, having a viral video doesn’t necessarily equal a video with a high RPM.
| Channel | Views | Earnings | RPM | Niche |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoeunlimited | 1,500,000 | $1,832.53 | $1.22 | Health |
| Mary Spender | 1,573,729 | $4,432.46 | $2.82 | Music |
| Jon Holstead | 1,714,366 | $4,208.77 | $2.46 | Finance |
| Diddly ASMR | 2,004,679 | $253.90 | $0.13 | ASMR |
| Reyes The Entrepreneur | 2,900,000 | $8,176.45 | $2.82 | Business |
| Dan Becker | 3,100,000 | $15,088.14 | $4.87 | Outdoors |
| Seth Everman | 92,556,024 | $31,410.88 | $0.34 | Music Cover |
P.s. Seth Everman, you may know as the “bald guy” with the most-liked comment on YouTube.
How Much Do Small YouTubers Make?
As shown in the table below, YouTubers with between 1,500 and 20,000 subscribers earn between $165.26 and $13,089.27 per year, depending on how many views they receive, their audience, and their niche.
Here you can see the full breakdown:
| Channel | Views | Annual Earnings | Subscribers | Niche |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leilaland | 65,264 | $165.26 | 1,500 | Expat |
| SE CYBERSAFE | 326,999 | $675.31 | 3,000 | Education |
| ItsRagnar | 1,685,441 | $5,715.13 | 3,000 | YouTube Automation |
| Christina’s Side Hustles | 150,571 | $1,937.70 | 3,000 | Finance |
| Kaitlyn Amanda | 1,517,767 | $12,481.48 | 7,000 | Expat |
| Krystal Nicole | 890,000 | $3,472.26 | 11,000 | Lifestyle |
| Doing Whatever | 1,008,847 | $11,669.24 | 15,000 | Woodworking |
| Julian Adams | 540,436 | $5,642.20 | 18,000 | Finance |
| datnaijagirl | 990,800 | $4,863.44 | 19,000 | Expat |
| Josh Winiarski | 2,686,501 | $10,290.28 | 20,000 | Tech & Lifestyle |
| Passive Marie | 239,478 | $1,142.31 | 20,000 | Finance/Animation |
| Brianna Stone | 807,957 | $5,267.37 | 20,000 | Lifestyle |
| Alexis Eldredge | 1,366,000 | $13,089.27 | 20,000 | Lifestyle |
Note: These figures are just from YouTube ads and don’t include other monetization methods like brand deals, affiliate marketing, etc.
How Much Does a YouTuber With 100k Subscribers Make?
As shown in the table below, YouTubers with around 100k subscribers earn between $34,488.77 and $158,034.84 per year, depending on how many views they receive, their audience, and their niche.
Here you can see the full breakdown:
| Channel | Views | Annual Earnings | Subscribers | Niche |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N Bundy Electrical | 14,823,065 | $35,768.73 | 80,000 | Electrical |
| Jimmy Tries World | 9,800,508 | $47,004.48 | 100,000 | Tech |
| Charlie Chang | 15,600,000 | $158,034.84 | 100,000 | Finance |
| Bruce Wang | 2,960,244 | $51,242.76 | 100,000 | Finance |
| Kofuzi | 7,481,357 | $34,488.77 | 120,000 | Shoes |
| Rachel Gulotta Fitness | 9,750,276 | $43,709.82 | 140,000 | Fitness |
Note: These figures are just from YouTube ads and don’t include other monetization methods like brand deals, affiliate marketing, etc.
How Much Do YouTube Channels With 200k-500k Subscribers Make?
As shown in the table below, YouTube pays channels with between 200k and 500k subscribers between $32,999.38 and $116,722.85 per year, depending on how many views they receive, their audience, and their niche.
Here you can see the full breakdown:
| Channel | Views | Annual Earnings | Subscribers | Niche |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jessica Stansberry | 2,757,313 | $84,511.87 | 190,000 | Finance |
| Ben Hedges | 6,022,142 | $80,446.97 | 200,000 | Finance |
| Daniel Inskeep | 8,588,164 | $116,722.85 | 200,000 | Finance |
| Dan Becker | 14,354,417 | $95,026.24 | 250,000 | Outdoors |
| Oliur / UltraLinx | 9,526,418 | $32,999.38 | 260,000 | Tech |
| Fisayo Fosudo | 6,800,000 | $65,914.42 | 430,000 | Tech/Finance |
| Cathrin Manning | 4,234,500 | $64,464.08 | 480,000 | Education |
Note: These figures are just from YouTube ads and don’t include other monetization methods like brand deals, affiliate marketing, etc.
How Much Do YouTube Channels With Over 1 Million Subscribers Make?
As shown in the table below, YouTube pays channels with over 1 million subscribers between $6,862.32 and $2,035,510.70 per year, depending on how many views they receive, their audience, and their niche.
Here you can see the full breakdown:
| Channel | Views | Annual Earnings | Subscribers | Niche |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aryy | 23,100,000 | $6,862.32 | 1 Million | Music Covers |
| Mango Street | 3,239,047 | $13,715.13 | 1 Million | Photography |
| Matti Haapoja | 24,960,000 | $121,884.12 | 1 Million | Tech |
| Stephanie Lange | 26,773,985 | $161,730.57 | 1.7 Million | Makeup |
| Shelby Church | 15,100,000 | $145,631.00 | 1.7 Million | Finance |
| MattDoesFitness | 45,127,417 | $250,482.14 | 2.11 Million | Fitness |
| Graham Stephan | 109,100,000 | $2,035,510.70 | 3.6 Million | Finance |
Note: These figures are just from YouTube ads and don’t include other monetization methods like brand deals, affiliate marketing, etc.
How Much Do YouTubers Make Per Year?
YouTube channels can earn through more ways than just ads appearing on their videos. Depending on their audience and how they monetize their channels, YouTubers can make anywhere from a couple of dollars per year to millions.
You may have come across articles on how much some of the largest YouTubers make, like Jeffree Star, PewDiePie, David Dobrik, etc.
These articles are estimates, but below you can see a real-life breakdown of channels of different sizes and how much they have generated through their various income streams branching off of their YouTube channels.
- Cathrin Manning: $301,275.78 – 480,000 Subscribers
- Roberto Blake: $200,000.00 – 500,000 Subscribers
- Feisworld Media: $78,933.00 – 21,000 Subscribers
- Shop Nation: $210,549.00 – 171,000 Subscribers
- Vanessa Lau: $2,818,439.02 – 450,000 Subscribers
Most of these creators are in the creator economy space (apart from Shop Nation), which is a high RPM niche and also has many lucrative additional methods of monetization.
The income streams these YouTubers use include:
- YouTube Ads
- Selling merchandise
- Brand sponsorship deals
- Affiliate marketing on YouTube
- Their own digital products and courses
- Physical products
- Services like coaching and consulting
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there is a large discrepancy between how much you can earn on YouTube. Some channels only earn a dollar per 1,000 views, while others can earn over $30 per 1,000 views.
The subscriber count doesn’t play too much of a role; it all depends on the audience, content, and the number of views a channel gets. Naturally, if a channel gets many views over time, its subscriber count will also grow, but that doesn’t affect the RPMs of that channel.
70,000 views is how many views on YouTube you need to make money, or atleast, to get your first YouTube Adsense paycheck. To start making money on YouTube, you must first get accepted into the YouTube Partner Program.
Find out how much money you can make once you’re in with my YouTube money calculator; just put in how many views you hope to receive and some basic audience demographics, and pick your niche.
Alternatively, you can start earning immediately by monetizing through affiliate marketing, sponsored videos, or selling your own products and services.
FAQs
How Much Does YouTube Pay For 10k Views?
For a monetized channel, YouTube will pay between $20 and $130 for 10k views (generally speaking, as $2-13 is the average RPM range for most channels). For example, Josh Winiarski’s video, with 9,641 views, earned him $43.05.
How Much Do YouTube Kids Channels Earn?
YouTube Kids channels have fairly low RPMs compared to other channels and generally see RPMs between $0.50 and $4. For example, a YouTube kids channel managed by “Filming With Me” earned her $636.17 from 885,167 views (an RPM of only $0.72).
How Does YouTube Send You Money?
YouTube sends your earnings to your bank account via wire transfer once it has reached the $100 minimum threshold. Payments occur on the 20th of the following month, and if you haven’t reached the minimum threshold, it will be accumulated and added to the following month.
Can You Get YouTube Adsense Payments To Your PayPal?
No, YouTube does not accept PayPal as a payment method. You will need to connect your bank account to receive a wire transfer.
Do YouTubers Get Paid If You Skip Ads?
No, if you skip an ad before 30 seconds, or if you skip an ad that is less than 30 seconds, then the YouTuber doesn’t earn anything from that ad (and the advertiser doesn’t pay). YouTubers also don’t get paid if viewers use an ad-blocker. If the ad doesn’t play, then the YouTuber doesn’t earn any advertising income from the view. Some ads, like bumper ads, are very short at around 6 seconds; these cannot be skipped (unless using an ad-blocker); in this case, your favorite creators will earn from that ad view. If you want to support your favorite YouTubers, the best thing you can do for free is to like, comment, and share their videos and to let the ads on their videos run for at least 30 seconds.
How Many Subscribers Do You Need On Youtube To Start Getting Paid?
You need 1,000 subscribers to be eligible for the YouTube partner program and start running ads on your channel. Still, you can monetize your channel through other methods immediately with no subscribers at all. These methods include affiliate marketing, sponsorships, selling your own products and services, crowdsourcing, etc.