Monetization requirements 2026 for every major platform
Before any view can earn money, your account has to qualify for the platform’s creator program. Here are the current entry requirements and revenue splits for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitch, and X, with a link to each official page.
YouTube ad revenue needs 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 public watch hours in 12 months or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days. TikTok needs 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in 30 days. Instagram Gifts needs 500 followers and Subscriptions 10,000. Twitch Affiliate needs 25 followers. X needs 500 verified followers and 500,000 verified impressions in 90 days.
Check your own numbers with the monetization eligibility checker: enter your subscribers, followers, or views to see exactly how much is left for each tier.
Quick comparison
| Platform | Followers | Activity threshold | Creator share |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube (ads) | 1,000 subscribers | 4,000 watch hours / 12 mo or 10M Shorts views / 90 days | 55% long-form, 45% Shorts |
| YouTube (fan funding) | 500 subscribers | 3,000 watch hours or 3M Shorts views, plus 3 uploads / 90 days | 70% |
| TikTok | 10,000 followers | 100,000 views / 30 days | Not published |
| Instagram Gifts | 500 followers | None published | Not published |
| Instagram Subscriptions | 10,000 followers | None published | Not published |
| None published | Invite only | Not published | |
| Twitch Affiliate | 25 followers | 4 hours on 4 days, with 4 days averaging 3+ viewers / 30 days | 50% subs (up to 70% with Plus) |
| X | 500 verified followers | 500,000 verified impressions / 90 days | Not published |
YouTube monetization requirements (Partner Program)
YouTube has two tiers. The first unlocks fan payments; the second adds a share of ad revenue.
Tier 1: fan funding and Shopping
- 500 subscribers
- 3 public uploads in the last 90 days
- Either 3,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months, or 3 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days
- Unlocks channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, Super Thanks, and YouTube Shopping
Tier 2: ad revenue
- 1,000 subscribers
- Either 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months, or 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days
- Live in an eligible country, have no active Community Guidelines strikes, turn on 2-Step Verification, have advanced features access, and link an AdSense account
How much creators keep
- Long-form videos: 55% of net ad revenue from ads shown on your videos
- Shorts: 45% of the Shorts revenue allocated to you, based on your share of engaged views
- Memberships, Super Chat, Super Thanks: 70%
YouTube can turn off monetization on channels that have not uploaded or posted to the Posts tab for six months. Watch-hour and Shorts-view counts only include public content; private, unlisted, and deleted videos do not count. Watch time from Shorts in the Shorts feed does not count toward watch hours either; Shorts have their own views route. After you apply, YouTube’s reviewers usually reach a decision in about a month.
Shorts change from 1 February 2027
Joining is not the last check for Shorts. From 1 February 2027, a channel needs at least 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days to earn a share of Shorts ad revenue and YouTube Premium revenue for a given month. YouTube measures the 90 days ending on the 15th of the previous month, so a channel can be in the Partner Program and still earn nothing from Shorts in a month when it falls short. Long-form ad revenue is not affected by this rule.
How many views do you need?
YouTube counts watch time for long-form videos, not views. Watch time is views multiplied by average view duration, so the views you need depend on how long people watch. This table divides each watch-hour threshold by the average view duration shown in YouTube Studio.
| Average view duration | 3,000 hours (fan funding) | 4,000 hours (ad revenue) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 minutes | 90,000 views | 120,000 views |
| 4 minutes | 45,000 views | 60,000 views |
| 6 minutes | 30,000 views | 40,000 views |
| 8 minutes | 22,500 views | 30,000 views |
| 10 minutes | 18,000 views | 24,000 views |
On the Shorts route, 10,000,000 views in 90 days takes an average of 111,112 Shorts views a day, and the 3,000,000-view fan-funding route 33,334 a day. Because both windows roll, views from older days drop off as new ones are added.
RPM: what you earn after you qualify
Once you are in the Partner Program, YouTube Studio shows your RPM, the amount you earn per 1,000 views after YouTube’s share, under Analytics → Revenue. RPM varies widely with audience country, topic, and format. Until you have your own, our planning model uses $1.20–$5.50 per 1,000 long-form views and $0.015–$0.09 per 1,000 Shorts views before adjusting for audience location. Those are planning assumptions, not rates YouTube publishes, and your real RPM can fall outside them.
Official sources: YPP overview and eligibility, expanded YPP, revenue shares, Shorts revenue sharing.
Estimate YouTube ad earnings · Find your YouTube RPM · What 1 million views pays
TikTok monetization requirements (Creator Rewards)
- Be at least 18 (19 in South Korea)
- At least 10,000 followers
- At least 100,000 video views in the last 30 days
- A personal account in good standing; business, government, and political accounts are excluded
- Live in a country where the program runs. The list changes, so check the eligibility page in the TikTok app.
What gets paid
Only original videos longer than one minute earn rewards, and only on “qualified” views, mostly from the For You feed, after the video crosses a minimum number of views. Duets, stitches, reposts, ads, and unoriginal clips do not qualify. TikTok does not publish a fixed rate per 1,000 views; it depends on originality, watch time, search value, and audience engagement.
Official source: TikTok Creator Academy: Creator Rewards eligibility.
Estimate TikTok Creator Rewards · TikTok views needed for $100
Instagram monetization requirements
Instagram does not pay a general per-view rate. Creators earn through these tools, which appear in the Professional dashboard once an account qualifies:
- Gifts on Reels: at least 500 followers, a professional account, and a payout account set up
- Subscriptions: at least 10,000 followers, a professional account, age 18 or older, and a supported country; accounts focused on children are excluded
- Bonuses: invite-only and offered in limited regions; they come and go
All three require following Meta’s Partner Monetization Policies and Content Monetization Policies. For most creators, sponsorships and affiliate links earn more than these built-in tools.
Official sources: Gifts, Subscriptions, Bonuses.
Facebook monetization requirements
Meta merged its older video programs into a single Facebook Content Monetization program that pays for reels, longer videos, photos, text posts, and stories.
- Currently invite-only; you can register interest under Professional dashboard → Monetization → Content Monetization
- Ads must be enabled on your content, and payout enrollment has to be completed within six months of accepting the terms
- Static videos, such as a single still image with little or no motion, cannot be monetized
- No public follower minimum is published
Official sources: Facebook Content Monetization, program terms.
Twitch Affiliate and Partner requirements
Affiliate (all within the same 30 days)
These replace Twitch’s long-standing 50-follower, 500-minute, 7-day rule, so many older guides are out of date.
- At least 25 followers
- At least 4 hours streamed
- Streams on at least 4 different days
- 4 stream days that each averaged 3 or more concurrent viewers; days below 3 do not count against you
- Two-factor authentication turned on; streamers aged 13 to 17 need a parent’s or guardian’s consent
Twitch usually sends the invite within 24 to 48 hours of meeting all four, and progress appears under Achievements in the Creator Dashboard.
Partner
Partner is an application, not an automatic unlock. Complete the Path to Partner achievement, then have at least 6 streams averaging 75 or more viewers in each of the two 30-day periods before you apply. Viewers from front-page promotions and embeds do not count, and Twitch reviews each channel, including its suspension history.
How much streamers keep
- Subscriptions: the standard split is 50/50
- Plus Program: 60/40 after three consecutive months at 100+ Plus Points, and 70/30 at 300+ points
- Bits: one cent per Bit cheered
Official sources: Affiliate program, Partner program, Plus Program.
X (Twitter) monetization requirements
X ended Creator Revenue Sharing on 7 September 2026 and opened applications for Original Content Rewards the next day. Former members have to apply again.
- Be 18 or older and live in a country where the program is available
- An active Premium, Premium+, or Premium Business subscription
- At least 500 verified followers
- At least 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users in the last 90 days (replies do not count)
- Post original content regularly; political and government accounts are excluded
Payouts are based on “qualified impressions”, which are views from Premium users in the Home Timeline. They are paid every two weeks once you reach $30. X does not publish a rate per impression, which is why our X calculator asks you to enter your own.
Official source: X Help Center: Original Content Rewards.
Paid subscriptions and exclusive content
Subscriptions let fans pay monthly for exclusive content such as members-only videos, badges, emotes, or posts. They often unlock before ad revenue and do not depend on advertiser rates, which makes them one of the earliest ways a smaller creator can earn on-platform.
| Platform | Feature | Who can turn it on | Creator share |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | Channel memberships | Fan-funding tier: 500 subscribers, 3 uploads in 90 days, and 3,000 watch hours or 3M Shorts views | 70% |
| Twitch | Channel subscriptions | Affiliates and Partners | 50% standard, up to 70% with Plus |
| Subscriptions | 10,000 followers, professional account, 18+, supported country | Not published |
Before you price a tier, decide what subscribers get that free followers do not, and how often you can deliver it. A subscription that promises weekly exclusive posts is a production commitment, so check it against your costs with the break-even planner.
Monetization requirements FAQ
How many subscribers and views do you need to get monetized on YouTube in 2026?
For ad revenue you need 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months or 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days. A lower tier at 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in the last 90 days, and either 3,000 watch hours or 3 million Shorts views unlocks memberships, Super Chat, Super Thanks, and Shopping, but not ad revenue.
How many views is 4,000 watch hours on YouTube?
4,000 hours is 240,000 minutes of watch time. At an average view duration of 4 minutes that is about 60,000 long-form views; at 8 minutes it is about 30,000. The longer people watch each video, the fewer views you need.
Do YouTube Shorts views count toward the 4,000 watch hours?
No. Watch time from Shorts in the Shorts feed does not count toward the 4,000 public watch hours. Shorts have their own route instead: 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days, with 1,000 subscribers.
Is YouTube changing Shorts monetization in 2027?
Yes. From 1 February 2027, a channel needs at least 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days to earn a share of Shorts ad revenue and YouTube Premium revenue for a given month. The check repeats every month, so a Partner Program channel can earn nothing from Shorts in a month when it falls short. Long-form ad revenue is not affected.
How many followers do you need to get paid on TikTok?
TikTok Creator Rewards needs 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views in the last 30 days, from a personal account of someone 18 or older in a country where the program runs. Only original videos longer than one minute earn rewards.
How many followers do you need to make money on Instagram?
It depends on the tool. Gifts on Reels needs 500 followers and a professional account. Subscriptions need 10,000 followers, a professional account, and age 18 or older in a supported country. Bonuses are invite-only. Most Instagram creators earn more from sponsorships than from these built-in tools.
What are the Twitch Affiliate requirements in 2026?
Within the same 30 days you need 25 followers, 4 hours streamed, streams on 4 different days, and 4 stream days that each averaged 3 or more concurrent viewers, with two-factor authentication turned on. These replace the older 50-follower, 500-minute, 7-day rule. Affiliates can earn from subscriptions, Bits, and ads.
How do you get monetized on X (Twitter) in 2026?
Apply for Original Content Rewards, which replaced Creator Revenue Sharing in September 2026. You need an active Premium subscription, 500 verified followers, and 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users in the last 90 days. Payouts are made once you reach $30.
Does meeting the requirements guarantee monetization?
No. Meeting the numbers lets you apply. YouTube reviews each channel against its policies, usually within about a month, Twitch Partner and Facebook Content Monetization are by application or invitation, and every platform can remove monetization for policy violations or inactivity.
What is RPM, and how much can you earn once monetized?
RPM is what you earn per 1,000 views after the platform takes its share. YouTube shows it in YouTube Studio under Analytics, then Revenue, once you are in the Partner Program. Until you have your own RPM, our planning model uses $1.20 to $5.50 per 1,000 long-form views and $0.015 to $0.09 per 1,000 Shorts views before adjusting for audience location. These are planning assumptions, not rates YouTube publishes.
What to do once you qualify
Meeting the threshold is the start, not the finish line. On every platform, the money you earn from ads or rewards depends on who watches (advertisers pay more for viewers in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia), what you make (finance and tech pay more than gaming or comedy), and the format (long videos earn far more per view than short ones). Use the multi-platform calculator to compare scenarios, and check the top YouTube channels this month to see what large channels are doing.
Programs change often. We re-check these requirements regularly and update the date at the top of this page. If you spot something out of date, let us know.