It’s tempting to dream of YouTube stardom when you see creators like PewDiePie, Markiplier, and Like Nastya raking in millions each year. With YouTube generating over $28 billion in ad revenue last year, it’s understandable why so many aspire to have their own channel.
If you enjoy being on camera, possess a unique talent (like juggling flaming torches), or simply want to share your daily life, you’ve probably wondered: “How Much Money Does Youtube Pay For 1 Million Views?”
This article reveals the REAL earnings on YouTube. We’ve gathered data from Google, public creator statements, and insights from a newly monetized creator who shared their actual figures (with screenshot proof!).
We’ll uncover surprising facts about YouTube monetization!
Here’s what you’ll discover:
- Potential YouTube earnings and key metrics.
- How YouTube compensates creators and factors affecting ad revenue.
- Strategies for earning money on YouTube and diversifying your income.
- Tips for creating successful YouTube videos.
Prepare for a data-rich exploration! By the end, you’ll have a deeper understanding of YouTube monetization than most.
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Does YouTube Pay Per View?
Essentially, YouTube pays approximately $2.95 per 1,000 views, which translates to about $2,950 per million views.
This average is based on aggregated AdSense data across various niches and regions, aligning closely with the real-world numbers from creators.
How much does YouTube pay per 1,000 views?
- Average of $2.95 per 1,000 views
How much does YouTube pay per view?
- Average of $0.00295 per view
How much does YouTube pay per million views?
- $2,950 based on this metric. However, several variables can influence this figure, as we’ll discuss below.
While some sources suggest earnings as high as $0.01 to $0.03 per view, our data indicates these figures are somewhat inflated. Keep in mind that not every view is counted as an ad view. The average rates don’t generally support those higher numbers.
However, significant discrepancies exist. Some YouTubers report earning as little as $0.10 per 1,000 views, while others can earn up to $20 per 1,000 views.
- Tatyana Savage, a new creator, reports earnings of around $2.80 per 1,000 views on a popular video.
- Kevin – Financial Tutor earns $16.23 per 1,000 views in the finance niche.
Real-world examples of YouTube creator earnings:
- Nano-influencer Jen Lauren, with 10,000 subscribers, vlogs about travel, NYC life, and wellness, and earned $213 in one month.
- ASMR creator Sarah Lavender, with over 300,000 subscribers, earns $1,000 to $6,000 per month.
- MrBeast, the most popular YouTuber, earns between $3 to $5 million monthly from ads and sponsorships.
Alt: MrBeast, the most popular YouTuber, smiling and gesturing towards the camera in a promotional image.
Video Views vs. Ad Views
Video views
Video views represent the total number of times your video has been watched. YouTube counts repeat views from the same user towards the total, provided they appear natural. Attempts to artificially inflate view counts through constant refreshing or bots will be detected and discounted.
Ad views
Ad views represent the number of times ads are shown to viewers of your video. Crucially, you won’t be paid if your video has no advertising, regardless of the total video views.
Generating revenue from your YouTube channel requires setup!
Key YouTube Metrics (and How to Calculate Them)
| What It Is | Acronym | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per mille | CPM | CPM = (Total Ad Revenue / Number of Ad Impressions) × 1,000 |
| Revenue per mille | RPM | RPM = (Total Revenue Earned / Number of Video Views) × 1,000 |
Factors Impacting Ad Revenue: 10 Key Considerations
YouTube monetization is complex, but here’s what creators should know about potential earnings. Remember, these are estimates. Many variables exist for each creator, including off-YouTube income sources.
“There are no guarantees under the YouTube partner agreement about how much or whether you’ll be paid. Earnings are generated based on a share of advertising revenue from viewers watching your video.” – YouTube.
YouTuber earnings depend on various factors:
1. Location & Niche
Ad payout rates vary globally. Niche significantly impacts payouts. Here are RPM estimates based on location and niche.
RPM Estimates by Niche/Geography
These estimates are based on Google’s AdSense calculator and creator data.
| Americas | Asia & Pacific | Europe, Mid. East, Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Arts & Entertainment | $1.50 | $1.82 |
| Beauty & Fitness | $2.58 | $2.17 |
| Finance | $3.37 | $5.34 |
| Electronics | $4.38 | $4.08 |
| Hobbies & Leisure | $2.72 | $2.38 |
| Shopping | $2.84 | $2.65 |
2. RPM Shift
RPM fluctuates throughout the year due to seasonality. Advertising demand changes over time.
For example, the holidays may be more popular than the summer, or fitness ads might be in higher demand in January than September.
3. Ad Blockers
Ad blockers reduce revenue and affect analytics. View counts may increase, but ad revenue decreases.
This makes it difficult to determine real RPM.
4. YouTube Premium
YouTube Premium is an ad-free subscription service. A portion of subscription revenue pays creators based on watch time.
You will earn a percentage of the YouTube Premium pool based on watch time.
5. Watch-Through Rate
Not every view counts.
Viewers must watch the entire ad for 11-30 second ads. Otherwise, viewers must watch at least 30 seconds for the view to count. User clicks on the ad also count as engagement.
6. Video Length
Longer videos offer more opportunities to generate ad revenue.
Enable mid-roll ads for longer videos (over 8 minutes). Place them manually or let YouTube automatically place them.
Here’s a standard mid-roll ad setup:
- 8-minute video: 1 mid-roll ad
- 15-minute video: 2-3 mid-roll ads
- 30+ minute video: multiple mid-roll ads
Mid-roll ads can impact watch-through rate and annoy viewers, so balance ads with your goals.
7. Video Quality
Video quality affects ad revenue. Advertisers prefer high-quality videos with:
- 4K or HD resolution
- Quality sound
- Smooth camera work/editing
Higher quality videos attract more advertisers, meaning higher CPM and more revenue.
8. Ad Type
Ad revenue varies by ad type, outlined by Google here. More lucrative ads can be more annoying for viewers.
| Revenue Impact | Key Features | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Non-skippable | High – Highest CPM, guaranteed views, limited placement opportunities | Cannot be skipped, full message delivery |
| Bumper | Medium-High – Good CPM, high completion rates | Brief, unskippable ads |
| Skippable | Medium – Payment only for 30+ second views, high volume compensates for skips | Viewers can skip after 5 seconds |
| In-feed | Low-Medium – Lower impression rate, higher intent viewers | Appears in search results, recommended videos |
| YouTube Shorts | Low (but growing) – Newer monetization system still developing | Vertical format for mobile |
9. Subscribers
Subscribers don’t directly generate ad revenue.
However, a loyal subscriber base ensures video views! Monetize your subscriber base with memberships, Super Chats, Super Thanks, and more.
10. Engagement Rate
Engagement rate influences ad revenue. Engagement rate is how much people interact with videos. For example, if 10,000 people watch a video with 350 likes, 100 comments, and 40 shares, the engagement rate is 4.9% ( (350 + 100 + 40)/10,000 x 100 = 4.9%).
High engagement rates suggest viewers are interested in the content and willing to watch ads.
Revealing a Real Creator’s Earnings
Alt: Screenshot of a YouTube creator’s February earnings dashboard, showing revenue from ads, YouTube Premium, and other sources.
A new YouTube creator shared their earnings. January was a successful month with several mini-viral videos, helping them qualify for monetization.
The creator’s largest market is the U.S., and their niche is Education.
February was the first fully monetized month with fewer views.
- This creator earned about $2.89 per 1,000 views from ads and YouTube Premium.
- Total revenue was about $3.19 per 1,000 views with all revenue streams.
We’ll use this case study to break down YouTube earnings!
“In my first full month after getting monetized, my earnings were about $2.89 per 1,000 views. But I made a total of $158.58 from all revenue streams—with 49.7k views.”
1. Total CPM
Alt: Screenshot of a YouTube analytics dashboard, highlighting the CPM (Cost Per Mille) metric.
YouTube displays the CPM on your earnings dashboard. However, this is NOT what you get paid. This is what YouTube charges advertisers (cost-per-mille = CPM). Your revenue is the revenue-per-mille = RPM.
YouTube pays out 55% of its CPM to creators. RPM is 55% of CPM.
CPM is an average for the channel. Different videos have different advertising values, as shown in this creator’s top videos.
Alt: Blurred screenshot of a YouTube analytics page displaying the RPM (Revenue Per Mille) for various videos on a channel.
But it’s more complicated than this…
2. Ads and YouTube Premium
The creator earned $143.83 from Watch Ads and YouTube Premium, totaling $2.89/1,000 views.
Alt: Screenshot of a YouTube analytics page showing the revenue breakdown for a creator’s channel in February, including earnings from Watch Page Ads and YouTube Premium.
Creators primarily earn from YouTube Premium and Watch Page Ads.
This means:
- Earnings from ad views alone were $2.20 per 1,000 views.
- Factoring in YouTube Premium, earnings were $2.89 per 1,000 views.
Does YouTube pay per view?
YouTube pays per ad view, not per video view.
YouTubers are paid per ad view on their channels.
Many views don’t qualify as ad views (viewers must watch an 11-30 second ad fully or 30 seconds of a longer ad).
Since 61% of creators are paid through advertising revenue share, understand that some views won’t count.
For this creator, YouTube charges advertisers $7.01. Subtracting 45% leaves $3.85, the RPM, right? Wrong! Because not every view is monetized! The creator’s actual RPM was $2.89.
Here’s the math: $2.89 (actual RPM) ÷ $3.86 (RPM if all views were monetized) = 0.749 = 74.9%
3. Supers and Memberships
The creator earned $14.00 from a $20.00 Super Thanks.
Alt: Screenshot of YouTube analytics, highlighting earnings from Super Thanks, a feature that allows viewers to tip creators.
YouTube offers modules paying partners 70% of net revenues from Memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks.
Supers
A viewer gave a $20.00 Super Thanks, with YouTube keeping 30% and the creator receiving $14.00 (a tip).
For many creators, ads are the smallest part of their earnings. Supers and Memberships are often more significant.
- Super Chat – Highlighted message during a livestream.
- Super Stickers – Animated sticker highlighted during a livestream.
- Super Thanks – Tip feature on any video.
These features help creators earn more, even without a large audience.
Super Chat and Super Stickers work during livestreams, helping viewers get questions and comments seen.
Alt: A screenshot demonstrating the appearance of Super Chat and Super Stickers during a YouTube livestream, highlighting viewer engagement.
Here’s what the creator said about supers:
“I’ve been meeting other YouTubers who earn anywhere from $100-$500 per live stream on Super Chats and Super Stickers! I’m going to try this more.”
Channel Memberships
Alt: Screenshot of a YouTube channel page displaying the “Join” button for channel memberships, allowing viewers to support the creator with recurring payments for exclusive perks.
Channel Memberships are a popular way for YouTube creators to earn money. Viewers see a “Join” button next to “Subscribe” and gain access to membership tiers with perks and stickers.
The creator is considering memberships through YouTube or an external platform.
“I haven’t set up memberships yet, but YouTube has prompted me to. I don’t like that YouTube takes 30%, so I’m looking at different membership models.”
Here’s how to set up a membership offer.
Alt: Screenshot of the YouTube Studio interface, showing the setup process for channel memberships with options to create tiers and offer exclusive perks to subscribing members.
4. Shorts
The creator earned $0.75 from shorts, but it’s not a primary focus.
Alt: Screenshot of the YouTube Shorts feed on a mobile device, displaying a series of short-form videos for quick, engaging content consumption.
Shorts are monetized through a dedicated Shorts Monetization fund based on watch time.
YouTube collects ad revenue from the Shorts feed, splits 45% for creators, and distributes it based on watch time. This creator focuses on long-form videos.
How to Make Money on YouTube
Here’s a quick overview of earning methods, both on and off YouTube. We have a whole guide to making money on YouTube.
YouTube’s monetization features:
- Watch ads
- YouTube Premium
- Shorts Ads
- Super Chats
- Super Stickers
- Super Thanks
- Channel Memberships
- Merch
Diversifying YouTube Income
Many creators don’t earn enough on YouTube to replace their day job.
Revenue can be earned from different streams related to the channel and hosted elsewhere.
On a separate platform
- Memberships & community: Charge recurring fees for a community space.
- Patreon & crowdfunding: Collect donations from supporters.
- Courses: Teach what you know in live or pre-recorded courses.
- Events: Host virtual or real-life events.
- Affiliates & Sponsorships: Share links or placements.
- Products & Services: Create and sell relevant offers.
- Brand partnerships: Create branded content or promote products.
This creator is considering building an online community on a separate platform.
Alt: A visual representation of diverse revenue streams for YouTube creators, including memberships, courses, events, and brand partnerships.
How to Get Paid for Ad Revenue on YouTube
Join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP)
Join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) to monetize your channel. The YPP verifies creators and provides access to YouTube resources.
How to join:
- Follow the YouTube monetization policies.
- Live in a country/region where the YouTube Partner Program is available.
- Follow YouTube’s Community Guidelines.
- Ensure 2-Step Verification is turned on.
- Have advanced features access on YouTube.
- Set up a Google AdSense account. Learn more here.
YPP Eligibility
Two routes to YPP eligibility:
- 1,000 subscribers with 4,000 valid public watch hours in 12 months, or
- 1,000 subscribers with 10 million valid public Shorts views in 90 days.
Alt: A graphic outlining the eligibility requirements for the YouTube Partner Program, highlighting the subscriber and watch hour/Shorts view thresholds.
YouTube continually checks YPP channels for policy compliance.
The YPP allows you to choose which content is monetized.
YouTube’s application process
Applications are manually reviewed within a month. This creator received a response within days.
If rejected, you can appeal in 21 days or re-apply after 30 days. Ensure compliance with YPP policies and community guidelines.
YouTube Revenue Share Models
Your revenue share by category affects earnings. In YouTube Studio, select modules with different revenue share rates and eligibility:
- Commerce Product Module: 70% of net revenues from channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks.
- Watch Page Monetization Module: 55% of net revenues from ads displayed or streamed on public videos.
- Shorts Monetization Module: 45% of revenue based on share of views from the Creator Pool allocation.
Consider the pros and cons of monetizing before investing time.
Pros of Ad Monetization
- It’s essentially passive income.
- Viewers are used to ads.
- Greater creative freedom compared to affiliates.
Cons of Ad Monetization
- Ads can be annoying.
- Low payout without heavy traffic.
- Requires years of effort.
How to Get Started Earning on YouTube
Plan and research before releasing videos.
1. Find Your Ideal Viewer
Identify your Ideal Viewer or Ideal Member. Focus on serving this specific person.
A clear Ideal Viewer helps you grow and monetize your audience quickly. Start with a clear niche (e.g. travel, cooking, fitness, beauty, fashion, gaming). Ask yourself:
- Who are they?
- What do they care about?
- What challenges do they face?
- What creators do they follow?
- What part of your story will they connect with most?
Try our free YouTube Channel Name Generator.
2. Create Quality Content
Engage viewers with well-shot and edited videos using a good camera, microphone, and lighting.
For example, YouTube channel LeMMiNO (David Wångstedt) creates animated videos about “space, mysteries, and whatnot.”
3. Create Consistently
Avoid creator burnout and YouTube burnout.
Diversify income and pick a sustainable posting schedule. Plan your content and create a video backlog.
Evaluate Your Metrics
Define your goal (build authority, generate revenue, create a community?).
Key metrics include subscribers, channel watch time, top videos, and traffic sources. Track ad revenue statistics after monetization.
Keep Learning and Growing
Experiment with content (shorter videos, new title sequence, background music, A/B test thumbnails).
Grow your brand by collaborating with other creators, using content creator platforms, and creating webinars.
Conclusion
Earning money from YouTube views requires strategy. The platform offers revenue streams (ads, YouTube Premium, Super Chats, memberships, sponsorships).
Diversifying beyond ads is essential for long-term income.
Consistency, quality content, and smart monetization strategies are key.
FAQs
How does YouTube’s monetization compare to other platforms like TikTok or Instagram?
We have guides to making money on TikTok and making money on Instagram.
Instagram has options like subscriptions, ads, and shopping. YouTube offers the most monetization options.
What are the tax implications of earning money on YouTube?
YouTube earnings are taxable. Check local tax rules and submit tax forms to Google Adsense.
Can YouTubers earn money from embedded videos on other websites?
Yes, you can earn ad revenue on other sites. Embeds signal video value to YouTube.
How does YouTube handle revenue sharing for collaboration videos with multiple creators?
The uploader receives the revenue. Uploading duplicate videos may incur penalties.
Are there specific industries or niches that have stricter ad restrictions on YouTube?
Yes. Stricter restrictions apply to gambling, alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs, financial services, and adult content. This may result in lower CPM rates.
What happens to YouTube earnings if a video gets age-restricted or limited ads?
Age-restricted content receives 70-90% lower ad revenue due to content that scares off advertisers.
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