IncomeWikiRevision 1
YouTube
@namkyu · Aug 21, 2026, 10:10 AM
Added YouTube monetization, requirements, costs, equipment, and key platform rules.A YouTube channel can earn through advertising, YouTube Premium, memberships, viewer payments, Shopping, sponsorships, affiliate links, and products or services.
Item | Details |
|---|---|
Main revenue | Ads, Premium, memberships, sponsorships, affiliate/products |
Current ad-revenue threshold | 1,000 subscribers + 4,000 qualified watch hours in 12 months OR 10M qualified Shorts views in 90 days |
Watch-page ad share | Creator receives 55% of net revenue |
Shorts ad share | Creator receives 45% of allocated Creator Pool revenue |
Memberships / Supers share | Creator receives 70% of net revenue |
Major required equipment | A device capable of recording video; dedicated camera is not required |
Editing | Free and paid options available |
YouTube has announced higher advertising/Premium entry thresholds for February 1, 2027: 1,000 subscribers plus 8,000 qualified watch hours in 365 days or 20M qualified Shorts views in 90 days.
A dedicated camera is not necessary to start. Beginner equipment guides commonly recommend starting with a recent smartphone before buying a separate camera.
Requirement | Minimum option | Cost | Priority | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Camera | Existing smartphone | $0 additional | Essential | Dedicated camera not required |
Editing | DaVinci Resolve | Free | Essential | Full desktop editor |
Thumbnail/design | Canva Free | Free | Recommended | Useful for thumbnails |
Microphone | Built-in phone microphone | $0 additional | Optional | Upgrade when audio quality becomes limiting |
Lighting | Available natural light | $0 additional | Optional | Dedicated lighting can be added later |
For someone who already owns a compatible smartphone and computer, the basic recording and editing workflow can therefore begin without purchasing a dedicated camera.
Advertising: YouTube shares advertising revenue with eligible YPP creators. Watch-page ads pay creators 55% of net advertising revenue.
Shorts: Shorts Feed advertising uses the Creator Pool system. Creators receive 45% of the revenue allocated to them.
Memberships and viewer payments: Channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks pay creators 70% of net revenue under YouTube's Commerce Product Module.
Channels can also earn outside YouTube's standard revenue-sharing system through sponsorships, affiliate links, merchandise, services, courses, software and other products.
Do not buy a dedicated camera simply because you are starting a YouTube channel. Smartphone-based setups are widely used as beginner configurations, while dedicated cameras are upgrades for workflows that benefit from better optics, interchangeable lenses or more production control.
Typical purchase order:
Priority | Equipment | When to buy |
|---|---|---|
Essential | Existing smartphone/camera | Start here |
Recommended | Tripod | When filming yourself regularly |
Recommended | External microphone | When speech/audio quality matters |
Optional | Video light | When natural/room lighting is insufficient |
Upgrade | Dedicated camera | When smartphone limitations affect production |
Professional upgrade | Additional lenses/audio/lighting | For more demanding production workflows |
Tool | Type | Free option | Level | Difficulty | Main use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DaVinci Resolve | Video editing | Yes | Beginner–Professional | Moderate | Editing, audio, color |
CapCut | Video editing | Yes | Beginner | Easy | Fast editing and Shorts |
Canva | Design | Yes | Beginner | Easy | Thumbnails and graphics |
Adobe Premiere | Video editing | No | Intermediate–Professional | Moderate | Professional editing workflow |
A beginner does not need paid editing software to publish videos.
For current full advertising and YouTube Premium revenue sharing, a new creator needs:
1,000 subscribers, and
4,000 qualified public watch hours during the previous 12 months, or
10 million qualified Shorts views during the previous 90 days.
The channel must also follow YouTube monetization policies, have no active Community Guidelines strikes, use Google Account 2-Step Verification, have advanced features access, and connect an AdSense for YouTube account.
Reaching the numerical threshold does not automatically guarantee approval; YouTube reviews the channel.
In eligible regions, some monetization features become available earlier at:
500 subscribers
3 public uploads in 90 days
3,000 qualified watch hours in 365 days OR 3M qualified Shorts views in 90 days
This can provide access to eligible fan-funding and Shopping features before full advertising eligibility.
Metric | Current rule |
|---|---|
Full YPP subscribers | 1,000 |
Long-form watch threshold | 4,000 hours / 12 months |
Shorts threshold | 10M views / 90 days |
Watch-page ad creator share | 55% |
Shorts creator share | 45% of allocated revenue |
Memberships / Supers creator share | 70% of net revenue |
For new applicants from February 1, 2027:
Metric | New threshold |
|---|---|
Subscribers | 1,000 |
Qualified watch hours | 8,000 / 365 days |
Qualified Shorts views | 20M / 90 days |
Creators already in YPP are not removed simply because they do not meet these new entry thresholds.
Platform dependency: Monetization depends on YouTube's eligibility and content policies.
Copyright: Music, footage and other copyrighted material can trigger claims or prevent normal monetization.
Revenue is not fixed per view: YouTube does not guarantee a particular payment amount. A universal "$X per 1,000 views" should not be treated as an official payout rate.
Equipment overspending: A dedicated camera, expensive lighting and professional editing software are not prerequisites for starting. Upgrade when the existing setup creates an identifiable limitation.
YouTube Help — YouTube Partner Program overview & eligibility
Current YPP requirements and application rules.
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72851
YouTube Help — YouTube partner earnings overview
Official revenue shares for advertising, Shorts and fan funding.
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72902
YouTube Help — Changes to the YouTube Partner Program
February 2027 YPP threshold changes.
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12843009
Canonical Markdown
# YouTube Channel A YouTube channel can earn through advertising, YouTube Premium, memberships, viewer payments, Shopping, sponsorships, affiliate links, and products or services. ## Quick Facts | Item | Details || ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- || Main revenue | Ads, Premium, memberships, sponsorships, affiliate/products || Current ad-revenue threshold | 1,000 subscribers + 4,000 qualified watch hours in 12 months OR 10M qualified Shorts views in 90 days || Watch-page ad share | Creator receives 55% of net revenue || Shorts ad share | Creator receives 45% of allocated Creator Pool revenue || Memberships / Supers share | Creator receives 70% of net revenue || Major required equipment | A device capable of recording video; dedicated camera is not required || Editing | Free and paid options available | YouTube has announced higher advertising/Premium entry thresholds for **February 1, 2027**: 1,000 subscribers plus 8,000 qualified watch hours in 365 days or 20M qualified Shorts views in 90 days. ## Minimum Entry Setup A dedicated camera is not necessary to start. Beginner equipment guides commonly recommend starting with a recent smartphone before buying a separate camera. | Requirement | Minimum option | Cost | Priority | Notes || ---------------- | ------------------------- | -------------: | ----------- | ------------------------------------------- || Camera | Existing smartphone | $0 additional | Essential | Dedicated camera not required || Editing | DaVinci Resolve | Free | Essential | Full desktop editor || Thumbnail/design | Canva Free | Free | Recommended | Useful for thumbnails || Microphone | Built-in phone microphone | $0 additional | Optional | Upgrade when audio quality becomes limiting || Lighting | Available natural light | $0 additional | Optional | Dedicated lighting can be added later | For someone who already owns a compatible smartphone and computer, the basic recording and editing workflow can therefore begin without purchasing a dedicated camera. ## How It Makes Money **Advertising:** YouTube shares advertising revenue with eligible YPP creators. Watch-page ads pay creators **55% of net advertising revenue**. **Shorts:** Shorts Feed advertising uses the Creator Pool system. Creators receive **45% of the revenue allocated to them**. **Memberships and viewer payments:** Channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks pay creators **70% of net revenue** under YouTube's Commerce Product Module. Channels can also earn outside YouTube's standard revenue-sharing system through sponsorships, affiliate links, merchandise, services, courses, software and other products. ## Equipment Do not buy a dedicated camera simply because you are starting a YouTube channel. Smartphone-based setups are widely used as beginner configurations, while dedicated cameras are upgrades for workflows that benefit from better optics, interchangeable lenses or more production control. Typical purchase order: | Priority | Equipment | When to buy || -------------------- | -------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- || Essential | Existing smartphone/camera | Start here || Recommended | Tripod | When filming yourself regularly || Recommended | External microphone | When speech/audio quality matters || Optional | Video light | When natural/room lighting is insufficient || Upgrade | Dedicated camera | When smartphone limitations affect production || Professional upgrade | Additional lenses/audio/lighting | For more demanding production workflows | ## Software & Tools | Tool | Type | Free option | Level | Difficulty | Main use || --------------- | ------------- | ----------- | ------------------------- | ---------- | ----------------------------- || DaVinci Resolve | Video editing | Yes | Beginner–Professional | Moderate | Editing, audio, color || CapCut | Video editing | Yes | Beginner | Easy | Fast editing and Shorts || Canva | Design | Yes | Beginner | Easy | Thumbnails and graphics || Adobe Premiere | Video editing | No | Intermediate–Professional | Moderate | Professional editing workflow | A beginner does not need paid editing software to publish videos. ## Requirements For current full advertising and YouTube Premium revenue sharing, a new creator needs: - **1,000 subscribers**, and- **4,000 qualified public watch hours during the previous 12 months**, or- **10 million qualified Shorts views during the previous 90 days**. The channel must also follow YouTube monetization policies, have no active Community Guidelines strikes, use Google Account 2-Step Verification, have advanced features access, and connect an AdSense for YouTube account. Reaching the numerical threshold does not automatically guarantee approval; YouTube reviews the channel. ### Earlier YPP Access In eligible regions, some monetization features become available earlier at: - **500 subscribers**- **3 public uploads in 90 days**- **3,000 qualified watch hours in 365 days OR 3M qualified Shorts views in 90 days** This can provide access to eligible fan-funding and Shopping features before full advertising eligibility. ## Key Numbers | Metric | Current rule || ---------------------------------- | ------------------------: || Full YPP subscribers | 1,000 || Long-form watch threshold | 4,000 hours / 12 months || Shorts threshold | 10M views / 90 days || Watch-page ad creator share | 55% || Shorts creator share | 45% of allocated revenue || Memberships / Supers creator share | 70% of net revenue | ### February 2027 Change For new applicants from **February 1, 2027**: | Metric | New threshold || ---------------------- | ----------------: || Subscribers | 1,000 || Qualified watch hours | 8,000 / 365 days || Qualified Shorts views | 20M / 90 days | Creators already in YPP are not removed simply because they do not meet these new entry thresholds. ## Risks / Things to Know **Platform dependency:** Monetization depends on YouTube's eligibility and content policies. **Copyright:** Music, footage and other copyrighted material can trigger claims or prevent normal monetization. **Revenue is not fixed per view:** YouTube does not guarantee a particular payment amount. A universal "$X per 1,000 views" should not be treated as an official payout rate. **Equipment overspending:** A dedicated camera, expensive lighting and professional editing software are not prerequisites for starting. Upgrade when the existing setup creates an identifiable limitation. ## Sources **YouTube Help — YouTube Partner Program overview & eligibility** Current YPP requirements and application rules. [https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72851](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72851) **YouTube Help — YouTube partner earnings overview** Official revenue shares for advertising, Shorts and fan funding. [https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72902](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72902) **YouTube Help — Changes to the YouTube Partner Program** February 2027 YPP threshold changes. [https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12843009](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12843009)