Unveiling creators' income on YouTube in 2025

How much money does a YouTuber actually earn? This question doesn’t have a single answer — it all depends on the size of the subscriber base, the content segment explored, the quality of audience engagement, the geographic location of viewers, and, most importantly, how many different revenue sources the creator can activate on the platform.

Earnings structure by segment

Revenue fluctuates quite a bit, but it is possible to map realistic earning ranges:

Early-stage creators (up to 10,000 followers)
Typically earn between R$ 100 and R$ 500 monthly, primarily through AdSense. However, they supplement this income by leveraging affiliate programs, selling their own products, or small commercial deals.

Growing creators (50,000 to 500,000 followers)
Earn in the range of R$ 2,000 to R$ 5,000 per month, using AdSense, SuperChat, Channel Memberships, and paid partnerships simultaneously.

Established creators (over 1 million followers)
Generate over R$ 20,000 monthly, often exceeding R$ 100,000 when integrating advertising contracts and sponsored productions.

Top creators (tens of millions of followers)
Earn between R$ 200,000 and R$ 3 million per month, varying according to market segment and active campaign volume.

How much does a YouTuber earn per month — beginners vs. established

The beginner: someone with fewer than 10,000 followers typically earns up to R$ 500 monthly at the initial stage, building revenue through:

• Ad revenue (AdSense)
• Affiliate commissions
• Paid product recommendations
• Live stream donations (SuperChat)
• First sponsored campaigns

It’s important to note that AdSense alone offers limited returns at the start. The income jump occurs as audience engagement increases, not just by the number of subscribers.

The established: top Brazilian creators show significant earning figures.

How many reais per view?

Global average values (subject to significant variations):

• Each view: approximately US$ 0.018
• Per thousand impressions (CPM): US$ 0.25 to US$ 4.50
• At 20,000 views: US$ 36 to US$ 60

Prerequisites and necessary equipment

Minimum infrastructure:

• Good resolution camera (smartphone works at the start)
• Professional audio with dedicated microphone
• Editing tools (Premiere, Vegas, CapCut, DaVinci)
• Appropriate lighting sources
• Content planning + visually appealing thumbnails

Platform requirements:

• Active Google account
• Created YouTube channel
• Original and unpublished material
• Consistent publishing schedule

Ways to monetize content on YouTube

The platform offers multiple revenue options — creators who combine various sources significantly multiply their earnings.

Ad monetization (Google AdSense)
The most traditional revenue generation option. Payment is determined by:

• CPC (cost per click)
• CPM (cost per thousand impressions)
• RPM (real revenue per thousand views)

In the default setup, the creator keeps 55% of the ad revenue.

Integrated YouTube store
After enabling the feature, the creator can sell:

• Tangible products
• Digital content
• Branded merchandise

Mandatory criteria:

• Minimum 500 subscribers
• Participation in the Partner Program
• Not a children’s or restricted channel

Affiliate model
One of the most profitable strategies for emerging channels. Commissions can reach up to 80% depending on the product.

Special features during live streams
Viewers can make payments to highlight their messages, generating direct revenue.

Channel Membership system (Clube de Canais)
Plans range from R$ 1.99 to R$ 2,699.99, with the creator receiving 70%.

Direct contributions
Followers make donations in regular videos or Shorts.

YouTube Premium revenue share
A portion of monthly subscriptions is redistributed among creators.

When does revenue generation start?

Access to monetization requires meeting the criteria of the Partner Program:

• Age of majority (18+)
• 1,000 subscribers
• 4,000 hours of watch time in long videos OR 10 million views in Shorts
• Channel free of regulatory issues

Payments are released when a balance of US$ 100 or more is accumulated.

Turning audience into sustainable revenue

Producing profitable content on YouTube requires more than just uploading regularly. It’s essential to adopt a professional creator mindset: manage a strict editorial calendar, maintain high technical quality, and fully explore all available monetization options.

For those starting out, the initial earnings are less important than the growth trajectory. With persistence and the right strategy, it’s entirely feasible to expand a small initial project into a robust revenue stream — potentially reaching millionaire levels.