It’s fun to start a new YouTube channel. But sooner or later, every creator gets stuck on a question: When can I start making money from this? How many subscribers do you need to make money on YouTube?
The truth is that YouTube doesn’t pay you just for having subscribers. You need to hit specific requirements and milestones to unlock different ways of making an income on YouTube. But yes, subscriber count is a big part of it.
In this blog, we will explain how many YouTube subscribers to make money, ways to earn from your current subscribers, and how to increase your YouTube subscribers.
In this article, we’ll cover…
- How Many Subscribers Do You Need to Start Making Money on YouTube?
- Why Views Matter More Than Subscribers for YouTube Earnings
- 5 Simple Ways to Earn Money From YouTube Subscribers
- Monthly YouTube Earnings by Subscriber Count
- Real Examples: How Much YouTubers Earn With Subscribers
- How to Get More YouTube Subscribers and Increase Your Income
- FAQs About YouTube Earnings
How Many Subscribers Do You Need To Make Money on YouTube?
There are mainly two major milestones for making money on YouTube:
1. Non-Ad Revenue (500 Subs)
At just 500 subscribers, you can start earning. On top of the subscriber count, you need to have:
- 3,000 watch hours in the last 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in the last 90 days
- 3 public uploads in the last 90 days
- A linked AdSense account to receive payments
You can access some early monetization features like Super Chats, Super Stickers, and Channel Memberships. But practically speaking, you can’t expect a very high income at this stage unless you’re in a niche where memberships and fan support hold strong value.
2. Ad Revenue (1,000 Subs)
To fully join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and earn from ads, you’ll need:
- At least 1,000 subscribers
- 4,000 valid watch hours in the last 12 months or 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days
- No active Community Guidelines strikes
- A linked AdSense account
This is where the real monetization begins: ad revenue, YouTube Premium revenue share, and more advanced features become available.
Going through all these requirements and growth strategies on your own could be pretty challenging, especially as the competition is heavy nowadays. If you want to skip that effort and jump right into the earning part, you can get a professional monetized YouTube channel from us.
Why Views Are More Important Than Subscribers?
Even though hitting at least 500 subscribers is a must to start earning, you shouldn’t get obsessed with subscriber counts. Here are some reasons why you must focus more on increasing views:
1. Money is Paid Per View
YouTube gets money from advertisers for showing ads on videos, and it gives a part of that money to creators. To put it more clearly, you get paid for views, based on the number of ad impressions and ad clicks. Subscriber count is not even a direct factor.
2. Views Improve YouTube’s Algorithm Reach
The YouTube algorithm is built to show videos that get a lot of views and keep people watching them for a long time. And for that, it considers some main factors:
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): This measures how often people click on your video after seeing it on their homepage, in search results, or in the suggested videos sidebar.
- Watch Time & Audience Retention: This is how long people actually watch your video. If a video retains viewers longer, its watch time goes up. The algorithm loves videos with high watch time because it means people are staying on YouTube longer.
So, videos that get more views are more likely to show up in suggested feeds, search results, and recommendations. This makes a loop: more quality views bring more algorithm visibility, and more visibility brings even more views.
Subscribers just start this process, but views are what keep the growth (and revenue) going.
3. Views Drive Other Income Streams
Apart from ads, now there are many revenue streams for YouTube content creators, like affiliate partnerships. But companies are far more interested in your video views and engagement rates than your raw subscriber count.
A channel with 5,000 subscribers that gets 20,000 views per video is far more appealing to a brand than a channel with 50,000 subscribers that only gets 1,000 views per video. Why? Because the brand’s goal is to get its product in front of as many eyes as possible. Your views and engagement prove you can deliver on that.
5 Ways to Earn From YouTube Subscribers
YouTube Partner Program might be the popular way to earn money from YouTube. But, there are many other monetization ways as well. Check out some great ways you can make money directly from your subscribers and audience:
1. Brand Deals And Sponsorships
Brands love YouTube creators because they bring trust and attention. Companies might want to work with you even if your channel is small (like 500 to 1,000 subscribers) provided you have a good engagement rate.
Here’s how to get started:
- You can start by creating a media kit that highlights your channel’s key stats: your niche, audience demographics (where they’re from, age, gender), average views per video, and engagement rates (likes, comments).
- Once prepared, pitch yourself to brands that are a good fit for your content. For instance, if you’re a content creator in the gaming niche, outreach to some game developer studios.
- The payment is usually based on how you present the brand in your video. If it’s just a short mention, the amount will be much lower. Dedicated long reviews often have the highest payment.
2. Affiliate Marketing
This is one of the easiest ways to start making money. All you need to do is sign up for an affiliate program, such as Amazon Associates, Clickbank, Fiverr…
After that, you put affiliate links in the description of your video. You get paid a commission (usually 5% – 30%) when someone clicks on your link and buys something.
Try to promote products that you genuinely use and believe in. Your subscribers trust your opinion, and that trust is what makes this a viable way to earn.
3. Selling Your Own Products or Services
Why sell someone else’s product when you can sell your own? This is one of the most direct and profitable ways to monetize your audience because you keep all the profits. You can sell something as simple as:
- Digital products or courses
- Custom t-shirts
- Services like coaching, consulting, freelance work, etc.
There is no minimum number of subscribers needed for this path. Just link to your store in your video description.
But things get easier as your YouTube channel grows. Once you meet the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) requirements, you can also utilise YouTube’s integrated “Merch Shelf” feature to showcase the product directly below your video.
4. Crowdfunding and Membership Platforms
This is the most personal way to earn, as it comes directly from your biggest supporters. YouTube offers Super Chat and Super Stickers features for crowdfunding but those are available only once you meet the first step of YPP requirements.
Instead of waiting for that, you can start using platforms like Patreon or Buy Me a Coffee. These platforms allow your viewers to make donations to support your work. In return, you can offer them exclusive perks like behind-the-scenes content, early access to videos, etc.
5. Collaborations and Shoutouts
Mutual collaborations are one of the most underrated ways to start earning on YouTube. If you have a small but active group of followers, other creators might pay you to give a shout-out. It’s a win-win situation, where both sides can grow. And you can make money while adding more types of content.
Monthly Earnings by Subscriber Count
Even though views are the major factor in earnings, subscribers still matter. They show how big your channel and audience base is. Here’s a rough idea of how monthly income might look by subscriber count:
| Subscribers | Estimated Monthly Earnings (USD) |
| 100 | $20 – $50 (from affiliate earnings, sponsorships, etc.) |
| 1,000 | $50 – $700 |
| 10,000 | $500 – $2,000 |
| 100,000 | $2,000 – $10,000+ |
| 200,000 | $4,000 – $20,000 |
| 500,000 | $10,000 – $30,000 |
| 1,000,000 | $10,000 – $50,000 |
Please note that these figures are just a general estimate. Actual earnings depend on various factors, like:
- Niche: Advertisers in some niche are willing to pay more to reach a commercially valuable audience. That means if you’re creating content on a high-value niche like real estate or finance, the earnings will be much higher compared to a generic niche like fun, vlogging, etc.
- Video Length: Longer videos, particularly those over 8 minutes, are incredibly valuable because they allow you to place more ads throughout the content, not just at the beginning or end. This feature, known as mid-roll ads, lets you manually insert ad breaks at specific points in your video. More ads means more revenue.
- Audience Location: Just like niche, advertisers pay much higher rates for viewers in high-income countries like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom compared to other regions.
Real Example of How Much YouTubers Make With Subscribers
Let’s have a look at how much current YouTubers are earning, along with their subscriber counts:
Finance Creator With 1K Subscribers
Earnings in the finance niche are even tremendous. Mikhaxl, a finance creator, stated that he made about $666 monthly from AdSense alone when he had just 1,000 subscribers. The RPM is as high as $22.
Educational Creator With 3K Subscribers
Ty Myers, a content creator focused on growing on YouTube, revealed his earnings during his first 90 days of monetization when he had close to 3,000 subscribers in this video:
He earned $217 through AdSense, $43 through Super Chats, and $14 through channel memberships.
Real Estate Creator With 10K Subscribers
Tom Storey, a real estate content creator, revealed in a video that he makes $260 per month purely from AdSense, when he had about 10,000 subscribers.
Lifestyle Creator With 10K Subscribers
The creator Gabe Bult, whose content touches on minimalism, shared his total accumulated earnings upon reaching various subscriber milestones in this video:
After seven months of work, he reached 10,000 subscribers and earned a total of around $2,000 from 612,000 views. And when he touched the 25,000-subscriber milestone, the earnings jumped to $5,894.28.
At 50,000 subscribers, his total earnings were $11,386.10.
Finance Creator With 40K Subscribers
Kelly Anne Smith, yet another finance content creator, but with about 50,000 subscribers (40k at the time of the video) earned $922 from AdSense in one month. When we calculate the earnings from other sources like affiliate marketing, course sales, digital product revenue, and so on, it crosses $3,000.
Finance Creator With 190K Subscribers
Nicole, a finance content creator, shared in a video that her subscriber count increased from 44,000 to nearly 100,000 in 2024. Over the course of that year, her channel generated 58,929 CAD (approximately $42,500).
To create a scalable business and earn a livable income, Nicole relied heavily on secondary streams, most notably sponsorships. For a channel of her size, sponsorship deals could range anywhere between $300 and $1,000 per video.
Similarly, she raised about 2,600 CAD from Patreon. On top of that, she relied on affiliate sales also, which brought in another 1,469 CAD.
Educational Creator With 868K Subscribers
Robert Benjamini, yet another creator who focuses on directing his audience on how to grow on social media platforms, shared in a Shorts video that he earns about $304,119 with his massive 868,000 subscriber base.
Entertainment Creator With 110M Subscribers
PewDiePie, with more than 110 million subscribers, earns a massive $112,000 – $153,000 every month from ads alone, making him one of the most earning YouTubers in 2025.
Yes, getting more subscribers generally leads to more money because more subs usually mean more loyal viewers watching your content. However, subscribers alone don’t guarantee higher earnings. Your actual income depends on how many views your videos get, how engaging they are, and the niche you’re in. So, focus on quality content and audience interest.
How to Get More YouTube Subscribers to Earn More Money
No doubts. Hitting 1,000 subscribers is a big milestone to start earning money on YouTube. But growing beyond that is what actually helps you earn more. Have a look at some practical strategies to increase your YouTube subscribers.
1. Use the Search Bar on YouTube
Type in a topic you want to learn more about in the YouTube search bar. The auto-suggest feature will show you the exact words and phrases that people are searching for. This tells you exactly what problems your audience wants you to fix.
If you type “how to start a garden,” you might see suggestions like “how to start a garden for beginners,” “how to start a garden in a small space,” or “how to start a garden indoors.”
2. Analyze Competitor’s Top Videos
Find a successful channel in your niche and sort their videos by “Most popular.” This is a goldmine for information. It tells you exactly what kinds of videos and topics have already worked with your target audience. You can use this as a blueprint for your content strategy.
3. Utilize Keyword Tools
At LenosTube, we’ve a dedicated free YouTube keyword volume checker that can help you find low-competition keywords with high search volume. Thus, you can create content that people are searching for, but that other creators haven’t flooded the market with yet.
4. Prepare a Catchy Title and Thumbnail
Your video’s title is your best chance to grab a viewer’s attention. So, keep it short and to the point. If possible, include one or two keywords in it to rank on YouTube for relevant queries.
Your video thumbnail should be eye-catching and emotionally charged, designed to make a viewer stop scrolling and click. You can use bright, contrasting colors, expressive faces, and clear text overlays to grab attention.
5. Set A Hook in the First 15 Seconds
Get right to the point by saying what problem your video will solve. You can use our YouTube introduction generator to create attractive intros that hook the viewers right into the video.
Or, just cut and place the most interesting part of your video at the beginning. You can also use ‘pattern interrupts’ like quick cuts, B-roll, or sound effects to hold their attention.
6. Use End Screens And Cards Wisely
In the last 5 to 20 seconds of your video, use End Screens to suggest another video, a playlist, or even a button to subscribe. Use Cards, which are small info icons that pop up, to point viewers to the content in your video that is related. This makes your channel’s Session Time longer. YouTube algorithm considers this as a growth factor and may push it to a larger audience.
7. Use Shorts as a Subscriber Magnet
YouTube algorithm pushes Shorts aggressively in 2025. As they appear in a separate feed, more new audiences may find your channel.
And the best part is that you don’t need to take an extra effort to create YouTube Shorts. Just edit a 1-minute short version of your long video in a vertical aspect ratio (9:16) using the main highlights. End it with a clear but simple call-to-action that encourages viewers to watch the full video. You can add a pinned comment with a link to the main video.
8. Create Series Content
Organize a series of videos into a playlist in a logical order with a compelling name. YouTube will turn on the auto-play feature, which means after one video ends, the next one in the playlist will start without them having to click. This creates a binge-watching tendency. Soon, they will want to see what comes next, and subscribing becomes the natural next step to avoid missing future episodes.
9. Add a Subscribe CTA at the End
Don’t let your video end without telling viewers what to do next! Add a simple Subscribe call-to-action in your outro, along with voice and a fun animation that pops on screen.
This gives viewers a clear next step and reminds them not to leave without becoming part of your community. You can even use our free YouTube subscribe animations to make your CTA look professional and exciting!
So, how many subscribers do you need to make money on YouTube? The short answer is 500 subscribers to start, but to get real earnings from ads, you need at least 1,000 subscribers. Still, remember that subscriber count is just a figure that shows the size of your audience. Your real earnings depend on your views and niche.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ❓
1. How much money do you make on YouTube with 1,000 subscribers?
Having 1,000 subscribers lets you apply for monetization, but you won’t earn much right away. Most creators make anywhere from a few dollars to a few hundred per month at this stage, depending on how many people watch and engage. Income depends mainly on video views.
2. Do YouTubers get paid for likes and comments?
No, you don’t get paid directly for likes and comments. But they are positive signals that let the YouTube algorithm push the video to a wider audience. More views mean more ad money. So, even though likes and comments don’t pay you directly, they do help you make more money.
3. How much money do you make on YouTube with 1 million subscribers?
Earnings can jump a lot, with 1 million subscribers. But it still depends on views and the niche. Some channels make $3,000 a month, while others earn $50,000 or more, because certain topics (like finance or tech) pay higher ad rates.
4. Can you still make money without subscribers?
Yes! Even with a small new channel, you can make money through affiliate marketing, brand deals, selling your own products, and so on. Subscribers help you grow faster, but they’re not required to start earning from other income streams.
5. How much does YouTube take from your earnings?
You don’t get the entire amount that an advertiser pays for reaching out to the audience. You usually get 55% of the money from ads, and YouTube keeps 45%. And the platform also takes a cut of about 30% for features like Super Chats and Memberships.
6. How often do YouTubers get paid?
YouTube pays creators once a month through AdSense. But you only get paid when your balance reaches at least $100. If you don’t hit $100 in one month, your earnings roll over until you do.
7. Do Shorts pay less than long-form videos?
Yes, in general, because Shorts have fewer ads. But YouTube introduced a Shorts revenue-sharing model where ad revenue from the Shorts feed is split among creators. If your Shorts go viral, they can bring in huge traffic and lead to long-term growth, even if per-view income is smaller compared to long-form videos.
Conclusion
Earning subscribers is just the starting point. Views decide the paycheck. And to get more views, you need to focus on something even bigger: improving the viewer experience.
You must focus on creating content that users want to click, watch till the end, and share with others. The better the experience you give your viewers, the more YouTube will recommend your videos. And that’s what fuels sustainable growth!
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