Every creator wants to reach that milestone where their channel finally starts earning money. But it’s not as easy as you might think. You need to meet a set of tough requirements and go through a strict verification process.
And here’s where most people get confused. The monetization rules look simple on paper, but they keep on changing every few years, and it feels like trying to hit a moving target.
That’s why we’ve prepared this blog 😉. In this blog, you’ll get a clear picture of YouTube monetization requirements in 2025, including the number of subscribers and views needed, rules, regulations, and how they have changed over the past few years. We will also talk about the review process.
In this article, we’ll cover…
- YouTube Monetization Rules for 2025
- Understanding the YouTube Partner Program (YPP)
- Key Eligibility Criteria for Monetization in 2025
- Timeline of YouTube Monetization Policy Changes
- Country Specific Monetization Requirements
- Steps After Qualifying for the YPP
- 6 Smart Tips to Unlock Monetization Faster
- Common Questions Answered (FAQs)
YouTube Monetization Requirements in 2025
You need at least 1,000 subscribers to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and earn from ads. On top of that, you need to meet the requirements of any of these pathways:
| Requirement | Path 1: Watch Hours Route | Path 2: Shorts Views Route |
| Subscribers | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Watch Hours | 4,000 valid public hours (past 12 months) | N/A |
| Shorts Views | N/A | 10 million valid views (past 90 days) |
| Policies | Follow all community & content guidelines | Follow all community & content guidelines |
| Extra Setup | AdSense account + 2-step verification | AdSense account + 2-step verification |
Note that you don’t need to wait until hitting the 1K-subscriber milestone to earn your first dollar on YouTube. Once your channel crosses 500 subscribers, YouTube unlocks extra features like channel memberships, Super Chats, and shopping tools. However, unlocking YouTube ads (the most powerful monetization tool) still requires the milestone above ⬆️.
What is the YouTube Partner Program (YPP)?
The YouTube Partner Program (YPP), launched in 2007, is the official way creators earn money on YouTube. It gives you access to monetization features like ad revenue, channel memberships, Super Chat, and more.
Core Eligibility Criteria for YouTube Monetization in 2025
To join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) in 2025, every creator has to meet certain minimum thresholds. Let’s break down each eligibility point in detail:
1. 1,000 Subscribers Requirement
You need at least 1,000 subscribers to unlock ad revenue. And these have to be perfectly legit subscribers. Nowadays, YouTube’s technology is so advanced that it can find fake growth, like bots or “sub4sub” schemes, quickly.
💡 That’s why it’s important to focus on building a subscriber base that behaves naturally. If you’re looking for a boost in that direction, we offer real subscribers so that your growth to 1,000 stays safe and fully aligned with YouTube’s rules.
2. Watch Time Challenge: 4,000 Hours OR 10 Million Shorts Views
YouTube gives you two options to meet the watch hour requirement:
• 4,000 Public Watch Hours
Creators who make traditional, longer-length videos should take this path. You need to have watched a total of 4,000 hours in the last 12 months.
But remember, YouTube counts views from videos that are set to Public only (including live stream broadcasts that you save on your channel as a public video afterward). Watch hours from private, ad views, or Shorts won’t be considered.
💡 Some creators choose to fast-track their path to monetization by purchasing 4,000 watch hours from us.
• 10 Million Public Shorts Views
It’s an exciting alternative path that became a big part of the program in 2024 for short-form content creators and is still going strong in 2025. You’ll need 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Even though it’s easier to focus on Shorts, the bar for views is much higher compared to long-form watch hours. And it’s indeed a race against time as you’ve got only three months. You may need to post Shorts every day. But a bright part of this pathway is that even if one of your Shorts gets viral, you can reach this threshold very quickly.
But remember: Only “original” Shorts count. Views from reused TikTok videos, copied clips, or content with watermarks won’t be counted.
Want high-quality views for your YouTube videos to pass the monetization criteria? Buy high-retention views from us now!
3. No Active Community Guidelines Strikes
YouTube’s Community Guidelines are a set of rules that keep the platform safe and functional for everyone. They cover everything from hate speech and violence to spam and false information.
A strike is a warning that you’ve violated a rule. You can get up to three strikes before your channel is terminated. But having even one keeps your monetization on hold.
4. YouTube Monetization Policy Compliance
A human team will also look over your channel to make sure it meets YouTube’s standards. Here, a lot of creators usually get stuck at “reused content” or “repetitious content.” You need to “transform” your content by adding value in order to make money from it.
5. Be a Citizen of an Eligible Country
It’s a simple and non-negotiable requirement. Your channel must be based in a country where the YouTube Partner Program is officially supported. Luckily, most regions are covered, including India, Pakistan, the US, the UK, and many more.
As long as your AdSense account is linked to an eligible country, you’ll be able to receive payments once you cross the monetization threshold.
6. Technical Setup
To apply successfully, your channel must also:
- Have 2-step verification turned on (to protect your account).
- Link an AdSense account.
How YouTube Monetization Rules Changed Over the Years (Timeline)
YouTube has come a long way since it first introduced monetization. Back then, almost anyone could earn money without any eligibility criteria. But as the platform grew, YouTube had to keep adjusting its rules with some minimum thresholds → Let’s go step by step through the biggest changes:
1. The Birth of Creator Economy (2007)
YouTube made history in December 2007 when it started the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). This groundbreaking move let popular creators make money from their videos for the first time. It was the start of what we now call the ‘creator economy’.
At first, YouTube didn’t announce any minimum thresholds. Only invited creators with a lot of views could join.
Soon, content creation became a real job. Creators started making a lot of money, with some making six figures a year.
2. AdSense Integration Era (2008-2012)
It was during this time period that YouTube transitioned fully from its limited Partner Program model to a comprehensive AdSense-powered monetization system that could scale globally. It utilized Google AdSense’s established auction system and payment processing.
It enabled YouTube to leverage AdSense’s advertising capabilities, where ads are automatically matched to video content based on factors such as audience demographics, interests, viewing behavior, etc.
Backed by AdSense’s vast global advertiser network, YouTube expanded monetization on April 13, 2012, making it available to creators in 20 countries, even those just getting started and with only a small subscriber base. But the partner program was still not accessible for creators from growing Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc.
Main Changes
- Creators didn’t have to work under Multi-Channel Networks (MCNs) to get monetized
- Direct revenue sharing with YouTube became available to regular creators
- Smaller and new channels could now use custom thumbnails and make money from their videos
This change got rid of the gatekeeping part of monetization and gave creators direct control. MCNs changed their focus from monetization to offering copyright protection.
3. 2017 Crisis: The Adpocalypse and the First Restrictions
The Adpocalypse in March 2017 was a huge advertiser boycott that changed the way YouTube approached monetization.
Big companies stopped running ads when they found out that their ads were showing up next to extremist content, ISIS recruitment videos, and hate speech. Analysts in the financial world thought this could cost Google as much as $750 million.
That’s when the platform came up with a brand-new update to its YouTube Partner Program (YPP).
Main Changes
- Set the minimum number of lifetime views for new Partner Program applications at 10,000
- Added a manual review process for channels before they can make money
- Better content moderation to stop ads from being placed in the wrong places
Thus, YouTube set a real barrier to entry for making money for the first time. 10,000 views may not seem like a lot, but it gave YouTube time to check that the channel was real and followed the rules.
4. The Big Change of 2018
Just a year later, YouTube decided the 10,000-view threshold wasn’t enough. In January 16 2018, they made a massive, and for many creators, shocking announcement. They raised the bar significantly to what we now consider the standard for full monetization.
New Requirements
- At least 1,000 subscribers
- 4,000 watch hours from the past 12 months
The requirements applied immediately to new channels. Existing channels had a 30-day grace period until February 20, 2018. If they were not able to meet these partner program requirements even by then, they would lose monetization!
This change made it much harder for small channels to get into the YPP. YouTube’s reasoning was clear: they needed to raise the standards to find creators who made the community better and stop poor content from making money.
5. The Expansion Era (2021–2023)
July 19, 2021 saw the launch of Super Thanks, expanding the ‘Super’ family beyond live streams. The new feature offered:
- Fan tipping system with amounts from $2 to $50
- Animated GIF acknowledgments for supporters
- Special, colorful comments for the purchasers of Super Thanks
6. YouTube Shorts Monetization (2022)
With the rise of TikTok and other short-form video apps, YouTube launched its own competitor, YouTube Shorts. Soon, they launched the YouTube Shorts Fund, a $100 million program to attract short-form creators.
It was a simple bonus system, where every creator could earn between $100 and $10,000 every month, based on views and other engagement metrics.
7. Full Monetization of Shorts (2023)
YouTube replaced the Shorts Fund with a full monetization system that lets creators share ad revenue. And on top of that, it introduced a new restriction: only channels enrolled under the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) can join it. And the channel threshold was 1,000 subscribers and 10 million public Shorts views in 90 days.
These exact requirements remain even now. Here’s how it works:
- YouTube collects all of the ad money from Shorts.
- Distribution to creators based on how many total Shorts views they have
- Creators receive up to 45% of the YouTube ad revenue
8. Expansion of Partners Program (2023)
On June 13, 2023, YouTube decided to lower the barriers to join the YouTube Partners Program (YPP) and introduce some early monetization features for them. The new requirements are as follows:
- 500 subscribers (reduced from 1,000)
- 3 valid public uploads in the last 90 days
- 3,000 watch hours in the past year OR 3 million Shorts views in 90 days
The new features included are:
- Channel Memberships
- Super Chat and Super Stickers
- Super Thanks
- YouTube Shopping features
As of now, the full monetization requirements still stay the same.
9. Quality Control (2025)
The most recent big change happened on July 15, 2025. Monetization policies weren’t affected. It was all about making sure the content was real and high-quality. The “Repetitious content” policy has been changed to “Inauthentic content.”
Under this change, the following videos are no longer considered for monetization:
- Videos made by AI with little help from people
- Narration of text over reused clips
- Songs modified only for pitch or speed
- Content exclusively featuring readings of other materials
This update was meant to stop the rise of faceless and AI-driven channels that put quantity over quality. YouTube wanted to put the focus back on real creators who are passionate about what they do while also protecting real reaction and compilation channels.
YouTube Monetization Requirements by Country
Well, the eligibility requirements for the partner program are the same everywhere.
It doesn’t matter whether you are creating videos in India, Pakistan, the USA, the UK, or Canada. You need to hit the same thresholds: 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in 1 year /10 million Shorts views in 90 days.
Yet, the earnings do vary by region of the audience:
- Creators in top-tier countries like the USA or UK usually earn a higher ad rate because advertisers pay more for those audiences.
- The earnings might be a bit lower in developing countries like India and Pakistan. But creators often make up for it with higher views and faster audience growth .
What Happens After Meeting The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) Requirements?
No doubts. Hitting those milestone thresholds(1,000 subscribers and the 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views) is a great achievement. But that’s not enough.
Your channel needs to succesfully complete a manual verification process. Here’s how it works:
1. Automated Technical Checks
Right after you press Apply in YouTube Studio YouTube runs automated systems that verify basics like:
- you still meet the thresholds shown in Studio (subs / watch hours or Shorts views),
- you have no active Community Guideline strikes,
- your AdSense is linked and 2-step verification is on
If any of these fail, the review may never go to a human 👨🏻💼. It gets a spot rejection!
2. Human Review
Even if the automated checks pass, a policy specialist (human reviewer) inspects your channel. Have a look at what they analyze in detail:
- The quality and originality of the video content. They mainly check whether it really adds some human value (not just AI clips or simple re-uploads)
- Tags, titles, thumbnails, and meta descriptions. Reviewers use these to make sure that the context matches (is the tags and thumbnails relevant or just a clickbait?)
- Reviewers use rules like context, focus, tone, realism, and graphicness to decide whether or not ads should run. YouTube does not allow ads on content that falls under specific restricted categories, such as violence, adult material, inappropriate language, hate speech, and harmful acts.
- Content with unresolved copyright claims (even on music) can stop monetization even if there is no formal strike.
The reviewers mainly look at a mix of short-form (Shorts), long-form, and public live streams (if they are used). Shorts matter for the Shorts-views path, and long videos and VOD’d live streams matter for the traditional watch hour pathway 🚶🏼♀️.
The process takes about a month to finish (sometimes longer when there are a lot of applications). If approved, you’ll get an email and the YPP modules will become available in YouTube Studio (ads, Shorts Feed ads, memberships, Supers, shopping, etc.). You will have to agree to the terms of the module and set your ad preferences.
6 Quick Tips to Reach Monetization Eligibility Requirements Faster
The golden era of YouTube monetization is gone. Crossing the official eligibility threshold for the YouTube Partner Program in 2025 takes immense effort and time. But good strategies can speed things up. Check out some such practical strategies to crack monetization eligibility criteria within months 🗓️:
1. Focus On Trending Topics
The best way to attract initial traffic to your channel is by covering trending topics. It gives you a higher chance of getting ranked and pushed in recommendations.
For example, if a viral challenge or new feature rolls out, creating a video around it can put you in front of fresh audiences who aren’t yet subscribed. That will lead to more subscribers and watch hours, which helps you cross the eligibility threshold.
Yet, finding the trends is indeed the hardest part. Many rely on generic trend finder tools. But those won’t work well for YouTube as the search patterns across the platform varies a lot.
That’s why we at LenosTube offer a free YouTube keyword volume search checker. Just type in a term and you will see its search volume, volume trends, competition, and so on. Within minutes, you can spot the trends and catch up with a good content before your competitors do so.
2. Mix Content Lengths Strategically
Remember, you need both subscribers and views / watch hours to enroll in the partners program. So, never rely only on Shorts or long-form videos alone:
- Shorts helps you grab quick subscribers and fresh traffic.
- Longer videos can help you collect watch hours faster.
Both are needed to make money from YouTube. An ideal approach is to prepare Shorts version for each of your long videos and upload them simultaneously with interlinking.
3. Live Stream and Repurpose
If you’re stuck on the 4,000 watch hour requirement, consider a live stream. Users watch live streams for a lot longer than regular videos, which can give you a huge boost in watch hours all at once. But make sure that you post it at the best time for your audience.
And you must save your live stream as a public video after it ends. That whole length of video, which could be an hour or more, will be added to your public watch hours right away. For instance, if 200 people watch a 2-hour stream, that alone adds up to 400 watch hours.
You can then cut that same live stream into smaller, more focused clips and post them as regular videos or Shorts. This way, you can get more than one piece of content from one session.
4. Place A Rewatch Hook
Everybody talks about the first 5-second hook in the introduction. But when we view it from a Shorts perspective, what matters even more is the rewatch hook.
YouTube algorithm just loves rewatched content. It gives signals to the algorithm that the content is very interesting.
You don’t need much special effort to create that hook. Just place a quick glitch or funny picture that viewers have to watch again to understand. That’s one of the best ways to go viral on YouTube in 2025!
5. Upload Frequently to Stay in the Algorithm’s Radar
The more content you publish, the more chances you have to get discovered through search results, feeds, recommendations, and so on. On top of that, frequent uploads also signal to YouTube’s algorithm that your channel is active and engaging. So, naturally, the algorithm will recommend your videos more often.
Shorts is obviously the best way to build this consistency. You can try to post about 3-4 Shorts every week to keep your channel fresh. Over time, this steady flow of content builds a stronger connection with your audience.
6. Run Interactive Polls in the Community Tab
Community Tab is one of the most underrated YouTube channel growth tools in 2025. You can use it to connect with your audience through:
- Polls
- Questions
- Updates
Yes, it doesn’t directly contribute to meeting the partner program requirements like watch hours or views. But all the engagement activities in the community tab posts give positive signals to the algorithm, which makes it push the video further to a wider audience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do I automatically get monetized as soon as I hit the requirements?
No, your channel must go through a human verification, too. They look at your channel’s main theme, the videos that get the most views, and the newest uploads to make sure it follows the community guidelines.
2. What happens if my monetization application gets rejected?
Well, you’ve got 30 days to reapply. You must use this time wisely. First of all, go through the rejection mail and understand the reason behind it. Then, delete or change any videos that might have caused the rejection. Reapply only once you’re fully confident that you’ve fixed the problem.
3. Is it possible to use more than one channel with the same AdSense account?
You can link more than one channel to the same AdSense account. But each channel must meet the monetization thresholds on its own (subscribers + watch hours/Shorts views).
4. Is there a way to make money on YouTube without getting 1,000 subscribers?
Yes. If you have about 500 subscribers, you can start using features like channel memberships, Super Thanks, and Super Chats. You can even start sharing affiliate links right from the beginning to earn a passive income.
5. What will happen if I lose 1,000 subscribers or 4,000 hours after getting approved?
Well, as per the guidelines, you need to maintain the criteria to get the monetization benefits. But practically speaking, you won’t instantly lose monetization if your figures drop. Only severe drops (like becoming inactive for 6+ months) or policy violations risk demonetization.
Conclusion
The YouTube partner program rules may have changed a lot from 2007 to 2025. Yet, the main goal of YouTube remains the same: rewarding creators who build real communities and create original content👌
So, if you’re serious about making YouTube a profession, don’t chase the numbers. Instead, try understanding the audience well enough to build trust and create content that keeps them coming back. That’s how you’ll cross the eligibility line and become a successful content creator in 2025!
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