How to Make Money on YouTube in 2024: 5 Ways to Get Paid
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
The growing creator economy has turned up some diverse ways to make money on YouTube. And while some methods offer a lower barrier to entry than earning through ads, there’s no substitute for quality content and an engaged audience.
If you can tap into your creative side, and are willing to put in a lot of effort, you might be able to make money on YouTube, too. Here are a few monetization methods to explore.
How to get paid on YouTube
- Table of contents
- Compare Medigap plans
- Get details on Medicare coverage for:
- Still deciding on the right carrier? Compare Medicare Advantage plans
- Potential dangers of credit
- Credit's positive impact
- Downsides to debit
- Where debit shines
- How to maximize your rewards
- Compare Medicare Advantage plans
- Simplifying tax time with accounting software
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Securities Act of 1933
- 1. Start saving early
- 1. Delay your application
- GA income tax rates: Single filers
- 1. Earn with ads as a YouTube Partner Program member
- 1. Decide what you want to sell
- Winner: American Airlines
- AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
- Pay more than minimums
- Define 'rich'
- 1. Create educational content or activities
- 1. Pull your credit
- To invest in stocks you couldn’t otherwise afford
- Location
- Refundable flights
- Other factors to consider
- 1. Pick up freelance work online
- Restricted securities
- Full-service shoppers: Shop (or pick up) and deliver when you want
- Personal United credit cards
- Bitcoin pros
- 1. Ibotta
- GA income tax rates: Married filing jointly or head of household
- Wingstop franchise sales
- What was your total debt when you started your repayment journey?
- 1. Figure out if you are eligible
- 1. Southwest’s change fee policy is still the best
- Hands-on or hands-off investing?
- 1. Decide what kind of day care business you want to start
- Investment-based passive income ideas
- NVIDIA Corp (NVDA)
- Long 0% intro period but no rewards
- What is a good FICO score?
- VA renovation loan
- 1. Keep your charges on each card to a minimum
- 1. Roll your debts onto a balance transfer credit card
- T-Mobile
- 2. Decide how much home you can afford
- 2. Choose a business name and entity
- 2. Offer virtual team-building
- Figure out what’s realistic for you
- Standard with ads: $6.99 per month
- ETF pros
- 1. Food trucks
- Simple rewards
- Home insurance quotes online
- Eligible for an employer-run account?
- Airbnb Adapted rentals
- What to know about cash advance apps
- Chick-fil-A pros
- Debt snowball
- In-store shoppers: Shop on an assigned shift
- Business United credit cards
- GA income tax rates: Married filing separately
- Home equity loan
- Latino: $32.99 per month
- Who needs life insurance?
- 1. You live or work outside the U.S.
- Example savings APYs at select institutions
- Setup up a robust profile
- National, regional and community banks
- Cost of Clear membership for United and Delta members
- Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Control Securities
- NY state income tax: Single and married filing separately
- 2. Work longer
- When can I start filing my taxes?
- Maximize your income
- Verizon
- Electric bill
- 3. Start a meal-prep business
- 1. Set financial goals
- To build a diversified portfolio
- 1. Dividend stocks
- Amenities
- Looking to set up an individual account?
- 1. Decide how you want to invest in the stock market
- 1. Donate to a qualifying organization
- SoundHound AI Inc. (SOUN)
- What liability car insurance doesn't cover
- Booking a car
- Debt avalanche
- Bitcoin cons
- Pro: $79.99 per month
- Look at commissions on the investments you’ll use most
- 1. Your age
- 1. Consider your vending machine options
- Wingstop franchise growth
- 3. Check and polish your credit
- 3. Write a business plan
- Our pick for: Intro APR
- Standard: $15.49 per month
- 2. Review your finances
- Accident-only
- 1. Food tech
- Nonrefundable flights
- Big three prepaid plans
- Home equity loans
- In-flight food
- What is a good VantageScore?
- Chick-fil-A cons
- New products, worse terms?
- Alliant: Best for fast funding
- 1. Book Korean Air flights using Skypass miles
- Cheapest auto insurance from the largest companies
- Income taxes for single-member LLCs
- NY state income tax: Married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er)
- 1. Withdraw your CD funds and transfer them into a different account
- 1. Inspect the check
- 2. Decide what type of investor you are
- 4. Create a food waste solution
- Down payment
- 2. Car wash services
- 1. Pinpoint your goal
- What is the difference between FICO score and VantageScore?
- Captive insurance agents
- Symbotic Inc. (SYM)
- Other factors to consider
- Dissatisfaction with goods or services
- United Club Lounge
- Citi ThankYou Points
- 2. Ask for higher credit limits
- Automate
- Do you file 2023 taxes in 2024?
- Home equity line of credit (HELOC)
- Elite: $89.99 per month
- Short-term capital gains tax
- Consider all the costs of buying a second home
- Nonrefundable tax credit
- H&R Block
- 2. Write a day care business plan
- Self-employed or a small-business owner?
- Pros
- Free checked bag
- Acquiring the car
- NY state income tax: Head of household
- 3. Earn more
- 2. Withdraw your funds and deposit them into a different CD
- 2. Rakuten
- 2. Type of diabetes
- 2. Apply for a credit card consolidation loan
- Wingstop franchise commitment
- 5. Capitalize on plant-based foods
- Start with something
- Credit score
- Premium: $22.99 per month
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- 2. You make frequent transactions to or with people abroad.
- Accident and illness
- Sign-up bonus
- To get the most out of your investment
- General liability insurance
- Investment, commercial and retail banks
- 2. Web design
- How tax extensions work if you owe taxes
- Step 1: Find a gold ETF
- Home equity line of credit (HELOC)
- 1. Calculate the car payment you can afford
- 2. Test websites and apps
- Holding period requirement
- When do you need to file taxes in 2024?
- Warren Buffett
- Premier: $99.99 per month
- Long-term capital gains tax
- Look for brokers with a track record of reliability
- Amica: Best for customer satisfaction
- Google Fi Wireless
- Sales tax exemptions
- Refundable tax credit
- 2. Track your money
- 3. Calculate your monthly payments
- Contact potential clients with “Connects”
- Cons
- Formation
- Average seats
- Capital One Rewards
- Updated account numbers
- First Tech: Best for co-sign and joint loan options
- Income taxes for multi-member LLCs
- 3. Let your bank renew your CD
- Spend below your means
- Cost of term life insurance
- Book with Flying Blue miles
- 4. Explore mortgage options
- 6. Start a dropshipping business
- Debt-to-income ratio
- 2. If ticket prices drop, Southwest lets you rebook for the lower price
- What to do if a lender threatens jail time
- 3. Auto repair
- 2. Dividend index funds and exchange-traded funds
- Why are my FICO and VantageScore credit scores different?
- Independent insurance agents and brokers
- Early check-in and late checkout when available
- Step 2: Analyze the ETF
- 0% period + cash-back rewards
- Index examples
- Labor costs
- 2. Book partner airline flights using Skypass miles
- Eligible properties
- What happens if you don't file your taxes?
- 2. Ask yourself why you received the check
- Getting the best HELOC rate
- Under 35
- Cash-out refinance
- Boost
- Corporate support for opening
- Water bill
- Partially refundable tax credit
- 4. Get a wholesale license and other permits
- Needs
- TurboTax
- Accident, illness and wellness
- 3. Extended reality
- How tax extensions work if you're due a refund
- Consumer price index (CPI)
- Cash-out refinance
- VA cash-out refinance
- Current public information requirement
- 0% balance transfer credit card
- Fidelity Investments
- An example of buying a call option
- Eligibility updates coming to the Pell Grant program
- 3. Choose how much you want to invest
- Status matching
- Cash reserves
- 4. Compare lenders
- 2. If you have a 401(k), get your match
- Intro APR and balance transfer period
- Professional liability insurance (Errors and omissions insurance)
- Operations and management
- 2. Document your charitable contributions
- Billing errors
- Cost of paint and materials
- 3. Set up balance alerts to stay on top of spending
- 4. Consider your spouse
- Pay attention to account minimums
- 3. The severity of your diabetes
- Training and education
- Decide how you'll finance your second home
- Pack your own headphones
- 7. Curate subscription boxes
- Can you save too much?
- Managing debt
- Cost
- 2. Choose an investment account
- Room upgrades when available
- 3. Learn to use AI tools
- Delta Sky Club
- More limited card acceptance or benefits
- PenFed: Best for a seamless application process
- Notice of proposed sale requirement
- 3. Bring your own amenities
- Personal loans
- Resident status rules
- 2. Take a cut with affiliate marketing
- Cost of whole life insurance
- Bitcoin pros
- 5. Apply for an employer identification number
- Winner: Alaska Airlines
- Symetra life insurance riders
- Documentation
- 3. Budget for emergencies
- 1. You deal with currency exchange for occasional trips abroad.
- ETF cons
- Jumbo loans
- Vacasa wheelchair-accessible rentals
- Set up autopay on all of your accounts
- Choosing corporate tax status for your LLC
- Popular Category 4 hotels
- 3. Don’t use the money
- 3. Swagbucks
- Do tipped workers earn the minimum wage?
- Invest early and often
- Gas bill
- Our pick for: Rich travel rewards
- 3. No hidden fees or nickel-and-diming
- Building your credit score
- Wants
- 4. Personal trainers
- 3. Max out an IRA
- Crashes and car theft
- Win a gig and get to work
- How to protect a copyright
- Policies available through partnerships
- Pros of bank stocks
- 4. Robotics
- Free breakfast, Wi-Fi and more
- Personal consumption expenditure (PCE)
- Step 3: Buy the gold ETF
- But wait, there’s more
- 2. Calculate the car loan amount you can afford
- Fraudulent charges
- Returning the car
- Volume restriction requirement
- 1. Open an investment account
- The Medicare Part B penalty
- Michael Novogratz
- Ages 35 to 44
- Part-year resident status rules
- Watch out for account fees
- 4. Select a provider to open your Roth IRA
- 1. Make payments on time
- The federal student loan servicers
- Appraisals
- You don’t have enough points to cover the entire cost
- 2. You make one-time international transfers.
- 5. Pre-qualify with a soft credit pull
- Example interest checking APYs at select institutions
- Product liability insurance
- Personal loan calculator
- Transitional hiccups
- 1. Robo-advisors
- 4. Pay your bill before your issuer reports to the credit bureaus
- Do you regularly fly on United or United-partner airlines?
- File taxes online with tax software
- 1099-A
- 4. How you’re treating your diabetes
- Bring French wine home
- Benefits during MGM stays, by status tier
- Bitcoin cons
- 6. Figure out logistics
- 8. Create an airport-centric app
- Our pick for: No credit check at all
- Working toward financial goals
- Citi Custom Cash® Card
- 3. Bonds and bond index funds
- FICO score ranges
- 5. Customer experience management, or CXM
- Taxes
- Step 1: Submit an online application
- Carefully read the terms when setting up autopay
- Navy Federal: Best for military members
- 5. Investigate divorced spouse benefits
- Theme park tickets
- Nonresident status rules
- 1. Find a dividend-paying stock
- 3. Tap your home equity for a loan or line of credit
- 5. Research first-time home buyer assistance programs
- 2. Dispute credit reporting errors
- 4. Tackle high-interest debt
- H&R Block
- Other types of liability insurance
- Equity REITs
- Ameritas life insurance riders
- Cons of bank stocks
- 3. Don’t miss out on tax deductions for volunteering
- About the Miles & More frequent flyer program
- 0% intro period + travel rewards
- 1. Do all or some of the work yourself
- Trading requirements
- 2. Choose your investments
- 1099-B
- Qualify for a second-home mortgage
- Tax credits for people with kids
- 9. Become a destination wedding planner
- You don’t want to hoard points
- 4. A unique boarding process
- Saving for and buying a home
- Savings and debt repayment
- 6. Apply with a hard credit pull
- Damage you do to others
- 3. Obtain the necessary certification and licenses
- Other nonconforming loans
- Get money back in the form of future flight credits
- Find preapproved auto loans
- Current Bitcoin ETF promos
- Increased product-change options
- Fly bags for free with elite status
- 5. Other health factors
- One-time costs
- 3. Decrease your credit utilization
- 5. Newborn and post-pregnancy services
- Mortgage REITs
- Design
- VantageScore ranges
- 6. Influencer marketing
- VA loan for energy efficiency (EEM)
- 2. Consider premium paints
- Most-redeemed Category 5 hotels
- 1. Find out if you're eligible.
- Do you value the benefits offered by United credit cards?
- How do I access a HELOC?
- Ages 45 to 54
- 4. Fiverr
- 3. Land a brand deal and make sponsored content
- Look at the pricing and execution fine print
- Andover Companies: Best coverage
- 10. Make local guides
- Revocable life insurance trusts
- 4. Keep the deadline in mind
- Is it better to get a second mortgage or refinance?
- 4. Take surveys for money
- Synchronize your card payments
- 5. Monitor your total credit utilization
- 6. Add your minor child
- Accommodations
- 4. Alert authorities to fraud
- An example of buying a call option vs. buying the underlying stock
- 1099-C
- 2. Evaluate the stock
- 6. Compare mortgage rates and fees
- Pros
- 5. Plan for retirement
- More about investment fees
- TurboTax
- Injuries to you
- Commercial auto insurance
- 4. Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
- Deductibles, limits and payouts
- 3. Set a target purchase price
- Step 2: Pass the interview
- 3. Prep the space yourself
- Hire and work with a tax preparer or another tax pro
- How much does a HELOC cost?
- Give your savings rate regular bumps
- 7. Make on-time payments to build credit
- 5. Select your investments
- Hybrid REITs
- 7. Content automation
- Basic economy tickets are typically ineligible
- But wait, there’s more
- How to get the best deal for a Lufthansa economy award flight
- 1. Have a goal for your index funds
- Pay bills on time
- 2. Online financial planning services
- Are you trying to earn elite status with United Airlines?
- Ages 55 to 64
- Spend on airline credit cards with built-in baggage perks
- 1099-CAP
- 2. Find the right location for your vending machine
- 5. Gather your paperwork
- Expand your product lines and service
- Our pick for: Bank of America® customers
- 11. Create a local grocery delivery service
- Maintaining financial health
- American Express® Green Card
- 6. Enrichment activities for children
- Vrbo wheelchair-accessible rentals
- You want to save your cash
- Disability housing grants
- Escape Lounge
- If you are investing in an S&P 500 index fund:
- Debt management plan
- Make Money
- What's next?
- 3. Decide how much stock you want to buy
- 4. Borrow from your 401(k)
- What if you can’t pay your bills?
- Our pick for: Beginner-friendly features
- 4. Find a (safe) day care facility
- Amenities
- Irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs)
- Tickets booked with an online travel agency might be tricky
- Legal protection
- Additional standard deduction 2023 (taxes due 2024)
- Keep credit utilization below 30%
- 4. Get competing bids
- 2. Decide what type of investor you are.
- 7. Suspend your benefit
- 4. Sell some merch
- 1099-DIV
- Ongoing fees
- Winner: Alaska
- 12. Start a virtual event planning company
- Cons
- 6. Optimize your finances with tax planning
- Saving and investing for retirement
- Your stolen stuff
- Publicly-traded REITs
- How much dwelling coverage do I have?
- Individual bank stocks
- 8. Artificial intelligence
- 3. Learn the difference between investing in stocks and funds
- 2. Research index funds
- If you are investing in an S&P 500 ETF:
- Bankruptcy
- Ages 65 to 74
- Term life insurance
- Work with a real estate agent to find your ideal second home
- Travel
- 7. Gather your loan paperwork
- Additional standard deduction 2024 (taxes due 2025)
- 5. Make money from your blog with affiliate links
- Keep credit accounts open
- Step 3: Review their franchise agreement
- Eureka
- 5. Upwork
- 1. Think long term versus short term
- Increase your marketing efforts
- 7. Mobile apps and entertainment for children
- Example CD APYs at select institutions
- Workers’ compensation
- 5. Get insured
- 5. Money market funds
- How to maximize your rewards
- 5. Trim the scope of the job
- If you are investing in a stock within the S&P 500 index:
- Debt settlement
- Flights
- 1099-G
- 6. Pick your investments
- 13. Sell zero-waste products
- 5. The Companion Pass: An unmatched perk
- Public non-traded REITs
- What makes it different?
- 9. Podcasting
- What’s covered and what’s not
- Cancel for Any Reason insurance can help
- Paperwork and compliance
- Which is easiest to qualify for?
- Space out credit applications
- Eligible properties
- 8. Use a do-over
- 5. Offer memberships
- 2. Look into tax-loss harvesting
- Whole life insurance
- Resident status rules
- Cash back sign-up bonus
- 6. Time your project
- 3. Traditional, in-person financial advisors
- Top 20 performers in the S&P 500 index
- 3. Choose how much you want to invest.
- InboxDollars Surveys
- 1099-INT
- Chubb: Best for high-value homes
- Wingstop franchise financing
- 8. Get a preapproval letter
- Tax credits for low-to-middle-income households
- Debt management plan
- 14. Make products for pets
- 7. Invest to build your future goals
- 8. Shared accessories and attire
- How are my belongings covered?
- Bank ETFs
- How to maximize your rewards
- 3. Pick your index funds
- Monitor your credit reports
- Step 4: Undergo their multi-week training program
- Seniors that are good drivers
- 5. Enter a debt management plan
- Open a new location for your business
- Our pick for: Fixed monthly payments
- 6. Get a business checking account and credit card
- 10. Streaming service
- 6. Sell your wares on Etsy
- Stocks
- Resident status rules
- 3. Hold the shares inside an IRA, a 401(k) or other tax-advantaged account
- Consider tools, education and features
- Our pick for: Everyday spending
- 15. Create custom clothing
- Discover it® Miles
- Private REITs
- Priority Pass discount: Kafe Kalik
- Understand what your credit card insurance will (or won’t) cover
- Popular Category 6 hotels
- 4. Select a provider to open your Roth IRA.
- Google Opinion Rewards
- 1099-K
- Simplified issue or guaranteed issue life insurance
- Debt consolidation
- Hire new employees
- 8. Grow your financial well-being
- Credit unions
- Example money market account APYs at select institutions
- 6. High-yield savings accounts
- Cost
- Is there enough liability coverage?
- USAA vs. State Farm home insurance
- 6. OfferUp
- An example of selling a call option
- Part-year resident status rules
- How to protect a trademark
- 11. 3D printing
- Hotels.com
- Step 5: Prepare for your grand opening
- Bonds
- Seniors with an at-fault accident
- 4. Call in a pro
- 9. Choose a real estate agent carefully
- 16. Sell vintage clothing online
- 7. Get financing
- 4. Set a budget for your stock market investment
- How much can you borrow?
- 4. Decide where to buy your index funds
- Swagbucks
- Group life insurance
- Pros
- Bankruptcy
- 9. Shared home improvement equipment
- Allianz Global Assistance
- What are the deductibles?
- Travel rewards sign-up bonus
- 7. Self-publish an e-book
- Part-year resident status rules
- Medicare enrollment periods
- 1099-LTC
- Take advantage of promotions
- Vanguard 500 Index Fund (VFIAX)
- 3. Find your vending machine
- Tax credits for investing in retirement
- Invest in technology
- 17. Begin niche blogging
- 9. Estate planning: Protect your financial well-being
- 6. Free entertainment onboard
- Online lenders
- 12. E-commerce
- Mutual funds
- Nonresident status rules
- 10. Narrow down your ideal type of house and neighborhood
- Winner: American Airlines
- Our pick for: An upgrade path
- Bonzah
- 7. CDs
- USAA vs. Allstate home insurance
- 5. Gather your paperwork.
- If you owe taxes
- 1099-MISC
- Life insurance riders
- Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund (VTSAX)
- DIY debt settlement
- Design
- 7. Poshmark
- Country Financial: Best for using an agent
- Cons
- 18. Become an e-book writer
- Rental Cover
- When do you have to pay it back?
- 5. Buy index funds
- Exchange-traded funds
- Nonresident status rules
- Most-redeemed Category 7 hotels
- How to enroll in Medicare
- Seniors with a speeding ticket
- Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund (VBTLX)
- 7. Customer-friendly policies
- 10. Vacation rentals
- Property-based passive income ideas
- 13. Portable charging devices
- Premium travel rewards sign-up bonus
- 8. Get advertising revenue from your blog or YouTube channel
- Prior management and leadership experience
- Overall diversification
- If you’re getting a tax refund
- Pros
- 1099-NEC
- Tax credits for education
- Our pick for: Flat-rate travel rewards
- Sure
- 5. Focus on investing for the long-term
- USAA vs. Geico home insurance
- 6. Pick your investments.
- Vanguard Balanced Index Fund (VBIAX)
- 19. Start ghostwriting
- 8. Southwest is still more affordable
- Payday lenders
- Booking.com
- Cons
- Pumpkin vs. Lemonade
- Complete financial plan and investment advice
- 11. Electronics repair
- 8. Buy a rental property
- 6. Keep an eye on your index funds
- Full-time availability
- Seniors with a DUI
- 1099-OID
- Vanguard Growth Index Fund (VIGAX)
- 4. Explore your financing options
- 11. Stick to your budget
- 20. Become a resume writer
- Our pick for: No security deposit, low annual fee
- 14. Publishing e-books
- Self-funding
- Are the proceeds taxable?
- High-interest installment lenders
- Amenities
- 1099-PATR
- Vanguard Small Cap Index Fund (VSMAX)
- California earned income tax credit (CalEITC)
- 21. Open a coworking space
- Specialized guidance and/or want to meet with an advisor face-to-face
- 9. Rent out your own house
- 6. Manage your stock portfolio
- Is the interest paid tax-deductible?
- 9. Become an Instagram influencer
- How to compare life insurance quotes
- 15. Fitness tech
- Excellent financial history
- 1099-Q
- Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund (VTIAX)
- California young child tax credit (YCTC)
- Pumpkin vs. Spot
- Financial assistance
- Life insurance quotes vs. rates
- 12. Make the most of walk-throughs and open houses
- Tax credits for green purchases
- Winner: Alaska Airlines
- 22. Become an online coach
- Portfolio management only
- 12. Academics courses
- 10. Get a roommate
- What makes it different?
- Be available for training
- NYC tax rate schedule
- 1099-R
- California child and dependent care tax credit
- 8. Hire staff
- 16. Online teaching
- Sample life insurance rates for diabetics
- NJM: Best small regional insurer
- Our pick for: Customizable bonus categories
- 23. Flip failing websites
- Our pick for: No security deposit, low annual fee, potentially high credit limit
- Alternative investment passive income ideas
- 10. Monetize your Twitch channel
- 1099-S
- California adoption cost tax credit
- 17. Mobile application development
- 24. Become a web developer
- 13. Language courses
- Cost
- 1. Take a driving class
- California nonrefundable renters tax credit
- 13. Don’t skip the home inspections
- 11. Peer-to-peer lending
- Roth IRA withdrawal rules
- 1099-SA
- 5. Stock your vending machine with inventory
- Pros
- 25. Start a podcast
- 9. Write your day care contract and policies
- 18. Search engine optimization consultant
- Roth IRA withdrawal penalty
- 26. Be a social media influencer
- Pros
- 19. Social media consultant
- 11. Sell your photography
- Panera bread
- 2. Choose a car that’s cheap to insure
- 14. Negotiate with the seller
- Our pick for: Average credit and rewards
- 14. Business or marketing courses
- 12. Private equity
- Cons
- 6. Make the right investments
- 27. Create online courses
- 20. Drone videography
- 3. Protect your car
- USAA: Best for military and veterans
- Our pick for: Paying rent
- Cons
- McDonald’s
- 15. Buy adequate home insurance
- 28. Become a marketing consultant
- 15. Personal wellness
- 21. Cybersecurity or IT consulting
- 13. Crypto staking
- Dunkin’
- 4. Get credit for driving less
- 29. Develop an app
- Our pick for: Average credit and no annual fee
- 22. Venture capitalist
- 12. Become a dog walker with Rover or Wag
- Your house
- Winner: American Airlines
- 16. Courses in hobbies or interests
- 5. Raise your deductible
- 30. Make a smart appliance
- Your location
- Product creation passive income ideas
- 23. Startup incubator
- 31. Tap into virtual reality experiences
- You and your stuff
- 13. Sell unused gift cards
- 6. Drop coverage you no longer need
- 1. Look at customer satisfaction scores
- 17. Bookkeeping and accounting
- 32. Make a niche dating site
- Our pick for: Limited credit
- 14. Write content
- 24. Antivirus developer
- Erie: Most generous coverage
- 2. Consider financial strength
- 7. Consider bundling your insurance policies
- 33. Develop a chatbot
- 25. Domain name broker
- Pros
- 3. Evaluate the policy options
- 18. Consulting
- 14. List your spare bedroom on Airbnb
- 34. Offer matchmaking skills
- 8. Shop around for coverage
- Cons
- 35. Be a virtual assistant
- 4. Get prices from a handful of companies
- Our pick for: Good credit
- 15. Publish a digital course
- 36. Reinvent exercising
- 19. IT support
- Car-related passive income ideas
- Nationwide: Best online experience
- 37. Create eco-friendly, health-friendly makeup and beauty products
- 15. Sell your gently used clothes
- 38. Open a food truck or restaurant pop-up
- 20. Graphic design
- 16. Wrap your car with ads
- Our pick for: Travel
- 39. Start an organization business
- 17. Rent out a parking space
- 40. Do interior design for young professionals
- 16. Trade in old phones, electronics for cash
- 21. Social media management
- Openly: Fewest consumer complaints
- Our pick for: Instant gratification
- 17. Get a babysitting gig
- 22. Marketing copywriter
- 23. Virtual assistant services
- 18. Rent out your car
- Our pick for: Personalized rewards
- State Farm: Best perks
- 1. Do your research
- 19. Sign up for TaskRabbit
- 2. Get organized and make it official
- 20. Become a private tutor
- 3. Find the right financing
- You’re a first-time home buyer
- 21. Drive for Uber, Lyft
- You live in a high-risk area
- 22. Make deliveries for Amazon, Uber Eats
- You have a dog
- 23. Find work as a housesitter
- You own valuable items
- Trip cancellation
- Trip interruption
- 24. Sign up to be a mystery shopper
- You own an older home
- Trip delay
- Cancel For Any Reason
- 25. Put your drone to work
- Baggage delay
- Lost baggage
- Travel medical insurance
1. Earn with ads as a YouTube Partner Program member
Let’s get this one out of the way first. You must join the YouTube Partner Program to earn money from advertisements. And you can’t become a YouTube partner who includes ads on your channel until it surpasses the 1,000-subscriber threshold. You’ll also need a collective 4,000 hours of watch time on long-form videos within the past 12 months or 10 million Shorts views within the past 90 days. (See No. 5 for how to join the Partner Program with reduced eligibility requirements.) Check those big boxes and it opens the door to ad revenue.
A few additional requirements apply before you can become a partner:
Your videos must abide by YouTube’s monetization policies.
You must live in an eligible area.
You need to link a Google AdSense account.
Click the “earn” section in YouTube Studio to apply. YouTube says it typically gets back to you within one month of reviewing your application to let you know if you’re approved or not.
As a YouTube partner, you can earn money through ads, chat features and from YouTube Premium subscribers who watch your content. The platform also allows YouTube partners to earn ad revenue on Shorts, which are YouTube’s version of short-form TikTok-like videos.
How many views on YouTube does it take to make money?
You don’t get paid per video view. Rather, you’re paid for the times when someone watches or clicks on an ad shown on your video.
Influencer Marketing Hub says that while payment varies, the average YouTube channel can expect to make about $18 per 1,000 ad views. That translates to $3 to $5 per 1,000 video views when you factor in the rate of ads actually viewed. The site has a YouTube calculator to gauge how much revenue you might make.
So when do you start making money on YouTube?
You'll be paid once your balance reaches $100. Say it takes approximately 1,000 video views to earn $4 from those viewers who saw ads. You would need 25,000 video views to make $100 through those ads.
If you have a small channel, you might get paid only every few months. You'll also want to be familiar with how Google, which issues AdSense payments, handles taxes.
Sound like a long road ahead?
Below are alternative ways to earn before you hit 1,000 subscribers.
2. Take a cut with affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing might be the most beginner-friendly way to monetize your YouTube traffic, especially if you plan to make product review videos. It works like this:
You find a company or seller with an affiliate program, such as Amazon Associates, and apply to join.
Once accepted, you’ll use their process to create custom links to products you plan to feature in your videos.
Demo, review or make reference to the products in your YouTube videos, and paste your custom affiliate marketing link(s) in the description field when you upload.
As an affiliate of a brand, you’ll earn a commission when a viewer clicks your custom link and purchases the product.
While Amazon Associates is a great way to make money on Amazon, endless other opportunities exist. Search on affiliate marketing sites such as ShareASale and ClickBank for possible corporate partners and products to feature. You can also search your favorite brands’ websites for information on how to become an affiliate.
If your channel eventually reaches more than 15,000 subscribers and you meet other eligibility requirements, you can explore the YouTube Shopping Affiliate program as a way to boost your earnings.
Don’t forget to properly notify your viewers about your affiliation with the brand or brands featured, and be sure to point them to the “link in description” when you shoot your video.
3. Land a brand deal and make sponsored content
Companies interested in your channel’s audience might sponsor your videos or offer you product placement deals in exchange for a shoutout, called brand deals in the biz.
The operative word here is “audience,” which means these types of deals are more likely to present themselves when you develop a following. As your channel grows, you can contact the brands you’d like to work with directly, or use resources like the aforementioned affiliate marketing sites to find corporate partners that complement your style of content.
With brand deals, you can receive lump sum payments, earn commission on a per-sale basis or get the product or service for free.
Keep in mind: If you do have an endorsement or use product placement in a video, you must notify YouTube by ticking a box in your video details.
4. Sell some merch
If you have merchandise or offer a service that’s relevant to your audience, let them know about it and provide links in your videos. For example, creator Marques Brownlee, of popular tech review channel MKBHD, leaves a link to his own line of T-shirts and accessories in every video he posts.
Selling a physical product might require you to buy materials or find a manufacturer, but you can also sell downloadables such as e-books, art prints or virtual classes. Have a secure payment system in place before you advertise your goods.
Incentive to sell: While creating your own products can be a lot harder than pitching those of other companies, you could stand to make more money this way, since you’ll keep the bulk of your proceeds as the product owner.
5. Offer memberships
A membership model is another way to monetize viewership. With this method, fans of the channel pay a small subscription fee for perks and/or an exclusive tier of access.
Patreon is a popular third-party membership platform. YouTube has been rolling out its own channel memberships feature, but you need to be part of the YouTube Partner Program to be eligible.
For channel memberships, you can join the Partner Program with 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in the last 90 days, and either 3,000 public watch hours on long-form video in the last 365 days or 3 million Shorts views in the last 90 days. That’s as opposed to the higher Partner Program eligibility requirements if you want to earn revenue through ads on your channel.
As always, more viewers can lead to more revenue. Incentives such as members-only livestreams, chats or other perks may entice viewers to become paying members.
How much money can you make on YouTube?
Breakout YouTube stars with millions of followers stand to make the most money, easily reaching seven figures. But even lesser-known content creators with a modest following can make some solid income on the side, or even full time.
According to Forbes, creator Jimmy Donaldson of the hugely popular channel MrBeast earned $54 million in 2023, in large part from the 237 million subscribers he’s racked up on YouTube. That kind of success is more the exception than the rule.
On the more modest side, Cinquanta Cox-Smith, a YouTuber focused on print-on-demand content with 11,900 subscribers, brings in about $120,000 in annual revenue, according to Career Ahead, a career-focused educational magazine.
Matt Par, a YouTube sensation who became successful as a teenager with a Top 10 list channel and now runs multiple channels including on how to make money on YouTube, tells viewers that the platform's Partner Program can be a good income-building source. He says he earns $30,000 per month in ad revenue through the program.
Earn an audience, and earn more in the long run
YouTube offers opportunity for all, but it’s not a get-rich-quick platform. It takes time, effort and an engaged audience to make money on YouTube. The good news is, with a little motivation and a lot of practice, you can find ways to earn before the coveted 1,000-subscriber threshold.
Keep these tips in mind as you get started:
The more videos you make and upload, the easier it is to reach the viewing-hours threshold.
The better you target your content to a specific audience or niche (e.g., film photography), the more likely your viewers will be to subscribe for more.
Thoughtful, entertaining videos are more likely to get views, so it pays to put effort into planning and production.
Don’t discount the power of a targeted title and standout thumbnail to attract viewer attention.
Other ways to make money
If making money on YouTube isn’t for you, consider these alternative routes:
Want to try another video platform? Learn how to make money on TikTok or get paid on Instagram.
If you’re crafty, learn how to make money on Etsy.
Looking to clean house? Try to sell stuff online or make money on eBay.