YouTube Money Calculator
Estimate your YouTube earnings from AdSense, sponsorships, memberships, and Super Chat based on views, niche CPM, and monetization eligibility.
What is YouTube Monetization?
YouTube monetization is the process of earning revenue from video content through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Once accepted into the program, creators can earn money from multiple sources: AdSense (display, overlay, and video ads), channel memberships, Super Chat and Super Stickers during live streams, and the YouTube Shorts ad revenue pool.
YouTube takes a 45% cut of AdSense revenue and a 30% cut of memberships and Super Chat. This means creators keep 55% of ad revenue and 70% of direct fan payments. Understanding these revenue splits is essential for accurately estimating your earning potential.
Beyond the Partner Program, many creators earn significantly more through brand sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and merchandise sales. For most channels with 100,000+ subscribers, sponsorship income exceeds AdSense revenue by 2-5x.
YouTube Earnings Formulas
AdSense monthly earnings:
Monthly Earnings = (Monthly Views × Ad Density × CPM / 1,000) × 0.55
Revenue per 1,000 views (RPM):
RPM = (Total Earnings / Total Views) × 1,000
Sponsorship rate estimate:
Sponsorship Rate = f(Subscribers, Average Views)
Membership revenue:
Monthly Membership = Subscribers × Conversion Rate × Tier Price × 0.70
The 0.55 multiplier reflects YouTube's 45% revenue share. For memberships and Super Chat, the creator keeps 70% (0.70 multiplier).
YouTube Earnings Examples by Channel Size
These examples show estimated monthly earnings from AdSense alone, based on typical CPM rates and 55% ad density.
| Channel Profile | Monthly Views | Niche CPM | AdSense/Month | Sponsorship/Video | Est. Total Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small gaming channel | 50,000 | $3.50 | $96 | $50 | $196 (2 sponsors) |
| Education channel (growing) | 200,000 | $6.00 | $660 | $300 | $1,260 (2 sponsors) |
| Tech review channel | 500,000 | $7.50 | $2,063 | $1,500 | $5,063 (2 sponsors) |
| Finance channel | 1,000,000 | $11.50 | $6,325 | $5,000 | $16,325 (2 sponsors) |
| Large entertainment channel | 5,000,000 | $2.00 | $5,500 | $10,000 | $25,500 (2 sponsors) |
Example calculation (Tech review channel): With 500,000 monthly views, $7.50 CPM, and 55% ad density: (500,000 × 0.55 × $7.50 / 1,000) × 0.55 = $2,062.50/month from AdSense. Adding 2 sponsorships at $1,500 each = $5,062.50 estimated monthly total.
YouTube CPM Rates by Niche (2024)
| Niche | CPM Range | Why It Pays This |
|---|---|---|
| Business & Marketing | $12 - $20 | High-value B2B advertisers, professional audience |
| Finance & Investing | $8 - $15 | Financial services pay premium rates |
| Tech Reviews | $5 - $10 | Affluent audience, high purchase intent |
| Education | $4 - $8 | Engaged viewers, educational product ads |
| Gaming | $2 - $5 | Younger audience, moderate advertiser demand |
| General Entertainment | $1 - $3 | Broad audience, lower advertiser targeting |
Note: CPM varies by country. US/UK/Canada have highest CPMs. Developing countries may have CPMs 50-80% lower.
How to Use the YouTube Money Calculator
This calculator estimates YouTube earnings from multiple revenue streams.
- AdSense — Enter monthly views and select your niche. The calculator uses realistic CPM ranges for your content type. Adjust ad density based on whether you have many skippable ads (high) or fewer ads (low).
- Sponsorships — Enter subscribers and average views per video. The calculator estimates what brands typically pay for in-video sponsorships based on your channel size.
- Memberships — Calculate potential earnings from channel memberships and Super Chat. Most channels see 0.2-2% of subscribers become paying members.
- Eligibility — Check if you meet YouTube Partner Program requirements (1,000 subscribers + 4,000 watch hours).
YouTube Monetization Requirements
To join the YouTube Partner Program and earn AdSense revenue, you need:
- 1,000 subscribers
- 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months (OR 10M Shorts views in 90 days)
- 2-Step Verification on your Google account
- No active Community Guidelines strikes
- Live in an eligible country
- Follow YouTube's monetization policies (advertiser-friendly content)
Additional features require higher thresholds:
- Channel Memberships: 30,000 subscribers (or 1,000 for gaming channels)
- Merchandise Shelf: 10,000 subscribers
- Super Chat & Super Stickers: Available once monetized
Tips to Maximize YouTube Earnings
Increase AdSense Revenue
- Video length matters — Videos 8+ minutes can have mid-roll ads, significantly increasing revenue
- Watch time > views — Longer watch time = more ads shown = higher earnings
- Target high-CPM niches — Finance, tech, and business content pays 3-10x more than entertainment
- Optimize for US/UK/Canada audience — CPMs are 2-5x higher than developing countries
- Avoid copyrighted content — Claimed videos cannot be monetized
Attract Sponsorships
- Media kit — Professional document with stats, demographics, past partnerships
- Join networks — Platforms like GrapeVine, FameBit, Channel Pages connect creators with brands
- Niche expertise — Brands prefer specialized channels (e.g., vegan cooking) over general channels
- Engagement > subscribers — 50K subs with 10% engagement beats 500K with 1%
Grow Memberships
- Offer real value — Exclusive content, early access, behind-the-scenes, community perks
- Multiple tiers — $0.99 entry tier, $4.99 mid-tier, $9.99+ super fan tier
- Promote regularly — Mention memberships in videos, use end screens
- Engage members — Reply to member comments, host member-only live streams