How Much Do YouTubers REALLY Make in 2026? (Real Numbers)

The Truth About YouTube Earnings

Everyone wants to know: how much do YouTubers actually make? We analyzed over 1,000 YouTube channels across different niches and subscriber counts to bring you the real numbers.

Average Earnings by Subscriber Count

SubscribersMonthly ViewsMonthly Earnings

1,000 - 10,00010K - 50K$50 - $500

10,000 - 100,00050K - 500K$500 - $5,000

100,000 - 1M500K - 5M$5,000 - $50,000

1M - 10M5M - 50M$50,000 - $500,000

10M+50M+$500,000+

Key Factors That Affect Earnings

1. Your Niche Matters Most

Finance and insurance YouTubers can earn $30-50 per 1,000 views, while gaming creators might only earn $2-5. That's a 10-25x difference!

2. Audience Location

A viewer from the USA is worth 5-10x more than a viewer from India or Southeast Asia. Advertisers pay premium rates for US audiences.

3. Content Type

Long-form content (8+ minutes) with multiple ad breaks earns significantly more than short videos.

Beyond AdSense: Other Revenue Streams

Top YouTubers earn 50-80% of their income from sources other than AdSense:

**Sponsorships**: $10-50 per 1,000 views

**Affiliate Marketing**: 5-15% of product sales

**Merchandise**: $5-20 profit per item

**Digital Products**: Courses, ebooks, templates

**Channel Memberships**: $2-25/month per member

Real Examples

MrBeast (300M+ subscribers): Estimated $50-80 million/year

MKBHD (18M subscribers): Estimated $5-10 million/year

Small Tech Channel (50K subscribers): $2,000-5,000/month

The Bottom Line

YouTube can absolutely be a full-time income, but it requires:

Choosing the right niche

Consistent uploads

Diversifying income streams

Patience (most channels take 1-2 years to monetize)

Ready to calculate your potential earnings? Use our [YouTube Money Calculator](/calculator) to see how much you could make!