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Shorts7 min readFebruary 12, 2026

YouTube Shorts Monetization: How Much Do Shorts Pay?

Complete breakdown of YouTube Shorts revenue share and RPM rates.

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YouTube Shorts Monetization Explained

How Shorts Revenue Works

Shorts monetization is different from regular videos:

  • 1. **Ad revenue is pooled** - All Shorts ads go into one pool
  • 2. **Views determine share** - Your % of total Shorts views = your % of revenue
  • 3. **Music licensing takes cut** - If you use licensed music, that portion is deducted
  • 4. **45% goes to creators** - Same as regular YouTube

    • How Much Do Shorts Pay?

    ViewsEstimated Earnings
    100,000$50 - $150
    1,000,000$500 - $1,500
    10,000,000$5,000 - $15,000
    100,000,000$50,000 - $150,000

    Shorts RPM vs Long-Form RPM

  • **Shorts RPM**: $0.03 - $0.15 per 1,000 views
  • **Long-form RPM**: $2 - $10+ per 1,000 views

    • That's a 20-100x difference!

    Should You Focus on Shorts?

    Pros:

  • Easier to go viral
  • Faster subscriber growth
  • Less production time

    • Cons:

  • Much lower RPM
  • Viewers don't convert to long-form
  • Algorithm is unpredictable

    • Best Strategy

    Use Shorts to grow your audience, then convert them to long-form viewers for real revenue.

    Calculate potential earnings: [YouTube Calculator](/calculator)

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