Quick Summary
Gone are the days when YouTube was just for fun. In 2025, it’s one of the most powerful platforms to earn money online, whether you’re a student, content creator, or aspiring influencer.
With 2.7 billion+ users and over 500 hours of content uploaded every minute (Statista), YouTube offers massive income potential. From ads and affiliate marketing to sponsorships and memberships, creators now have multiple ways to monetize their YouTube channels.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to start, grow, and monetize your YouTube channel, plus smart tips to boost your earnings—even without ads. Ready to turn your content into income? Let’s dive in!
Starting a channel is simple. Here are the basic steps:
Tip: Pick a niche you are passionate about – like gaming, education, tech reviews, or vlogs. A focused niche helps attract a loyal audience.
“Below is a table showcasing various YouTube monetization methods and their estimated YouTube monthly income potential, helping you understand the earning opportunities available.”
|
YouTube Monetization Method |
Estimated Earnings |
|
Product Reviewing |
1 lac |
|
YouTube Video Editing |
1.5 lac |
|
YouTube Ads |
8 lacs |
|
Selling Personal Branded Products |
60k |
|
Paid Membership Program |
10 lacs |
|
Crowdfunding |
15 lacs |
|
YouTube Influencer |
4 lacs |
|
Create Sponsored Content |
10k-1 lac |
|
Get Paid from Fans |
1 lac |
|
YouTube Stickers & Super chats |
1 lac |
|
YouTube Super Thanks |
1 lac |
|
YouTube Shorts |
10 lacs |
|
Sell an Online Course |
50k |
|
YouTube Premium |
10-30 lacs |
|
License Your Content |
5 lacs |
This article will share fifteen effective ways to make money on YouTube. They range from basic to advanced.
Product reviews are a powerful way to make money on YouTube. By sharing honest feedback on features, pricing, pros, and cons, you provide value to viewers and build trust.
Add affiliate links in your video description—when viewers buy through them, you earn a commission. This blend of helpful content and affiliate marketing can boost both income and engagement.
1. First things first, you need to select the niche for whose products you will be doing product reviews. The niche should be something you need to be interested in; you can review products from tech gadgets to kids’ toys.
2. Get registered with any affiliate network from which you can select niche products you want to sell.
3. Get the affiliate link of the products from the network and paste it in the description box of the product review video you will make.
4. Create the product review videos and upload them on YouTube with the affiliate link, and start earning.
Video editing is the first marketable skill as a YouTube creator, assuming you’ve been doing it for your videos. Many brands are launching their new YouTube channel, so providing a concierge YouTube video editing service to them could earn you some money. Video editing requires specialised knowledge, time, and creativity to ensure that the information flows smoothly and keeps the viewer engaged. Creating video sketches for the channel regularly will improve your skills while also elevating your portfolio. This is how to make money on YouTube.
1. Sharpen your video editing skills before getting into this business. Learn all about editing and the tools used.
2. Select the niche or type of YouTube channels you want to work for. For instance, if you like music, then you can work with music creators on YouTube and edit videos for them.
3. Start searching for such YouTube channels that may need your services or check out videos of your favourite channels and offer them to work with you.
Read More: How to become a Freelance Video Editor
YOUTUBE STATISTICS 2025
Advertising is the most common way for generators to earn money from YouTube. The YouTube Partner Program( YPP) enables generators to monetize their channels in a variety of ways, the most common of which is ad revenue. Before you can monetize in their account, you must first come to a YouTube mate and set up an AdSense account. This is a critical step because AdSense is the platform through which they can earn money through YouTube. To be eligible for the YouTube Partner Program, you must meet the following conditions: you must have at least 1000 subscribers. Have watched at least 4000 hours of TV in the past 12 months.
1. Start your YouTube channel on which you will be posting your content.
2. The next step is to create a Google AdWords account and follow the instructions it gives you.
3. After filling out all the details on Adwords, you need to connect it with your YouTube channel.
4. Lastly, once your channel becomes eligible, ads will start showing on your video content, and you can learn how to earn from YouTube views by earning revenue for every ad watched by viewers.
Trading wares is an excellent way to supplement your YouTube income alongside YouTube ad revenue. If you have a lot of dedicated fans who enjoy your content, they would appreciate some channel merch. You can sell your personally branded products, from ingrained t-shirts to autographed posters; this could include anything.
As a result, earning money from YouTube is the most effective system. YouTube is also experimenting with the wares shelf, which allows you to sell products beneath videos on the end screens. This is ideal for dealing with goods without deviating from their content or appearing in transactions.
1. After you have your personal merchandise ready to be sold, the time comes to advertise it. You can start doing it by talking about your products in your videos.
2. Utilise your channels’ popularity to bring more customers. Retarget your old customers and spread the word.
3. And lastly, and most important thing to do is add a link to buy your merch under your YouTube Channel and videos you post.
Channel enrolments allow your dedicated fans to support you in exchange for exclusive content or other gratuities. Channel enrolments, like personality subscriptions, provide entitlement access to exclusive benefits like custom emojis, amped stickers, and indeed member-only vids. This is a fantastic way to generate consistent YouTube monthly income through recurring subscriptions from your dedicated fans.
You can produce your price situations and subscription freights, so suppose what you could offer your biggest supporters as a thank-you for supporting your channel. Channel Enrolments are analogous to Patreon, except that the features are built into YouTube. Once you’ve joined the YPP, you can enable YouTube Enrolments from the Monetization menu. A fantastic way to earn money from YouTube.
1. After YouTube declares you eligible for the Paid Membership Program, you can make changes to enable this service.
2. On your desktop, go to the YouTube Studio, where on the left side of the menu, you can see the option Earn.
3. Under the Earn option, you will see the Memberships tab, turn it on, and get started with the paid program.
You can raise one-time funds by adding cards to approved crowdfunding sites on YouTube. Creators often use this to support special projects like books, apps, or causes they care about. To be eligible, your channel must have 10,000+ subscribers and be part of the YouTube Partner Program.
Because it is a one-time effort, this monetization strategy may be easier to implement than the recurring membership revenue model. Depending on your funding objectives, this could be difficult.
Platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo have frequently been used to detail your project idea, the budget required for execution, and the fundraising process to earn money from YouTube.
1. Go to the YouTube Studios, from the left menu select Earn, under which you need to select the option Giving.
2. Select the Get Started and then Create a Fundraiser option. Under which you need to go through the terms & conditions, select Request a Nonprofit.
3. After the previous step, you need to set up the details of the fundraiser. Like the reason, title, description, partners, and duration.
4. When all these things are done, add the video or live schedule that will feature the crowdfunding button.
5. Finally, publish it and earn money from YouTube.
Users log in to YouTube to watch videos on purpose, rather than scrolling passively as they do on other social media platforms. YouTube Influencers are professional who creates content solely for their audience’s entertainment and information. But being an influencer helps generate YouTube earnings too.
As an influencer, you can have multiple sources of income from YouTube, you can do affiliate marketing, sell personally branded merchandise, enroll in the YouTube Paid Membership Program, etc. What you have to make sure of before becoming a YouTube influencer is that you have all the necessary knowledge about this work and are consistent in posting new content and interacting with your followers.
1. The first step to be an influencer will be to choose your niche. Your niche will decide your’s your channel’s future content for YouTube.
2. Create goals, short-term goals, and long-term goals for your channel. Ask yourself what you want to achieve from it. Do you want to help people? Do you want to earn while educating and entertaining viewers? Then create a content outline according to it.
3. After creating a content outline, start making the content and post it on your YouTube channel.
4. Once you start posting videos, be consistent and keep track of your videos’ performance. And if they can be improved, then do so by repurposing.
5. Lastly, when you start building a strong community on YouTube, with great content, you will become eligible to get paid for creating content.
Sponsored content YouTube strategies have become one of the most lucrative ways to earn on the platform. If your channel has strong engagement and a valuable target audience, brands are more likely to sponsor your content, giving you consistent and high-paying opportunities.
Through YouTube BrandConnect or direct outreach, you can create paid partnerships that promote products. For many YouTubers, sponsored content becomes the highest-earning monetization method.
1. To start creating Sponsored Content on YouTube, you need to meet all the eligibility criteria set by YouTube. Like you should be 18, part of the YouTube Partner Program, and more.
2. After getting an update on your eligibility, you need to follow the instructions that show up. Once you fill in all the details, YouTube will connect with you once it finds a suitable match. BrandConnect opportunity for you.
To earn money on YouTube, all you need is original content and an engaged audience. Once your channel meets the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) requirements—like 1,000 subscribers—you can start earning through ads, memberships, and more.
You can also use platforms like Patreon, where fans pay for exclusive content, bonus livestreams, or custom perks. It’s a great way for creators to monetize their work beyond YouTube alone.
1. To get paid directly by your fans, you need to become eligible as per YouTube guidelines, and then you can monetize your YouTube channel.
2. After passing the eligibility check, you can start getting paid for Livestreams by your Superfans.
Using YouTube Super Chat and Super Stickers is a smart way to earn money on YouTube live streams. Viewers purchase stickers to highlight messages and support creators. Though YouTube takes a 30% cut, it’s a powerful tool to boost engagement and increase your YouTube earnings. Monetize your live chats to grow your fanbase and income!
1. To start YouTube earnings from stickers and super chats, you need to go to YouTube Studio
2. On the left menu, click on Earn, then click on the Super tab, which will only surface if your channel is eligible.
3. Click on Get Started and follow all the instructions given, and accept.
4. Finally, you will see the options “Super Chats” and “Super Stickers” with an on and off option. Turn it on or off as per your choice to start boosting your YouTube income through fan contributions during live streams.
Super Thanks (formerly Viewer’s Applause) is another great way to earn money on YouTube. Viewers use it to show extra support by purchasing animated stickers and comments on both short and long videos. Creators get paid for every Super Thanks, boosting YouTube monetization and audience engagement.
1. After checking your eligibility, you need to go to YouTube Studio.
2. Go to the left menu, select Earn, and click the tab Supers, which will be displayed only when your channel is eligible.
3. Click on Get Started and follow all the instructions given.
4. Finally, after going through all the instructions, you will see the option “Super Thanks”. It will have an on and off option, which you can turn as per your choice.
YouTube Shorts is a powerful tool to attract viewers and increase YouTube monetization. These quick, engaging videos (up to 60 seconds) are created via mobile and perfect for growing your channel fast. To earn money from YouTube Shorts, join the Shorts monetization program and post consistent, high-quality content.
1. To monetize your shorts, you need to agree with the YouTube Shorts monetization module.
2. After this, create original content and upload it to YouTube.
3. After running shorts for some time, YouTube will contact you if you are eligible to earn money from YouTube shorts.
4. Finally, after acceptance, you will start receiving a bonus and will have a chance till the 25 of every month to claim the bonus.
This is the best way to earn money from YouTube for people who are experts in a field, professors, lifestyle coaches, retired economists, etc. You can create your own online learning content, like a course, and monetize it on YouTube. You must have heard about selling courses on platforms like Udemy and Coursera, but you can also sell your courses on YouTube. And as your channel might have a good fanbase already, you can encourage them to buy your course.
1. After creating a complete online course, you need to start promoting it. Tell your followers about your course, how it will solve their problem, extra features of the course, etc.
2. And at the time of release, of course, you need to add its link in the description box of your video content.
3. From this link, viewers will be directed to the purchase website of the course, where they can buy it. And you can start earning as your course sells.
As a creator, YouTube Premium unlocks features to boost your earnings from YouTube. The key benefit is ad-free video streaming but instead of losing ad revenue, you earn directly from subscribers who pay for exclusive content. This can significantly increase your YouTube monthly income through Premium memberships.
1. Create your YouTube Channel and make a strong fan base.
2. After this, you can apply for YouTube Premium for Creators, where you have to pay a certain price; but don’t worry, you will earn twice its price.
3. After checking all your eligibility criteria, you will be given permission to create content on Premium.
4. Start creating content and promote it. Ask your loyal fans to subscribe to Premium Membership to watch your content ad-free and exclusively.
You can license newsworthy video content to media outlets like CNN, FOX, NBC, Discovery, and Animal Planet, depending on your niche.
Tech review videos are less likely to be licensed, but content in niches like travel, health, food, fitness, fashion, and beauty has better potential. For instance, as a fashion YouTube influencer attending a fashion event, you could license your video to a news outlet covering the event. This can be a lucrative way to earn money from YouTube.
1. To license your content for YouTube earnings, you need to go to YouTube’s Advanced settings option, near the monetization option.
2. Go to “License and rights ownership” and then click on the “Standard YouTube license box”.
3. Next, choose the “Creative Commons license” and save your changes, and you are done. However. Remember that your content should be worth licensing; otherwise, you wouldn’t get any monetary benefits.
If you are active and eager about becoming a YouTuber, get started and don’t become discouraged if you don’t see immediate success.
There are several strategies for increasing the visibility of your channel. Some of the useful techniques are:
To get paid for your video content, you must meet these thresholds:
Well, there is no limit to how much you can earn money from YouTube once you have established a strong viewership on the platform. However, if you want to know the minimum YouTube payment you can get for your content, it needs to be calculated based on factors like views, engagement, and monetization methods.
Knowing how many subscribers on YouTube to get money is just the start. Use YouTube Analytics to study your audience’s gender, age, location, engagement, and search keywords. This insight helps you monetize better and attract brand deals, especially if you run a niche channel.
Earning money on YouTube in 2025 is more accessible than ever, with multiple monetization methods like ads, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and merchandise sales. Success on YouTube requires creating high-quality, engaging content that attracts and retains subscribers. Using YouTube Analytics to understand your audience and promoting your channel across social media boosts visibility and income potential. Whether you’re starting a new channel or growing an existing one, persistence and smart strategies help you meet monetization thresholds and maximize earnings. Start creating valuable videos today and unlock the full potential of how to earn from YouTube.
Dive into our guide to explore all about online jobs to fit any lifestyle.
To monetize your YouTube channel, you need to meet the following eligibility criteria:
1. 1,000 Subscribers: Your channel must have at least 1,000 subscribers.
2. Watch Hours or Shorts Views: Achieve either 4,000 valid public watch hours in the past 12 months, OR
3. 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days.
The exact amount you’ll make from a video is determined by a variety of factors, including advertiser interest and location. Content created in the United States, for example, may earn more money per view than content created elsewhere, but a channel promoting tech products is likely to earn more money through advertising than one about cat videos. A million views are required on average to earn $1000.
You will get paid for your content when your YouTube earnings reach the verification threshold. YouTube itself will connect with you and send a PIN to the payment address on your Google AdSense account before your payment.
By submitting an application and getting approved for the YouTube Partner Program, you can make money on YouTube. It may only be possible for channels to profit if they adhere to our YouTube channel monetization guidelines.
YouTube pays its creators each month, but there’s a catch: you have to reach a $100 minimum payment threshold before you can get paid. The next month, YouTube processes your payment when you hit this milestone. For example, you will receive your money by the end of February if you make $100 in January.
Yes, YouTube will allow you to start monetizing your channel with 500 subscribers, but you won’t be able to earn from ads or the YouTube Shorts Fund. You’ll need to reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 valid public watch hours in the past year (or 10 million Shorts views in the past 90 days) to be eligible for ad revenue. However, with 500 subscribers, you can still use fan funding features like Channel Memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks. You can also integrate your merchandise store with YouTube Shopping.
Making ₹1 lakh per month as your income from YouTube in India is totally doable, but it won’t happen overnight. It’s like preparing for a big fat Indian wedding – it takes time, effort, and a whole lot of planning. But with consistency, creativity, and a solid strategy, you can turn your YouTube dreams into reality.
The amount of money earned from 10,000 YouTube views varies significantly, but generally ranges from $20 to $100 or more, depending on several factors. These factors include the video’s content, viewer demographics, ad engagement, and the creator’s CPM (cost per mille, or cost per 1000 views).
Yes, YouTube does pay for Shorts, but creators need to be part of the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and meet specific eligibility requirements. To earn from Shorts, creators need to accept the Shorts Monetization Module and will then share in the ad revenue generated from the Shorts Feed. YouTube also allocates a portion of YouTube Premium revenue to creators who have Shorts views.
To start earning money on YouTube, you must meet one of the following eligibility criteria:
1. 1,000 subscribers + 4,000 valid public watch hours in the past 12 months,
OR
2. 1,000 subscribers + 10 million valid public YouTube Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Once eligible, you can apply for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) to monetize your channel through ads, memberships, and more.
You can make money by using royalty-free clips, curating content, managing channels, adding affiliate links, or monetizing through ads and services, all without filming original videos.
The minimum withdrawal amount on YouTube is $100. Once your earnings reach this threshold, you can transfer the money to your linked bank account through AdSense.
Avoid buying fake subscribers or views, clickbait titles, ignoring YouTube guidelines, and inconsistent posting. These can hurt monetization and channel growth.
Authored by, Anshika Sharma
Digital Content Writer
Anshika specializes in writing informational content designed to educate and engage readers at all levels. She aims to spark curiosity and make learning a genuinely enjoyable experience. When she’s not writing, she’s often immersed in research for her next piece or exploring new topics to expand her knowledge and creativity.
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Chegg India does not ask for money to offer any opportunity with the company. We request you to be vigilant before sharing your personal and financial information with any third party. Beware of fraudulent activities claiming affiliation with our company and promising monetary rewards or benefits. Chegg India shall not be responsible for any losses resulting from such activities.
