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YouTube money calculator
Estimate what a video or a month of views pays from ads, using the RPM range creators actually see.
What views pay at the default RPM
| Views | Estimate |
|---|---|
| 1k views | $2.4–$6 |
| 10k views | $24–$60 |
| 100k views | $240–$600 |
| 1M views | $2,400–$6,000 |
Computed from this page’s default RPM of $4 per 1,000 views. Low is that RPM × 0.6 and high is × 1.5, the same spread the result panel uses before you pick a niche. YouTube does not publish these rates.
YouTube RPM by niche: typical ranges
The biggest unknown in any YouTube earnings estimate is RPM. Two channels with the same views can earn very different amounts, because advertisers pay more to reach some audiences than others. A viewer researching credit cards or project management software is worth more to an advertiser than a viewer watching a gaming clip, and that difference flows straight through to your RPM.
The table shows RPM ranges creators commonly report for long-form videos watched mostly in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. The ranges are wide on purpose, and your own RPM can sit outside them. The only reliable number is the one in YouTube Studio once your channel is monetised. The last column runs each range through the calculator at 50,000 views a month.
Audience country matters about as much as niche. Views from countries where advertisers spend less on video ads can pull RPM down to a fraction of these ranges, even in a high-paying niche. Video length matters too: at the time of writing, videos of 8 minutes or longer can carry mid-roll ads, which often lifts RPM as long as the extra ads do not push viewers away.
RPM also moves through the year. Advertisers tend to spend most from October to December and least in January, so many channels see RPM climb into the holidays and drop in the new year. If you are estimating a full year, use an average RPM rather than your best month.
Some things you control do raise RPM. Topics that attract buyers, such as reviews, comparisons and tutorials for paid tools, tend to earn more than general entertainment in the same niche. Longer videos with well-placed mid-rolls add ad slots. A larger share of viewers from high-spending countries lifts the average, which is one reason channels about money and software sit at the top of the table. None of this is worth chasing at the cost of views: a 20% higher RPM on half the views is still less money.
Ad revenue is only one line. Many mid-sized channels earn more from sponsorships, affiliate links, memberships and their own products than from ads. If your ad estimate looks small, the sponsorship rate calculator shows what the same views could be worth to a brand.
| Niche | Commonly reported RPM | At 50,000 views a month |
|---|---|---|
| Personal finance and investing | $8 to $20 | $400 to $1,000 |
| Business and marketing | $6 to $15 | $300 to $750 |
| Tech and software | $4 to $12 | $200 to $600 |
| Education and how-to | $4 to $15 | $200 to $750 |
| Lifestyle and vlogs | $2 to $5 | $100 to $250 |
| Gaming | $1 to $4 | $50 to $200 |
| Entertainment and comedy | $1 to $4 | $50 to $200 |
| Kids content | $0.20 to $1 | $10 to $50 |
How it works
RPM (revenue per mille) is what you earn per 1,000 views after YouTube’s share. It already accounts for views that show no ad, so the estimate is simply views × RPM ÷ 1,000.
The monetised share is shown so you can sanity-check your RPM: if few of your views are monetised, expect an RPM at the low end.
RPM varies a lot by niche, audience country and season. Finance, software and business channels often see several times the RPM of entertainment and gaming channels, and Q4 is usually the highest quarter.
Questions
What is a normal YouTube RPM?
It varies by niche and audience. Many channels see a few dollars per 1,000 views; finance and tech can be far higher, kids and gaming lower. Your real RPM is in YouTube Studio under Analytics, Revenue.
What is the difference between RPM and CPM?
CPM is what advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions. RPM is what you earn per 1,000 views, after YouTube’s share and including views with no ads. RPM is the number to use for income.
Do Shorts pay the same?
No. Shorts revenue is pooled and shared differently, so Shorts RPM is usually much lower than long-form. Run Shorts views separately with a lower RPM.
How much does YouTube pay for 1 million views?
Multiply 1,000 by your RPM. At a $2 RPM a million long-form views pays about $2,000, at $5 about $5,000 and at $10 about $10,000. A million Shorts views pays far less, usually tens of dollars rather than thousands.
How many subscribers do you need to get paid on YouTube?
At the time of writing, ad revenue in the YouTube Partner Program requires 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months or 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days. A lower tier with smaller thresholds unlocks fan funding such as memberships, but not ad revenue. Check YouTube’s current eligibility page, as these rules have changed before.
How much of the ad money does YouTube keep?
At the time of writing, creators receive 55% of the net ad revenue from their long-form videos and YouTube keeps 45%. Shorts work differently: creators receive 45% of the revenue allocated to them from the Shorts pool. Your RPM already reflects these shares, which is why it is the right number for income.
When and how does YouTube pay you?
Through a linked AdSense account. Each month’s earnings are finalised early in the following month and paid once your balance passes the payment threshold, which is $100 for accounts paid in US dollars at the time of writing. Tax withholding depends on your country and the tax information you submit.
Why did my YouTube earnings drop in January?
Advertisers spend heavily in the last quarter of the year and cut back when the new year starts, so RPM often falls in January even when views hold steady. It usually recovers over the following months. Compare January with last January, not with December.