If you’re a creator working with short-form content, YouTube Shorts offers a major opportunity for youtube earning. These vertical videos under 60 seconds attract billions of views every day, making Shorts one of the fastest-growing ways for creators to reach new audiences. What many creators don’t realize is that there are multiple ways to start earning from Shorts — even if you haven’t hit 1,000 subscribers yet.
This guide explains every monetization option available for YouTube Shorts, how to qualify for the YouTube Partner Program, and how much you can realistically earn.
YouTube Partner Program Eligibility for Monetization
Before exploring monetization methods, it’s important to understand how eligibility for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) works. Shorts views count toward your eligibility, which helps creators grow faster.
To unlock the full YPP monetization features — including Shorts ad revenue-sharing — you need:
- 1,000 subscribers
- Either 4,000 public watch hours in 12 months, or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days
YouTube also offers a lower entry tier with more accessible requirements:
- 500 subscribers
- Three public uploads in 90 days
- Either 3,000 public watch hours in 12 months, or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days
This lower tier allows access to partial monetization tools, providing creators with early youtube earning potential.
Five Ways to Monetize YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts supports multiple built-in monetization features. Here are the strongest options for boosting youtube earning through Shorts.
1. Shorts Ad Revenue Sharing
Creators who meet the main YPP threshold can earn through ad revenue sharing. YouTube pools ad revenue generated between Shorts and divides it based on total views, music usage, and creator contribution. Each eligible creator receives 45 percent of their allocated revenue share. While payment varies, this is one of the most direct methods of youtube earning within the platform.
2. YouTube Fan Funding
Fan funding includes Super Chats, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks. These allow viewers to pay to highlight messages, support creators, or access special interactions. Fan funding is available in both YPP tiers, making it one of the earliest ways to start youtube earning even before reaching 1,000 subscribers.
3. YouTube Shopping
YouTube Shopping allows creators to tag products in their Shorts. Viewers can tap and buy directly.
- Lower YPP tier: promote your own products
- Full YPP tier with 15,000+ subscribers: promote other brands’ products through affiliate listings
This offers strong earning potential for creators who sell merchandise or digital products.
4. YouTube Premium Revenue
Creators earn a share of revenue from YouTube Premium subscribers who watch their content. Payments depend on watch time from Premium viewers. This feature is only available to creators who meet the full YPP requirements.
5. Channel Memberships
Channel memberships allow fans to pay a monthly fee in exchange for exclusive videos, badges, access, and behind-the-scenes content. Memberships are available in both YPP tiers, giving creators another early opportunity for youtube earning.
Six Additional Ways to Make Money With YouTube Shorts
You don’t have to rely only on YouTube’s built-in monetization tools. Creators often use Shorts to drive income through external methods.
1. Sell Digital Products
Digital products such as ebooks, tutorials, templates, and online courses are one of the most profitable ways to increase youtube earning. You can promote these products through your Shorts and sell them through platforms like The Leap.
2. Join Affiliate Programs
Affiliate marketing allows you to earn commissions when viewers buy products using your links. Popular programs include Amazon Associates and brand-specific affiliate programs. Shorts are a powerful way to showcase quick reviews, recommendations, and tutorials.
3. Partner With Brands
Short-form content is now a major focus for brands. Even small creators can secure sponsorships by creating engaging Shorts. Brands will pay for product features, tutorials, challenges, and demonstrations.
4. Create UGC for Brands
User-generated content (UGC) is a growing field where brands pay creators to produce short videos that they use in ads. You don’t need a large following — only the ability to make high-quality content.
5. Use Patreon or Other Membership Platforms
External membership platforms like Patreon offer more flexibility than YouTube memberships. You can sell digital downloads, offer exclusive content, or accept supporter donations.
6. Promote Your Long-Form Content
Shorts help attract traffic to your long videos, which generally bring in higher ad revenue. Repurpose clips from longer videos as Shorts to drive viewers to your main channel and increase overall youtube earning.
How Much Can You Earn From YouTube Shorts?
Shorts ad revenue varies based on RPM (revenue per thousand views). Reports show examples such as:
- 10 million views earning around $385 under older systems
- 1.4 million views earning around $108
- 1.2 million views earning roughly $31.70
Most creators report RPM rates between $0.04 and $0.07 for Shorts. This means:
- 1,000 views = a few cents
- 1 million views = $40 to $70
While Shorts alone may not produce huge income, they can significantly increase reach and help creators monetize through multiple channels.
Start Monetizing Your YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts make your content highly discoverable and offer strong opportunities for youtube earning. With just 500 subscribers, you can unlock early monetization tools. At 1,000 subscribers, full monetization features become available.
Beyond YouTube’s built-in tools, creators can diversify income by selling digital products, creating UGC, joining affiliate programs, and partnering with brands.
