How To Find Out How Much a YouTube Channel Makes

Introduction.

Curious about how much money a YouTube channel makes? You’re not alone. With millions of creators uploading videos daily, YouTube is more than just a platform for entertainment—it’s a business.

For some, it’s a side hustle that earns a little extra cash, while for others, it’s a full-time career.

If you’ve ever wondered how much a YouTuber earns or you’re thinking about starting a channel yourself, it helps to understand the numbers behind the content.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to estimate a YouTube channel’s income.

I’ll explain where that money comes from, what factors affect earnings, and how you can get a pretty good idea of how much your favourite YouTubers (or even you) could be making.

Where Does YouTube Money Come From?

Let’s start with the basics: how do YouTubers make money? It’s not just one thing—it comes from different sources. The most common ones are:

1. Ad Revenue

YouTube’s main income source is ads. When you watch a video, you’ll probably see ads at the beginning, in the middle, or sometimes as banners during the video. These ads make money for both YouTube and the creator.

Creators get paid through something called YouTube’s Partner Program (YPP). Once a channel has at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time in the last year, they can apply for the program.

How much they earn depends on:

CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions): How much advertisers pay for every 1,000 views. This can range from $1 to $10 or more, depending on the audience and type of content.
Viewer Location: Advertisers in the U.S., U.K., or Australia usually pay more than in other countries.
Video Length: Longer videos (8+ minutes) can have more ads, which means more revenue.

On average, a YouTube channel makes $3 to $5 per 1,000 views, but this varies widely.

2. Sponsorships

If you’ve watched YouTubers promoting products or services, those are paid sponsorships. Companies pay creators to mention or review their product. This can be a huge source of income, often more than ad revenue. The amount depends on:

The channel’s size and niche.
Engagement rates (how many people like, comment, and share the video).
A smaller channel with a loyal audience can make hundreds, while larger ones can earn thousands of dollars per sponsored video.

3. Merchandise Sales

Some creators sell their own merchandise like t-shirts, hats, or mugs. If they have a strong brand or fanbase, this can bring in extra money. Platforms like Teespring and Shopify make it easy to set up a store.

4. YouTube Premium

YouTube Premium subscribers pay to watch videos without ads. Creators still get a share of this revenue, but it’s usually a small percentage compared to ad revenue.

How Do I Estimate How Much a YouTube Channel Makes?

Now that you know where the money comes from, let’s figure out how to estimate a channel’s income. While no one but the creator knows the exact number, there are a few methods to get a good guess.

1. Check the Channel’s Views

Start by looking at how many views the channel gets. This information is public and easy to find. You can look at:

The total number of views the channel has.
The average views per video.

Let’s say a channel gets 100,000 views per month. If the average CPM is $4, they’re probably earning around $400 per month from ad revenue (100,000 views ÷ 1,000 x $4).

2. Use Online Calculators

There are free tools online that estimate YouTube earnings. These calculators use factors like views, CPM, and engagement to give you a rough idea of how much a channel might be making.
Some popular ones include:

Social Blade (socialblade.com)
Noxinfluencer (noxinfluencer.com)

Keep in mind, that these are just estimates. The actual income can be higher or lower depending on sponsorships, merchandise sales, and other factors.

3. Look for Sponsorship Rates

If the YouTuber mentions sponsors, you can estimate their sponsorship income too. As a rough guide:

A channel with 10,000 subscribers might earn $100 to $500 per sponsored video.
A channel with 100,000 subscribers could earn $1,000 to $5,000.
Bigger channels with over a million subscribers might charge $10,000 or more.

Some creators list their sponsorship rates on platforms like Famebit or Upfluence, where brands and influencers connect.

Factors That Affect YouTube Earnings

Not all channels make the same amount, even if they have similar views. Here are a few reasons why:

Niche:
Some niches pay more than others. For example, channels about personal finance, tech reviews, or business tend to have higher CPMs than vlogging or gaming channels.
Audience:
The location, age, and interests of the audience also matter. Advertisers pay more to reach specific demographics, like viewers in high-income countries.
Engagement:
Channels with more likes, comments, and shares usually make more money. This is because engaged audiences are more valuable to advertisers and sponsors.
Content Consistency:
Creators who upload regularly (once a week or more) often earn more than those who post less frequently. Consistent content keeps viewers coming back and attracts more advertisers.

FAQs

Q: Do YouTubers get paid for every view?

A: Not exactly. YouTubers get paid when ads are shown to viewers, not just for views. If a viewer skips the ad, the creator might not earn anything for that view.

Q: Can small YouTubers make money?

A: Yes! While smaller channels won’t earn as much as larger ones, they can still make money from ads, sponsorships, and other income streams.

Q: How much does a channel with 1 million subscribers make?

A: It depends on views, CPM, and other factors, but a channel with 1 million subscribers could earn anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 per month, or more.