Earn Money with YouTube: Requirements, Methods and Realistic Numbers

Earning money on YouTube works in multiple ways: through ads before and in your videos, through fan contributions, through sponsorships, and through your own products. For income directly from YouTube, you need the YouTube Partner Program. Here you'll learn what numbers you need to reach, what percentage YouTube shares, what views realistically bring in, and when the money lands in your account.

When do you start earning money on YouTube?

First earnings are possible starting at 500 subscribers, money from ads only starting at 1'000 subscribers. Since YouTube expanded the Partner Program (YPP), there are two tiers. Switzerland, Germany, and Austria are on the list of countries with the earlier tier (YouTube Help).

Important: Watch time must come from public long videos. According to YouTube, what people watch in the Shorts feed doesn't count toward the 4'000 hours. So you reach the threshold either with long videos or with Shorts, not with a mix of hours and Shorts views.

What are the requirements for the YouTube Partner Program?

Beyond the numbers, YouTube requires some basics. According to YouTube Help:

• Your content complies with YouTube's monetization policies.
• The Partner Program is available in your country.
• Your channel has no active warning for violating Community Guidelines.
• Your Google account has two-factor authentication enabled.
• You have access to YouTube's advanced features.
• You have an active AdSense for YouTube account linked to your channel.

A change is coming: Starting February 1, 2027, YouTube will update the Partner Program. If you want to continue earning money, you must accept the new terms by January 31, 2027 in YouTube Studio. For the share of Shorts ad revenue, there's also the requirement that a channel must have reached at least 10 million valid Shorts views in the last 90 days.

How to apply for the Partner Program

Once your channel reaches the numbers, you apply in YouTube Studio:

1. Sign in to YouTube and open YouTube Studio via your profile picture.
2. Click Monetization on the left and select Apply now.
3. Read and accept the terms.
4. Set up an AdSense for YouTube account or link an existing one. According to YouTube, you can only create a new account in YouTube Studio.

After that, automated systems and people review your channel. According to YouTube, this usually takes about one month. If you're rejected, you can appeal within 21 days or reapply after 30 days. In the «Monetization» section, you can also set up notifications once your channel reaches the numbers.

What percentage do you get from YouTube?

YouTube passes on a fixed share of net revenue, depending on the revenue source:

These figures come from the overview of earnings in the YouTube Partner Program. YouTube does not count sales tax and similar transaction taxes toward revenue. You can see your exact rates in YouTube Studio under Settings → Agreements.

With Shorts, the distribution works differently than with long-form videos: Ads in the Shorts feed flow into a shared pool. From this, each monetized channel receives a portion based on its share of views, and 45% of that goes to the creator.

How much can you earn with YouTube?

This mainly depends on your RPM. RPM is your revenue per 1'000 views after YouTube's share. It varies greatly: by topic, by the country of your viewers, by video length, and by season. There's no universal value—YouTube Studio shows your own RPM in the «Monetization» section.

For illustration, here's a sample calculation with an arbitrarily chosen RPM of CHF 2:

For Shorts, YouTube provides an example in its own help on Shorts monetization: A Short with 1 million views receives 1% of the creator pool, which in the example is 900 dollars. After the 45% share, the creator gets 405 dollars left. This shows: With Shorts, you need significantly more views to earn the same amount as with long-form videos.

That's why many channels earn not just from ads. It's also worth comparing with TikTok—the figures for that are in How much can you earn with TikTok?

What other revenue sources are there besides ads?

Ads are just part of it. Here are additional ways creators earn:

• Channel memberships: Fans pay monthly for extras like badges or exclusive videos. Available from tier 1 onwards, 70% goes to you.
• Super Chat and Super Stickers: Highlighted messages during live streams and premieres. For tips on going live, check out How can you go live on YouTube?
• Super Thanks: Viewers send you a one-time payment to show appreciation under a video.
• YouTube Shopping: Showcase products directly under your video, yours or from partners.
• Sponsorships and partnerships: Companies pay you for a mention or a video. These earnings don't go through YouTube; you must mark paid content as such in YouTube Studio.
• Your own products and services: Courses, merchandise, or projects that come from your channel.

When does YouTube pay out?

YouTube pays once a month through AdSense for YouTube. According to YouTube Help, here's how it works:

1. Between the 7th and 12th of the month, your final earnings from the previous month are credited to your AdSense account.
2. Between the 21st and 26th, the payment is sent if your balance has reached the minimum threshold for your country.

Payments are only made if there are no payment holds, you've submitted your US tax information, and your channel complies with monetization policies. YouTube earnings are income: clarify how to tax them with your tax authority or a tax professional.

How do you get your first subscribers faster?

The hardest part is getting your first 500 to 1'000 subscribers. Here's what helps:

• A clear topic: When people know what to expect from you, they're more likely to subscribe.
• Upload regularly: For tier 1, you need three public uploads within 90 days anyway.
• Quality over quantity: Sound, lighting, and a strong opening determine whether people stick around. Production tips are in How do you make videos for YouTube?
• Shorts as an entry point: Short videos bring new viewers to your channel, even though they don't count toward watch time.

Pay attention to valid metrics: YouTube only counts valid watch time and valid views for the Partner Program and reviews every channel before acceptance.

Conclusion: Earning money on YouTube starts at 500 subscribers

In Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, you can start earning on YouTube at 500 subscribers through fan funding and shopping. Ad revenue kicks in at 1'000 subscribers and 4'000 hours of watch time or 10 million Shorts views. Check your progress in YouTube Studio under «Monetization» and remember to accept the new conditions by January 31, 2027 if you're already in the program.

FAQ: Earning money on YouTube

How many subscribers do you need to make money on YouTube?

Starting at 500 subscribers in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, you can use fan funding like memberships and Super Chat if you also have 3 uploads in 90 days and 3'000 hours of watch time or 3 million Shorts views. Ad revenue is available starting at 1'000 subscribers.

Can you make money with YouTube Shorts?

Yes. With 1'000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views in 90 days, you get a share of ads in the Shorts feed. YouTube pools these earnings and distributes them based on views, with 45% going to you. Per view, this is usually less than with longer videos.

How much do you earn with 1 million views on YouTube?

It depends on your RPM, or revenue per 1'000 views. At an RPM of CHF 2, that would be CHF 2'000; at CHF 5, it would be CHF 5'000. There's no fixed rate. You can see your RPM in YouTube Studio under «Monetization».

How long does the Partner Program review take?

According to YouTube, normally about a month. It can take longer when there are many applications. You can see the status in YouTube Studio under «Monetization». If rejected, you can appeal within 21 days or reapply after 30 days.

When do you get paid from YouTube?

Once a month. Between the 7th and 12th, the previous month's earnings are credited to your AdSense for YouTube account; between the 21st and 26th, the payment is sent. This requires your balance to reach your country's minimum threshold.