Free YouTube tool
YouTube money
calculator.
Estimate what your channel earns from long-form videos and Shorts, using 2026 RPM data from real YouTube Studio accounts in 13 niches. No login or channel connection.
Enter your channel numbers
Uses the all-niche median of $2.30 per 1,000 views, within the $2.01 – $2.98 band where most niches sit.
Views of your regular videos. YouTube Studio’s last 28 days is close enough.
Engaged views of your Shorts, if Studio shows them.
Know your RPM? Use your own
YouTube Studio → Analytics → Revenue shows RPM for each format. Your own RPM replaces the niche figures.
Earnings start once you join the YouTube Partner Program. RPM covers ads, YouTube Premium and fan funding, after YouTube’s share.
Estimated earnings
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Per month, before tax
Enter your monthly views to start. Results update as you type.
No account access
Calculation runs in your browser. This tool does not submit or save the numbers you enter.
How YouTube earnings are calculated
Earnings = views ÷ 1,000 × RPM. RPM (revenue per mille) is what you earn for every 1,000 views after YouTube’s share, and YouTube Studio reports it for your channel.
RPM, not CPM
CPM is what advertisers pay before YouTube’s share, counting only views that showed ads. RPM counts every view after the share, so it is the number to estimate earnings with.
Revenue share
Creators keep 55% of net ad revenue on their videos, 45% of the Shorts revenue allocated to them, and 70% of memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks.
What moves RPM
Your niche, where viewers live, the season, how many views show ads, and video length: videos of 8 minutes or more can carry mid-roll ads.
Example: A Gadgets & Tech channel with 250,000 long-form views a month at the niche median of $2.33: 250,000 ÷ 1,000 × $2.33 = $582.50 a month. Add 1,000,000 Shorts views at $0.07–$0.20 and the Shorts earn another $70–$200.
YouTube RPM by niche (2026)
Median RPM for long-form videos, measured from the YouTube Studio data of 300 channels across 3,595 monetized months. Inside every niche, how a channel is run moves earnings more than the topic it covers.
| Niche | Median RPM | Middle half of channels | 100,000 views pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education & Science | $10.22 | $2.31 – $19.50 | $1,022 |
| Transport (cars, aviation)* | $5.69 | $3.17 – $9.81 | $569 |
| Lifestyle | $2.98 | $1.77 – $5.24 | $298 |
| News & Politics* | $2.60 | $1.79 – $3.62 | $260 |
| Entertainment | $2.43 | $0.88 – $5.02 | $243 |
| Crafting & Handmade | $2.39 | $1.00 – $3.90 | $239 |
| Gadgets & Tech | $2.33 | $0.70 – $3.71 | $233 |
| Music | $2.28 | $1.35 – $4.16 | $228 |
| Food & Cooking* | $2.25 | $1.50 – $3.11 | $225 |
| Gaming | $2.05 | $0.70 – $3.62 | $205 |
| Business & Finance* | $2.01 | $0.73 – $5.17 | $201 |
| Health & Sport | $1.23 | $0.72 – $1.53 | $123 |
| Kids & Teens | $0.33 | $0.16 – $0.88 | $33.00 |
* Fewer than ten channels in the study, so treat these as directional. Source: AIR Media-Tech, YouTube RPM by niche (300 channels, May 2025–May 2026)
$0.07–$0.20
Shorts RPM in most niches
Roughly 3–14% of what the same niche earns on long-form. A US-heavy audience reaches about $0.33.
Source: AIR Media-Tech, YouTube Shorts RPM by niche (274 channels, 2026)
$0.97–$1.48
Shorts RPM in Music
The exception: music channels that own their rights also collect Content ID revenue when Shorts use their tracks.
Source: AIR Media-Tech, YouTube Shorts RPM by niche (274 channels, 2026)
YouTube Partner Program requirements
To join today
- 1,000 subscribers
- 4,000 public watch hours on long-form videos in the last 12 months, or 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days
- No active Community Guidelines strikes
- A linked AdSense for YouTube account
Source: YouTube Help, YouTube Partner Program overview and eligibility
Changes on February 1, 2027
- New applicants need 8,000 watch hours in the last 365 days, or 20 million Shorts views in the last 90 days.
- Partners share in Shorts revenue only while they have 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. Below that, long-form earnings continue.
- Channels already in the program keep their place.
Source: YouTube Blog, changes to the YouTube Partner Program (August 2026)
Other ways to make money on YouTube
Ad revenue is only part of a channel’s income. This calculator covers views; these earn on top of it.
Memberships, Super Chat and Super Thanks
Fans pay you directly. Creators keep 70% of net revenue from memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks.
YouTube Shopping and affiliate links
Earn a commission on products you tag in videos or link in descriptions.
Brand deals
Sponsors pay for integrations based on your average views and audience, and they usually pay more than ads.
YouTube Premium
Premium members watch without ads, and you get a share of their subscription. Studio’s RPM already includes it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does YouTube pay for 1 million views?
At the all-niche median RPM of about $2.30, 1 million long-form views pay around $2,300. Education & Science channels had a median of $10.22 per 1,000 views, about $10,220 per million, while Kids & Teens channels had $0.33, about $330. 1 million Shorts views usually pay $70 to $200.
How much does YouTube pay per view?
About $0.002 per long-form view at the median RPM, and $0.00007 to $0.0002 per Shorts view in most niches. That is why YouTube reports earnings per 1,000 views (RPM).
What is the difference between RPM and CPM?
CPM is what advertisers pay per 1,000 ad playbacks, before YouTube’s share, and only counts views that showed ads. RPM is what you earn per 1,000 views after YouTube’s share, counting every view. RPM is the figure to estimate your earnings with.
Do Shorts pay less than long-form videos?
Yes. In most niches Shorts earn about 3–14% of the long-form RPM per view. Shorts help new viewers find your channel, while long-form videos usually earn most of the money.
When do I start earning money on YouTube?
Ad revenue starts after you join the YouTube Partner Program, which needs 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months or 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days. The thresholds for new applicants rise on February 1, 2027.
How accurate is this YouTube money calculator?
It shows the range that the middle half of channels in your niche earn. Your audience’s country, video length, season and how many views show ads all move RPM. Enter your own RPM from YouTube Studio for an estimate based on your channel.
Do bought views earn money on YouTube?
No. YouTube does not pay for artificial views, and Shorts revenue counts only eligible engaged views. Views from real viewers are the ones that earn.