How much does a YouTuber earn? Here are the richest people on the internet

While in its early years, YouTube was simply a platform for posting videos for fun, over time it has transformed into a veritable gold mine for the global creators.

There are those who have built an empire like Mr. Beast, those who have turned their passion into a profession, and those who are still just starting out and are looking for ways to stand out and start monetizing what they post on their channel.

But how do you earn an income from YouTube? There’s a lot of information to know; simply considering a single parameter isn’t enough to get an estimate. So, let’s look together at how to earn money, how much you earn, and who are the most popular and, consequently, richest YouTubers today.

How to Make Money with/on YouTube

First, let’s try to understand how to make money with YouTube. The Google guide on this subject is clear, but it doesn’t cover all the earnings options the red platform offers creators.

To make money on YouTube, you must first join the Partner Program. Only then can you activate monetization and be sure to be compensated for every view, ad, and other revenue linked to your channel.

The ways to make money on YouTube offered by Google are:

• advertising revenue: Earn money from ads on the watch page and ads in the Shorts Feed;
• channel subscriptions: Subscribers make recurring monthly payments in exchange for special benefits;
• shopping: Your fans can browse and purchase products from your store or products from other brands you’ve tagged through the YouTube Shopping affiliate program;
• YouTube Premium revenue: When a YouTube Premium subscriber watches your content, you’ll receive a portion of their subscription fee;
• super chat and super stickers: Your fans pay to have their messages or animated images highlighted in live chat streams;
• super thanks: Your fans pay to view a fun animation and highlight their message in the comments section of the video or short.

In addition to these revenue streams, there are also sponsorships, advertising for external stores, advertising for your own products or brand, online and offline presence at events, and much more. As a result, YouTube offers a wide and varied revenue stream.

How Much You Can Make on YouTube

As mentioned, to get an idea of how much you can earn on YouTube, you need to consider several factors. These include the number of video views, the type of content published, audience engagement, and the monetization sources used.

Through AdSense, YouTubers earn a percentage of the advertising revenue generated by their videos.

• Cost per Thousand Impressions (CPM): Payment for every 1,000 monetized views. The CPM generally ranges between €0.50 and €5, but can go up to €10 or more in specific sectors like finance or technology.
• Audience Type: Viewers in countries like the United States or Europe tend to generate higher CPMs than other regions.
• Click-through Rate (CTR): Percentage of viewers who interact with ads.

Based on this, for example, if a video gets 100,000 views and the CPM is €3, the earnings will be around €300 after the share retained by YouTube, which is 45%.

Many YouTubers then earn good amounts thanks to sponsors who pay to promote their products or services in videos. A channel with around 10,000 subscribers typically earns between €100 and €500, while a larger channel may ask for a minimum of €5,000 up to even four times that amount.

Additionally, creators can ask for donations or even offer subscriptions for their subscribers. Returning to the original question, this is essentially how much you can earn on YouTube.

• Small channels (10,000 - 50,000 subscribers): €50 to €500 per month.
• Medium channels (100,000 subscribers): €1,000 to €5,000 per month.
• Large channels (more than a million subscribers): €10,000 to €100,000 per month, or even more.

However, these are not precise amounts, as YouTube doesn’t pay by the number of subscribers. The more views you get and the more ads you place, the higher your earnings.

The most famous and richest YouTubers in the world

After seeing how and how much you can earn on YouTube, let’s take a look at the most famous and richest YouTubers in the world today.

• Mr. Beast: With an estimated net worth of $1 billion, Mr. Beast is by far the richest YouTuber in the world today. According to Forbes, his annual earnings are expected to reach approximately $85 million in 2025. A significant source of income is his entrepreneurial ventures, merchandise, and investments.
• Vlad and Niki: Their net worth is approximately $139 million. The Russian-American brother duo creates videos for preschoolers, featuring crazy adventures and funny situations. They translate their videos into 18 languages so anyone can watch them.
• Like Nastya: The child influencer is worth approximately $127 million. At just 11 years old, she boasts 125 million subscribers and a huge audience. She creates children’s content featuring songs, colors, shapes, and much more.
• Pewdiepie: One of the platform’s historic YouTubers, with an estimated net worth between $60 and $90 million. Although he posts less consistently than in the past, he still has 110 million subscribers and over 4.8 thousand videos.
• Ryan Kaji: 38.8 million total subscribers, for a net worth of approximately $100 million. This channel posts videos related to science experiments, challenges, and crafts.
• Logan Paul: Another old-school YouTuber, Logan Paul has now moved to the world of WWE, while still remaining a creator with a net worth between $30 and $45 million. He has approximately 24 million subscribers.
• Jeffree Star: His total net worth exceeds €200 million, largely thanks to the cosmetics empire he has built. On YouTube, he has 15 million subscribers and has already published 435 videos in total.
• Ninja: After experiencing his golden age during Covid-19 with the explosion of the video game Fortnite, Ninja has now established himself as a major video game creator. Between sponsorships, YouTube, and Twitch, he has an estimated net worth of $50 million.
• Markiplier: He has a net worth between €35 and €38 million. His channel boasts both gaming videos and comedy content, with millions of views per post.
• Jake Paul: Logan Paul’s brother, who has turned to the UFC, also remains a successful YouTuber. Today, his estimated net worth is around $100 million.

Original article published on Money.it Italy. Original title: Quanto guadagna uno youtuber? Ecco i più ricchi del “tubo”