How to make money on YouTube in 2026: Partner Program requirements and other ways to earn

xVirals · Updated October 24, 2026 · 10 min read

YouTube pays creators mainly through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), and the program now has two entry levels with different thresholds and different features. This guide follows YouTube's own help pages, read on 24 October 2026: the subscriber and watch-time numbers, what each level unlocks, how to apply, what happens if you are rejected, whether Turkey is on the list, and the content YouTube will not monetize. YouTube does not publish what it pays per view, so there is no earnings estimate here, and you should be suspicious of any article that gives one.

How YouTube pays: the Partner Program

Creators earn money from YouTube by being accepted into the YouTube Partner Program. YouTube describes it as giving access to more resources and monetization features, including a share of the revenue from ads shown on your content. Only channels that follow the channel monetization policies can monetize.

If your channel is not in the program, ads may still run on your videos, but you do not receive a share of that revenue. So the question is not whether YouTube makes money from your videos. It is whether you have been accepted into a program that shares it with you.

YouTube Partner Program requirements: the two levels

YouTube's help pages describe two levels. The lower one (the expanded program) gives access to fan funding and Shopping features. The higher one adds revenue sharing from ads and from YouTube Premium. Within each level there are two routes: long-form watch time or Shorts views, and they do not combine.

Watch hours from Shorts in the Shorts feed do not count toward the 4,000 long-form hours.

1,000

subscribers for ad revenue sharing

4,000

qualified public watch hours in the last 12 months (long-form route)

10 million

qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days (Shorts route)

500

subscribers for the lower level (fan funding, Shopping)

	Lower level (expanded program)	Ad revenue level
Subscribers	500	1,000
Public uploads	3 valid public uploads in the last 90 days	Not listed on the overview page
Long-form route	3,000 qualified watch hours in the last 12 months	4,000 qualified public watch hours in the last 12 months
Shorts route	3 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days	10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days
What it unlocks	Fan funding and Shopping: memberships, Super Chat and Super Stickers, Super Thanks, Jewels and gifts, Shopping	Revenue sharing from ads and YouTube Premium, on top of the lower level

Eligibility checklist: can you join?

These are the conditions YouTube lists for the ad revenue level. Tick what is already true for your channel. Meeting them does not guarantee acceptance, because every channel is reviewed.

Check your channel

0/7

You live in an area where the Partner Program is available. Turkey is on YouTube's list.
You are 18 or older, or you have a guardian over 18 who can handle payments through AdSense.
You have at least 1,000 subscribers.
You have either 4,000 qualified public watch hours in the last 12 months, or 10 million qualified public Shorts views in the last 90 days.
2-Step Verification is turned on for your Google Account.
You have one active AdSense for YouTube account linked to the channel, or you are ready to set one up in YouTube Studio.
Your content follows the channel monetization policies and the advertiser-friendly guidelines.

Tick each line that is true for your account.

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How to apply and what happens if you are rejected

If the first review is rejected, you can appeal within 21 days, or keep uploading original content and re-apply after a 30-day wait. After a later rejection you can try again after 90 days. YouTube says a rejection usually means a significant portion of your channel does not currently follow its policies and guidelines, so read the monetization policies before you re-apply.

Open YouTube Studio and go to the Earn section, then choose Apply Now.
Review and accept the base terms.
Set up or link an AdSense for YouTube account. YouTube starts the review once the terms are accepted and an active AdSense account is linked.
Wait for the decision. YouTube says it typically takes about 1 month, and that high volume or system issues can delay it. Some channels need more than one review.

Is YouTube monetization available in Turkey?

Yes for the Partner Program. YouTube's availability page lists Turkey among the areas where you can sign up, and the pages for the expanded program list Turkey too. YouTube spells it “Turkey” on these pages.

Individual features have their own conditions. Memberships, Super Chat, Super Thanks and Shopping each say they must be available in your country or region, and YouTube's pages do not give a per-feature country list that we could verify. Open YouTube Studio's Earn section: it shows what is open to your channel.

Payments go through AdSense. YouTube's earn-money page does not describe payment methods or a payment threshold, and it notes that you may owe tax in your country of residence on income from monetized videos. Ask a local accountant about your own situation.

What you can earn from: ads, Premium, memberships and more

The conditions below are the ones YouTube's earn-money page lists for each feature. Where the pages disagree on a detail, the safest source is the Earn section in your own YouTube Studio.

Feature	What it is	What the page lists
Advertising revenue	Revenue from Watch Page ads and Shorts Feed ads	1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 long-form watch hours (365 days) or 10 million Shorts views (90 days); 18+; Partner Program area; advertiser-friendly content
YouTube Premium revenue	Part of a Premium subscriber's fee when they watch your content	Accept the relevant contract modules; content watched by a Premium subscriber
Channel memberships	Members pay a monthly fee for perks	500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in 90 days, 3,000 long-form hours (365 days) or 3 million Shorts views (90 days); 18+; available in your country; not Made for Kids
Super Chat and Super Stickers	Fans pay to highlight messages or animated images in live chat	18+; available in your country; Commerce Product Module accepted
Super Thanks	Fans pay for an animation and a highlighted comment on your video or Short	18+; available in your country; Commerce Product Module accepted
Shopping	Fans buy products from your store, or products you tag from other brands	Subscriber threshold or Official Artist Channel; not Made for Kids; no significant number of violating videos

There is no published rate for any of these. Ad revenue depends on advertisers, your audience and the kind of content, and YouTube does not give a figure per 1,000 views. Plan around the requirements, not around a number from a thumbnail-style article.

What YouTube will not monetize

The monetization policies say content that is mass-produced, generic, repetitive or manipulative has always been ineligible, and YouTube renamed the policy “inauthentic content” in July 2025. That matters most if you plan to use AI to produce videos in volume.

✓ Allowed, per YouTube

Using AI to visualize a unique character and narrative you invented
Using AI to edit your scripts or generate a unique background visual
AI-assisted videos that still show your own creative vision
Using AI for outlines, scripts, ideas and captions (no disclosure needed for these)

✕ Not eligible, per YouTube

AI content made from generic or unoriginal templates that gives the impression of mass production
Videos that stitch together unrelated AI clips to shock or surprise viewers
An AI persona presented as a human expert giving advice on sensitive topics such as health, legal, finance or politics
Mass-produced, repetitive channels

Separately, realistic altered or synthetic content has to be disclosed: for example making a real person appear to say or do something they did not, or generating a realistic scene that did not happen. For the wider picture on AI and income, see make money with AI.

Earning from YouTube without waiting for the Partner Program

Many creators earn before they qualify, or earn more outside the program than in it. None of this is guaranteed, and the results depend on your niche and your skills.

Sponsorships and brand deals. Brands pay creators in their niche for a mention or a dedicated video. Agree the scope and the payment in writing, and disclose paid promotion as YouTube's rules and your local law require.
Affiliate links. You earn a commission when someone buys through your link. Say that it is an affiliate link and recommend only what you use.
Your own products and services. A course, a template, consulting or freelance work that your videos advertise.
Editing, thumbnails and scripts for other channels. The skills you build while growing a channel are a service in their own right.

Titles decide whether anyone clicks. The YouTube title generator gives you options to test, and the hashtag generator helps with the description. For the broader picture, see make money online with social media, and for the same question on another platform, how to make money on X.

Frequently asked questions

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

For ad revenue sharing YouTube lists 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 qualified public watch hours in the last 12 months or 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. A lower level starts at 500 subscribers with 3 public uploads in 90 days and 3,000 watch hours or 3 million Shorts views, and unlocks fan funding and Shopping but not ad revenue.

Is the YouTube Partner Program available in Turkey?

Yes. YouTube's availability page and the expanded program pages list Turkey among the areas where you can join. Individual features such as memberships or Super Chat have their own availability, which you can check in the Earn section of YouTube Studio.

How much does YouTube pay per 1,000 views?

YouTube does not publish a rate. Revenue depends on advertisers, your audience and your content, so any fixed figure you see online is an estimate. Your own YouTube Studio analytics show your actual revenue once you are in the program.

Do Shorts count toward monetization?

Yes, through the Shorts route: 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days with 1,000 subscribers. Shorts and long-form numbers do not combine, and watch hours from the Shorts feed do not count toward the 4,000 long-form hours.

How long does the YouTube review take?

YouTube says a decision typically takes about 1 month and can take longer. After a first rejection you can appeal within 21 days or re-apply after 30 days. After a later rejection, you can try again after 90 days.

Can I earn on YouTube with AI-generated videos?

Only if the content is original and shows your own creative vision. YouTube lists AI content made from generic templates, stitched-together unrelated AI clips and AI personas posing as human experts as not eligible. Using AI for scripts, ideas or captions is allowed.

Do I have to pay tax on YouTube income?

YouTube's earn-money page says you may owe tax in your country of residence on income from monetized videos and points you to local tax authorities. It cannot tell you your own obligation, so ask a local accountant.

Sources

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