YouTube is making it harder to earn money on YouTube
The Verge
β’2026-08-10T13:26:46-04:00
π° What Happened
Starting February 1, 2027, creators who want to monetise through YouTube's Partner Program (YPP) will need at least 1,000 subscribers and either 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past year or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. This is double YouTube's current watch-hour requirement. The change makes it harder for new creators to start earning money from ads and subscriptions.
π The Backstory
YouTube's Partner Program has long set thresholds for creators to share ad revenue, and the platform has periodically raised requirements as the ecosystem grows. The higher bar reflects YouTube balancing creator monetisation with platform costs and content quality. Shorts, YouTube's short-form video format, has its own separate requirement path.
π― Why It Matters
The change raises the barrier to entry for aspiring creators seeking a livelihood from YouTube, potentially excluding smaller channels. It could shift creator economics and push some toward other monetisation or platforms. For established creators it may have little effect, but for the creator economy's pipeline it marks a significant tightening.
Starting February 1, 2027, creators who want to monetise through YouTube's Partner Program (YPP) will need at least 1,000 subscribers and either 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past year or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. This is double YouTube's current watch-hour requirement. The change makes it harder for new creators to start earning money from ads and subscriptions.
YouTube's Partner Program has long set thresholds for creators to share ad revenue, and the platform has periodically raised requirements as the ecosystem grows. The higher bar reflects YouTube balancing creator monetisation with platform costs and content quality. Shorts, YouTube's short-form video format, has its own separate requirement path.
The change raises the barrier to entry for aspiring creators seeking a livelihood from YouTube, potentially excluding smaller channels. It could shift creator economics and push some toward other monetisation or platforms. For established creators it may have little effect, but for the creator economy's pipeline it marks a significant tightening.