YouTube channel monetisation calculator
Estimate monthly income from AdSense, channel memberships, and sponsorships — and see what the channel would earn at different scale points.
YouTube channel monetisation calculator
Monthly revenue
Annual run rate
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AdSense at scale (current RPM)
When to add each income stream
AdSense is the default starting point but rarely the ceiling. At 50,000 monthly views, a single mid-roll sponsorship deal per month typically pays as much as your entire AdSense revenue — and you keep 100% rather than 55%. For channels with engaged communities, memberships become meaningful around 5,000–10,000 subscribers; below that, the numbers rarely justify the admin overhead of managing tiers.
Q4 (October–December) inflates RPM by 30–60% vs the rest of the year. If you're using your RPM from Q4 analytics, adjust downward before building annual projections.
About this tool
Enter your monthly views, select your niche (which sets a typical RPM), then add any channel memberships and sponsorship income. The calculator shows monthly revenue broken out by source, your annual run rate, and a scale table showing what the channel would earn at key milestone view counts — useful for planning when and how to diversify income.
Frequently asked questions
What is RPM and how is it different from CPM?
RPM (Revenue Per Mille) is what you as the creator actually receive per 1,000 views, as shown in YouTube Analytics. It is already net of YouTube's 45% ad revenue cut. CPM is the advertiser's cost per 1,000 impressions — a different (higher) number that you do not see in Analytics. When researching your niche RPM, make sure you're looking at creator RPM, not advertiser CPM.
Why does RPM vary so much by niche?
Advertisers pay a premium to reach audiences that are likely to buy high-value products. Finance and business audiences convert at higher rates on financial products, software, and professional services — which command high advertiser bids. Gaming and entertainment audiences are large but advertisers pay less per impression because the intent to buy is lower. Seasonal factors also shift RPM: Q4 (October–December) is typically 30–60% higher than Q1 as advertisers compete for holiday spending.
How does YouTube channel membership revenue work?
Viewers pay a recurring monthly fee (you set the tiers: $0.99, $4.99, $9.99, etc.) in exchange for badges, emojis, exclusive posts, or early access. YouTube takes 30% of membership revenue. Memberships are typically meaningful only for channels with 10K+ highly engaged subscribers — conversion rates of 0.5–2% of active viewers are typical for strong communities.
When can I start monetising?
For YouTube Partner Programme (AdSense) access you need 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months or 10 million public Shorts views in the past 90 days. Channel memberships require 500 subscribers. Super Thanks and Super Chat are unlocked at the same 1,000/4,000 threshold. Sponsorships are a direct deal with a brand and have no platform requirements — though most brands want at least 5,000–10,000 subscribers before paying meaningful rates.
Are these figures before or after tax?
All figures are pre-tax revenue. YouTube pays AdSense earnings gross; the tax treatment depends on your jurisdiction and business structure. Many creators operate through a company and pay themselves a salary or dividend from the revenue. Consult an accountant for advice specific to your situation.