How Much Money Do You Make on YouTube with 1000 Subscribers?

YT

If you've just hit your first 1,000 subscribers on YouTube, congrats. That’s a legit milestone. But now you're probably wondering: Can I make money yet? And if so, how much are we talking?

Let’s break it down with real numbers, current requirements, and actual earnings from creators who’ve been there.


Do YouTubers Get Paid at 1000 Subscribers?

Yes - but only if they meet YouTube’s monetization threshold:

  • 1,000 subscribers
  • 4,000 public watch hours in the past 12 months, or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days
  • A linked AdSense account

Once you're approved for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), you can earn from:


How Much Does 1000 Subscribers Earn? (On Average)

Here’s the thing - hitting 1,000 subscribers doesn’t mean YouTube hands you a paycheck. What really drives earnings is how many views you're getting, what kind of content you're making, and how engaged your audience is. Subscriber count doesn’t directly generate income - view count and CPM (Cost Per Mille) do.

CPM (Cost Per 1,000 ad impressions) varies by industry. Here’s what some creators report:

Niche

Avg. CPM

Notes

Finance

$12–$25

High-paying keywords + low supply

Tech Reviews

$6–$12

Good demand, mid-tier CPM

Vlogs

$1–$4

Low CPM unless audience is highly engaged

Gaming

$2–$6

Huge volume, lower ad rates

Education/Tutorials

$4–$10

Strong evergreen value

That said, most creators with around 1,000 subs typically make $50 to $100/month, but it depends on a few key things:

  • Your niche: Some niches just pay more. Finance, tech, and business get better ad rates than lifestyle or gaming.
  • Where your audience lives: Ads shown to viewers in the US, Canada, or UK pay more than those in countries with lower ad budgets.
  • How engaged your viewers are: Do they watch your videos all the way through? Do they comment, like, and share? More interaction = better performance.
  • Video quality: Clean audio, sharp visuals, solid storytelling - it all adds up. Better content = better watch time.
  • How you make money: Ads are just one stream. Smart creators stack income from affiliate links, merch, or memberships.

It’s not one-size-fits-all. A gaming channel with 5,000 monthly views might make less than a tech channel with 2,000 views if the CPMs are different.

Revenue Type

Monthly Estimate

Notes

Ad Revenue

$1–$20

Based on 1,000–5,000 views/month @ $0.25–$5 CPM

Affiliate Links

$10–$200

Varies wildly depending on niche + trust

Sponsorships

$50–$150

Small brands may pay for niche engagement, test collabs

Merch/Sales

$10–$300+

Depends on your audience's buying intent

So yeah - $1 to $600+ is the real-world range, depending on your grind, strategy, and niche.


Real Examples from Small Channels

  • Ty Myers (4.8k subs): Earns ~$250/month from Youtube Partner Program videos with ~60k views/month and ads.
Ty Myers.jpg
  • Profit Your Knowledge (2.5k subs): Makes ~$80/month with 10k views/month. Plus, he sells $1000/month in courses through YouTube.
PYK.jpgDi.jpg


Want to Earn More? Here’s What Actually Moves the Needle

So you hit 1,000 subscribers. Now what? If you want to turn this milestone into something more meaningful, here are strategies that actually help:

1. Grow Smarter - Not Just Bigger

  • Consistent Schedule: Upload regularly so people know when to expect content
  • Engage Back: Reply to comments, ask questions, post in the Community tab
  • Collab Up: Partnering with other content creators in your niche can introduce your channel to new audiences.
  • Better SEO: Use keywords viewers actually search - TubeBuddy or vidIQ can help
  • Fix Thumbnails: If people don’t click, they don’t watch. Make thumbnails clear and clickable

2. Don’t Just Rely on Ads

  • Sponsorships: Reach out to small tools or brands in your niche
  • Affiliate Links: Link gear, courses, tools - just make it relevant
  • Merch: Even basic shirts or stickers can work if your brand is sticky
  • Channel Memberships: Offer perks like bloopers, private chats, or early access
  • Patreon: Encourage fans to support your channel directly through crowdfunding platforms like Patreon.

3. Partnerships

  • Cross-Promote: Team up with other YouTubers for cross-promotion, expanding your reach
  • Brand Deals: Partner with brands related to your niche for sponsored content
  • YouTube Networks: Not for everyone, but they can offer brand connects

4. Test New Formats

  • Explore Related Niches: Spin-off content works. Teaching Canva from a design channel? Totally fine
  • Live Streams: Use Super Chats and engage real-time
  • Longer Videos: Higher watch time often = better ad revenue

5. Keep Optimizing

  • YouTube Studio: Use analytics to spot what works and double down
  • A/B Test Titles: Change titles/thumbnails and watch click rates
  • Stay Updated: YouTube changes fast. Follow creator updates and algorithm news

What Really Matters More Than Sub Count

  • Watch time: Drives your eligibility and signals value to YouTube
  • Click-through rate (CTR): More important than subscriber count for reach
  • Audience retention: Affects how YouTube promotes your video
  • Search traffic: Evergreen content = passive income

Your first 1000 subscribers are proof of concept. Once you hit that mark, monetization becomes a game of smart content planning, community building, and consistent uploads.

YT.jpg


FAQs

Can I live off YouTube with 1000 subscribers?

No. Most creators at 1k subs earn under $100/month. But it’s a base to build from.

Is 1,000 subscribers enough for affiliate marketing?

Yes. If your content solves real problems and your links are helpful, you can convert clicks into cash.

What kind of videos make money fastest?

Educational content, reviews, or tutorials with high search volume and buyer intent.

How long does it take to get 1000 subs?

Anywhere from a few weeks to a year+ depending on consistency, niche, and promotion strategy.



Runbo Li's Portrait

About Runbo Li

Co-founder & CEO of Magic Hour
Runbo Li is the Co-founder & CEO of Magic Hour. He is a Y Combinator W24 alum and was previously a Data Scientist at Meta where he worked on 0-1 consumer social products in New Product Experimentation. He is the creator behind @magichourai and loves building creation tools and making art.