How Much Money Do You Make on YouTube with 10 Million Subscribers?

Achieving 10 million subscribers on YouTube is a monumental milestone that puts a creator in the elite tier of the platform. But how much money can you actually make with this massive following? While the exact earnings can vary widely based on multiple factors, creators with 10 million subscribers have the potential to generate significant income through a combination of ad revenue, sponsorships, merchandise, and other revenue streams. Let’s break down the key factors that impact how much money a YouTuber with 10 million subscribers can make.

1. YouTube Ad Revenue

The most common way YouTubers make money is through ad revenue. YouTube pays creators a percentage of the revenue generated from ads shown on their videos through the YouTube Partner Program. However, the amount you earn depends on several factors:

Key Factors Affecting Ad Revenue:

• CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions): This is how much advertisers pay YouTube for every 1,000 views of their ad. The CPM can range from $1 to $10 or more, depending on the niche, audience location, and time of year.
• Watch Time: Longer videos tend to generate more ad revenue since YouTube can show more ads within the video.
• Geography: Ads viewed by users in countries like the United States, Canada, and the UK tend to have higher CPMs compared to other regions.

Estimated Ad Revenue:

On average, YouTubers earn about $2 to $5 per 1,000 views after YouTube takes its cut (45% of ad revenue). So, if a YouTuber with 10 million subscribers receives 1 million views per video, they can earn between $2,000 to $5,000 per video from ads alone.

Let’s break this down further:

• If a YouTuber uploads 1 video per week and gets 1 million views on each video, they could make $8,000 to $20,000 per month from ad revenue.
• If their videos consistently get 2 million views per video, that income could double, reaching $16,000 to $40,000 per month.

2. Sponsorships and Brand Deals

Sponsorships are another major source of income for YouTubers with large followings. Brands are willing to pay substantial amounts for influencers to promote their products or services, especially when a channel has 10 million subscribers.

How Sponsorships Work:

• Flat-Fee Sponsorships: Companies pay a flat fee for YouTubers to promote their products in a video. This fee can vary based on the brand, niche, and the engagement of the YouTuber’s audience.
• Affiliate Marketing: Some sponsorships are performance-based, meaning the YouTuber earns a commission for every sale made through their affiliate links.

Estimated Sponsorship Earnings:

For a YouTuber with 10 million subscribers, sponsorship rates can vary from $50,000 to $500,000 per sponsored video, depending on the brand and engagement levels.

For example, if a YouTuber partners with multiple brands in a month and produces 2 or 3 sponsored videos, they could easily make $100,000 to $1 million per month from sponsorships.

3. Merchandise Sales

Many YouTubers also sell branded merchandise like t-shirts, hats, hoodies, and other items. With 10 million subscribers, a YouTuber has access to a huge audience that is likely interested in purchasing branded products.

How Merchandise Sales Work:

• YouTube Merchandise Shelf: YouTubers can use the YouTube Merch Shelf, which allows creators to display and sell their merchandise directly below their videos.
• Third-Party Platforms: Many creators use platforms like Teespring, Shopify, or Printful to create and sell custom merchandise.

Estimated Merchandise Earnings:

If even a small percentage of a YouTuber’s subscribers (say 1%) buy merchandise at an average price of $20 per item, a YouTuber with 10 million subscribers could make $200,000 from merchandise sales in a month. Merchandise revenue varies greatly, but popular YouTubers can make $10,000 to $500,000+ per month from merchandise sales.

4. Memberships and Super Chats

YouTube also allows creators to make money through Channel Memberships and Super Chats during live streams.

Channel Memberships:

Subscribers can pay a monthly fee (usually between $4.99 and $49.99) to become members of a YouTuber’s channel, unlocking exclusive content, emojis, and badges. This recurring revenue stream can add up significantly with a large fanbase.

For example:

• If 1% of a YouTuber’s 10 million subscribers (100,000 people) join their membership program at $4.99 per month, that generates $499,000 per month.

Super Chats:

Super Chats allow viewers to pay to have their messages highlighted during live streams. Depending on the engagement level, live streamers can earn hundreds or even thousands of dollars per stream from Super Chats.

5. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is another way YouTubers make money by promoting products or services and earning a commission on sales generated through their affiliate links.

How Affiliate Marketing Works:

YouTubers can join affiliate programs such as Amazon Associates, ShareASale, or CJ Affiliate, where they earn a commission (usually 5% to 30%) for every sale made through their unique referral links.

Estimated Affiliate Earnings:

A YouTuber with 10 million subscribers could easily make $10,000 to $50,000+ per month through affiliate marketing, especially if they review products or create tutorials that feature affiliate links.

6. YouTube Premium Revenue

YouTubers also earn money from YouTube Premium, which is YouTube’s subscription service. When Premium subscribers watch videos, YouTubers earn a share of the subscription fee based on the total watch time.

While YouTube Premium revenue is not the largest source of income for most creators, it can still add a few hundred or thousand dollars per month to their overall earnings.

Estimated YouTube Premium Revenue:

YouTubers with 10 million subscribers can earn an additional $1,000 to $5,000+ per month from YouTube Premium views, depending on the number of Premium subscribers who watch their content.

Conclusion: How Much Can a YouTuber with 10 Million Subscribers Make?

Earnings for a YouTuber with 10 million subscribers can vary significantly depending on their niche, engagement, and monetization strategy. However, here’s a rough breakdown of potential monthly earnings:

• YouTube Ad Revenue: $8,000 to $40,000+ per month
• Sponsorships: $50,000 to $1 million+ per month
• Merchandise Sales: $10,000 to $500,000+ per month
• Channel Memberships and Super Chats: $20,000 to $500,000+ per month
• Affiliate Marketing: $10,000 to $50,000+ per month
• YouTube Premium Revenue: $1,000 to $5,000+ per month

Total Monthly Earnings:

A YouTuber with 10 million subscribers could make $100,000 to $2 million+ per month, depending on their monetization methods and audience engagement. This translates to $1 million to $24 million+ per year, making it one of the most lucrative online careers.