Monetize YouTube Without 1,000 Subscribers: The 500 Tier
Yes, you can get monetized on YouTube without 1,000 subscribers, but not with ads. In many countries YouTube offers an earlier Partner Program tier at 500 subscribers that pays through fan funding. Ad revenue still needs the full 1,000-subscriber tier.
The two YouTube Partner Program tiers
| Fan-funding tier | Full YPP (ads) | |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribers | 500 | 1,000 |
| Watch time | 3,000 public watch hours (12 months) or 3M Shorts views (90 days) | 4,000 public watch hours (12 months) or 10M Shorts views (90 days) |
| Uploads | 3 public uploads in the last 90 days | No upload rule for entry |
| What you earn | Memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, Super Thanks, some YouTube Shopping features | Everything in the fan-funding tier plus ad revenue and YouTube Premium revenue |
| Countries | Only some countries and regions | Every country where the YPP is available |
Based on YouTube Help. YouTube Studio shows which tier your channel can apply for.
You also need the same account basics as the full tier: 2-Step Verification, access to advanced features, no active Community Guidelines strikes and an AdSense for YouTube account.
How to apply at 500 subscribers
- Open YouTube Studio on a computer and click Earn in the left menu.
- Look at the eligibility boxes. If your country offers the fan-funding tier, you will see a box for 500 subscribers next to the 1,000-subscriber box.
- If you are not eligible yet, click Get notified so YouTube emails you when you are.
- When the bars are full, click Apply, accept the base terms and link or create an AdSense for YouTube account.
- Wait for the review. YouTube Help says it usually takes about one month.
- After approval, switch on the features you want, such as memberships or Super Thanks, in the Earn tab.
When you later reach 1,000 subscribers and the full watch-time target, you can apply for ad revenue from the same Earn tab.
Which countries have the 500-subscriber tier?
YouTube offers this tier in a selection of countries and regions, and its Help pages do not keep one fixed public list. The reliable check is your own Earn tab: if you see only the 1,000-subscriber box, your country does not have the lower tier yet.
The country that counts is the one where you live and get paid through AdSense, not where your viewers are.
How much can fan funding pay?
Fan funding depends on a small group of loyal viewers, not on view counts. A small channel with an engaged audience can earn more from memberships than a bigger channel with passive viewers.
For memberships, YouTube Help says creators get 70% of membership revenue after applicable taxes and fees. Here is what that looks like with a $4.99 monthly tier, before your own income tax:
| Members on a $4.99 tier | Monthly gross | Your 70% share (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $49.90 | About $35 |
| 25 | $124.75 | About $87 |
| 50 | $249.50 | About $175 |
Our maths from YouTube Help's 70% share. Taxes and fees are taken before the split, so real payouts are lower. You set your own tier prices.
Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks pay a share of each purchase. They work best for live streams and for audiences that already feel close to the creator. For most small channels, fan funding is a useful extra, not a living.
Do Shorts ads or YouTube Shopping count?
Shorts ad revenue sharing is part of the full tier, so it needs 1,000 subscribers and the watch-time or Shorts target. Shorts views can still help you qualify for the 500 tier through the 3 million Shorts views route.
YouTube Help says the lower tier includes some YouTube Shopping features. The Shopping affiliate program has its own eligibility rules, and YouTube Studio shows whether you can join.
Other ways to earn before 1,000 subscribers
- Affiliate links in your descriptions, for products you review or use. Disclose them clearly.
- Sponsorships. Small brands often work with niche channels with a few hundred engaged subscribers.
- Selling your own product, service, course or coaching.
- Brand deals through creator marketplaces that match brands with small creators.
- Licensing your footage, if you film original clips that others want to use.
Does the 500-subscriber tier change in 2027?
No. In its 10 August 2026 announcement on the YouTube Official Blog, YouTube said the entry thresholds for fan funding and shopping remain unchanged. The 2027 change applies to the ad-revenue tier, where new applicants will need 8,000 qualified watch hours in 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days. Source for the 2027 numbers: YouTube Official Blog, 10 August 2026 (blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-partner-program-updates-2027-new-opportunities-earn).
One thing does change for fan-funding creators: they must accept the updated terms in YouTube Studio by 31 January 2027 to keep earning from those features. If they miss it, those features stop on 1 February 2027 and come back once they accept.
The fastest way to ad revenue
Ads still need 1,000 subscribers. If you do not want to build that yourself, the only legitimate shortcut is to start with a channel that is already in the full Partner Program. It earns from ads as soon as you publish videos that viewers watch, so you still need to upload.
Can you get monetized on YouTube without 1,000 subscribers?
Partly. At 500 subscribers you can join the YouTube Partner Program for fan funding in some countries, but ad revenue needs 1,000 subscribers.
What are the requirements for 500-subscriber monetization?
500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in the last 90 days, and 3,000 public watch hours in 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days, plus 2-Step Verification, no active strikes and an AdSense account.
Do you get paid for ads with 500 subscribers?
No. The 500-subscriber tier unlocks memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, Super Thanks and some Shopping features, not ads.
Why can't I see the 500-subscriber option in YouTube Studio?
Most likely your country does not offer the tier yet. It is only available in some countries and regions, and YouTube Studio only shows the tiers you can apply for.
Can I make money on YouTube with 100 subscribers?
Not from YouTube itself, but affiliate links, sponsorships and your own products can work at any size.