YouTube monetization requirements at a glance
| Level | Subscribers | Long videos | Or Shorts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 (fan funding) | 500 | 3,000 hours / 12 months | 3M views / 90 days |
| Full monetization (ads) | 1,000 | 4,000 hours / 12 months | 10M views / 90 days |
| From 1 Feb 2027 (new channels) | 1,000 | 8,000 hours / 12 months | 20M views / 90 days |
How to find your numbers in YouTube Studio
- Open YouTube Studio on a computer or the YouTube Studio app.
- Click Earn in the left menu.
- The eligibility box shows your subscribers, public watch hours (12 months) and Shorts views (90 days).
- Enter them in the checker above. Your numbers are saved in this browser, so next time you can see your progress.
Why your watch hours might be lower than you expect
- Only public videos count. Private, unlisted and deleted videos do not.
- Watch time from Shorts does not count toward the 4,000 hours.
- Views from paid ads do not count.
- The window is rolling: hours older than 12 months drop off every day.
How to reach monetization faster
- Make videos of 8 minutes or more on topics people search for. Longer watch sessions add hours faster.
- Use Shorts to grow subscribers, and long videos to collect watch hours.
- Upload on a steady schedule. Three uploads in 90 days is also a Tier 1 requirement.
- Read the monetization policies before you apply. Reused or mass-produced content gets rejected.
Skip the grind
Most channels take 6 to 18 months to reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours, and from 1 February 2027 new channels will need 8,000 hours. A channel that is already in the Partner Program can show ads on your very first upload. See monetized YouTube channels or estimate what one could earn with the YouTube earnings calculator.