Both YPP Tiers • ETA Calculator • Earnings Preview • 2026 Updated
YouTube Monetization Checker 2026
Check Both YPP Tiers Instantly
Enter your stats to see Fan Funding and Full Ad Revenue eligibility, your progress bars, days until monetization, daily targets to get there faster, and your estimated first-month earnings.
500Subs for Fan Funding tier
1,000Subs for Full Ad Revenue
4,000Watch hours needed (12 mo)
~1 monthYouTube review time
YouTube Partner Program Eligibility Checker
✅ 2026 Requirements
YouTube Studio → Dashboard
Studio → Analytics → Reach tab
Studio → Analytics → Content → Shorts filter
Public uploads in last 90 days:
Minimum 3 required for both YPP tiers. Applies to both long-form and Shorts.
Your growth rate (for ETA):
Optional — enter to see your ETA to monetization
Enter your stats above to check eligibility
We'll check both YPP tiers and show your exact progress toward monetization.
Fan Funding Tier
Not Yet
Subscribers
0 / 500 0%
+ ONE of the following:
Watch Hours (12 mo)
0 / 3,000 0%
OR
Shorts Views (90 days)
0 / 3M 0%
Unlocks: Super Chat, Super Thanks, Channel Memberships, Shopping — no ad revenue yet
Full Ad Revenue Tier
Not Yet
Subscribers
0 / 1,000 0%
+ ONE of the following:
Watch Hours (12 mo)
0 / 4,000 0%
OR
Shorts Views (90 days)
0 / 10M 0%
Unlocks: Ad revenue sharing, Shorts feed ads, mid-roll ads, all Fan Funding features
YouTube Partner Program Requirements 2026
Two distinct tiers with different unlock levels. You need 1,000 subscribers for ad revenue regardless of path.
⭐ Fan Funding Tier — Early Access YPP
- 500 subscribers (must be public)
- 3 public uploads in the last 90 days
PLUS one of the following:
- 3,000 watch hours on public long-form videos (last 12 months)
OR
- 3 million Shorts views on public Shorts (last 90 days)
✅ What You Unlock at Fan Funding Tier:
Super Chat & Super Stickers (live streams)
Super Thanks on regular videos
Channel Memberships
YouTube Shopping integration
NOT included: Ad revenue sharing
💰 Full Ad Revenue Tier — Complete YPP
- 1,000 subscribers (must be public)
- 3 public uploads in the last 90 days
PLUS one of the following:
- 4,000 watch hours on public long-form videos (last 12 months)
OR
- 10 million Shorts views on public Shorts (last 90 days)
✅ What You Unlock at Full Ad Revenue Tier:
AdSense ad revenue sharing (55% to you)
Shorts feed ad revenue
Mid-roll ads on 8+ minute videos
YouTube Premium revenue share
All Fan Funding features included
Important: Meeting the numerical requirements unlocks the Apply button — it does not guarantee approval. YouTube manually reviews every application for policy compliance, original content, and community guidelines. Review typically takes 1 month. If rejected, you can reapply after 30 days.
What Counts (and Doesn't) Toward Watch Hours
Many creators are surprised to learn that not all watch time qualifies. Know exactly what YouTube counts.
✅ COUNTS Toward 4,000 Hours
- Public long-form videos (not Shorts)
- Live stream watch time (publicly visible)
- YouTube Premiere watch time
- Repeat views from the same users
- Watch time from embedded video players
- All watch time within rolling 365-day window
❌ Does NOT Count
- YouTube Shorts views (separate metric)
- Private videos
- Unlisted videos
- Deleted videos (lost permanently)
- Watch time older than 12 months (rolling window)
- Ads played on your videos (organic watch only)
Rolling 12-Month Window: Watch hours expire! If a video drove 500 hours of watch time 13 months ago, those hours no longer count. This means channels can fall below requirements if they stop uploading — and need to rebuild their watch time.
How to Find Your Exact Stats in YouTube Studio
Step-by-step instructions to get accurate numbers for our checker above.
1 Find Your Subscriber Count
YouTube Studio → Dashboard. Your subscriber count is shown at the top. Make sure subscribers are public: Settings → Channel → Advanced Settings → Subscriber count → Show. Hidden subscriber counts don't count toward YPP eligibility verification.
2 Get Watch Hours (Last 365 Days)
YouTube Studio → Analytics → Reach tab → Watch time (hours). Set the date range to "Last 365 days" using the filter at top. Only public long-form videos count — make sure you're not viewing all-time watch hours. The number shown in YouTube's Monetization tab is the most accurate source.
3 Get Shorts Views (Last 90 Days)
YouTube Studio → Analytics → Content tab → Filter by "Shorts" → Set date range to "Last 90 days." Add up total views from all Shorts in this period. Alternatively, YouTube Studio → Earn section shows your exact Shorts views progress if you've already started the YPP application.
4 Count Your Recent Uploads
YouTube Studio → Content tab. Count videos published in the last 90 days that are set to "Public." Shorts, long-form, and Premieres all count toward the 3-upload minimum. Private or scheduled (unpublished) videos do NOT count.
5 Apply Through YouTube Studio
Once eligible: YouTube Studio → Earn → Apply Now. Accept YPP terms, link a Google AdSense account (or create one). YouTube will review your channel — typically within 1 month. You'll receive email confirmation. If rejected, review the reason carefully and reapply after 30 days addressing any issues.
YPP Approval Checklist — Beyond the Numbers
Meeting subscriber and watch hour counts is only half the battle. YouTube manually reviews every application against these criteria.
Original ContentNo re-uploaded clips, compilations without commentary, or unedited third-party content. YouTube's July 2025 policy update emphasized human-created original value.
No Active Copyright StrikesZero copyright strikes on your channel. Even expired strikes can slow the review process. Avoid copyrighted music unless you have a license or use royalty-free alternatives.
Community Guidelines ComplianceNo active Community Guidelines strikes. Three strikes = channel termination. Even cleared warnings can flag your application for extra scrutiny.
Advertiser-Friendly ContentNo excessive profanity, violence, adult themes, or controversial topics without proper context. Premium advertisers skip channels flagged as "limited monetization."
Two-Step Verification EnabledRequired on your Google account linked to YouTube. Without 2-step verification, your application cannot be submitted. Enable via Google Account settings.
Active AdSense AccountYou need a Google AdSense account linked to YouTube before applying (or create one during the application). AdSense accounts must match the channel owner's identity.
Consistent Upload ActivityYouTube reviews channel health and consistency. Channels with 3+ recent public uploads in 90 days signal active creators. Inactivity for 30-90 days can trigger monetization feature suspension even after approval.
Eligible Country/RegionYPP is available in 120+ countries but not all. Creators must reside in a supported region to apply. Check YouTube's official eligibility list. Some features (e.g., Super Thanks) are not available in all YPP countries.
What Happens After You Apply — Full Timeline
The process from hitting eligibility to receiving your first payment, step by step.
Day 1 — Apply in YouTube Studio
Click Apply in YouTube Studio → Earn. Accept YPP terms. Link or create a Google AdSense account. Your application enters the review queue immediately. You'll see "In Progress" status.
Days 1–30 — YouTube Reviews Your Channel
Automated systems and human reviewers check your entire channel for policy compliance, original content, and ad-friendliness. Standard wait is 1 month, but complex cases can take longer. You can check status in YouTube Studio → Earn anytime.
Approval (or Rejection with Reason)
You'll receive an email. If approved: monetization activates immediately, apply ad settings per video. If rejected: YouTube explains which policy area failed. Fix the issue and reapply after 30 days. Many first-time rejections are due to reused content or insufficient originality.
First Month of Monetization
Enable monetization on all existing and new videos in YouTube Studio. Set ad types (skippable, non-skippable, bumper). For 8+ minute videos, enable mid-roll ads. Earnings accumulate but aren't paid out until you reach the $100 AdSense payment threshold.
First Payment — Month 2–3
AdSense pays monthly, around the 21st of each month, for earnings from 2 months prior. First payment arrives after you verify your identity and reach the $100 threshold. New channels sometimes wait 2–3 months for the first actual payout.
Frequently Asked Questions About YouTube Monetization
Answers based on 2026 YouTube Partner Program requirements and real creator experience.
Two tiers exist. The Fan Funding tier (Super Chat, memberships, Super Thanks) requires only 500 subscribers plus 3 public uploads in 90 days and either 3,000 watch hours or 3 million Shorts views. The Full Ad Revenue tier requires 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views. You need 1,000 subscribers for ANY ad revenue regardless of watch hours.
No — it's strictly either/or. You need EITHER 4,000 watch hours from public long-form videos OR 10 million Shorts views in 90 days. You cannot add partial hours and partial views together. The paths are completely separate. However, your channel can have both types of content — YouTube just checks which threshold you've individually reached, not a combined metric.
Dropping below the threshold after approval does NOT immediately remove your monetization. YouTube monitors ongoing activity and compliance. However, if you become fully inactive for 30–90 days (no uploads, no engagement), YouTube can restrict or suspend monetization features. The 4,000 hours threshold is an eligibility gate for application — not an ongoing requirement you must continuously maintain, but staying active is important for channel health and continued good standing.
The Shorts path to full YPP (10 million views in 90 days) is extremely difficult — most creators never reach this organically. It's also less rewarding: Shorts RPM averages $0.03–$0.11 versus $2–$25 for long-form videos. Most successful strategies treat Shorts as a subscriber growth engine (to hit 1,000 faster) then monetize primarily through long-form content. If you're a dedicated Shorts creator, the Fan Funding path (3 million views for 500 subs) is more attainable and unlocks Super Thanks on Shorts.
Read YouTube's rejection email carefully — it states which policy area failed. Common reasons: reused content without original commentary, excessive clickbait or misleading thumbnails, copyright-claimed videos, or community guideline strikes. Fix the specific issues identified, upload new original content, and wait 30 days before reapplying. Don't delete flagged videos before understanding the issue — this can sometimes help but also sometimes hurts if the deleted views were boosting watch hours. Use the appeal process if you believe the rejection was in error.
Earnings vary dramatically by niche and audience location. A channel averaging 50,000 monthly views: gaming ($0.55 RPM) earns ~$28/month; education ($4 RPM) earns ~$200/month; finance ($15 RPM) earns ~$750/month. RPM also depends heavily on audience country — a US audience earns 5–10× more than a Pakistani audience at the same RPM. Most new monetized channels earn $50–$200/month initially, growing as the channel matures and reaches higher-traffic videos. Use our RPM Calculator for personalized projections.
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