Industry News

How Much Does TikTok Pay: A Creator’s Guide to Monetizing TikTok

By Eden Metzler
10 Min Read
Creators recording themselves at a park after learning how much does TikTok pay.

POV: You told yourself you’ll stay on TikTok for only 10 minutes, but it’s been 2 hours and you’re still in bed in the same position scrolling through videos.

TikTok is a place for all kinds of content, and the platform makes it easy for TikTok users to scroll through videos for a long time. Did you know that people spend, on average, 68 minutes per day on the app? 

But what’s in it for the content creators? How much does TikTok pay? And how does TikTok compensate content creators?

If you wonder how much TikTok pays creators for those infinite scrolling hours and consistent chuckles, you came to the right place. 

Keep scrolling to find out.

So, How Much Does TikTok Pay?

While one of the world’s fastest growing and most used platforms, TikTok may not be as generous with payout to creator. Business Insider highlighted that popular creators, like Mr. Beast, and Hank Green have complained about the compensation content creators receive and low payout amounts.

How much does TikTok pay creators?

It’s estimated that TikTok pays around 2 to 4 cents per 1,000 views on a video. 

That’s all thanks to the TikTok Creator Fund.

What is the TikTok Creator Fund?

TikTok’s Creator Fund is a program with a committed $300 million to pay eligible creators who use the platform. The fund is focused on payout for short-form TikTok videos.

And don’t worry if you develop long-form TikTok videos, TikTok pays for those too. There’s a special program for that with details to follow.

Creator Fund Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for the creator fund, creators must:

  • Be based in the US, UK, Germany, France, Spain or Italy.
  • Be at least 18 years old.
  • Have at least 10,000 followers.
  • Have at least 100,000 video views in the past 30 days.
  • Have an account that fits TikTok’s Community Guidelines

How to Join The Creator Fund

Log into your account, go to your account settings, and select “Creator Tools.” Under “Creator Next,” you’ll see the “Creator Fund.” Submit your application there.

What is the TikTok Creativity Program Beta?

TikTok’s Creativity Program Beta caters to long-form content. According to TikTok, these are high-quality, longer videos. It offers creators the opportunity to collect rewards as they create and publish longer video content.

Note: If you are already part of the Creator Fund and choose to join the Creativity Program Beta, you can’t switch back to the Creator Fund.

Creativity Program Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for the creator fund, creators must:

  • Be based in the US, UK, Germany, France, Spain or Italy.
  • Be at least 18 years old.
  • Have at least 10,000 followers.
  • Have at least 100,000 video views in the past 30 days.
  • Have an account that fits TikTok’s Community Guidelines

How to Join The Creator Program

If you’re already enrolled in the Creator Fund:

  • Open the TikTok app and tap Profile.
  • Then tap the Menu button (☰), then Settings.
  • Tap Creator tools and then Creator Fund.
  • Tap Switch at the bottom of the page.

If you’re not currently in the original Creator Fund:

  • Open the TikTok app and tap Profile.
  • Then tap the Menu button (☰), then Settings.
  • Tap Creator tools and then Creativity Program.

You’ll be notified whether your application is successful within three days after you’ve applied.

What Determines How Creators Are Paid on TikTok?

TikTok creators get their funds based on a combination of factors:

  • Number of views.
  • Authenticity of the views.
  • Level of engagement.
  • Amount of content being published.

While some TikTokers have indicated that there’s room for improvement with this model, the bottom line is that the more videos you create, the more money you can make.

For perspective, remember that the creator fund pays around 2 to 4 cents per 1,000 views. 

That means, if a video had one million views, TikTok creators could make between $20 to $40

And if your video went viral and you had 10 million views, TikTok pays between $200 to $400 from the creator fund.

Note: Not all videos you create are considered for the Creator Fund. Videos made pre-acceptance are not considered, nor are Livestreams, Duets, or Stitches.

The good thing about TikTok’s creator fund is that the sky is the limit — it all depends on how many views you get from your videos.

How Much Does TikTok Pay?

How much do TikTokers make per 1,000 views?It’s estimated that the creator fund pays around 2 to 4 cents per 1,000 views.
How much money does one million TikTok views make?A creator who received one million views could make between $20 to $40.
How Much Does TikTok Creator Fund Pay?The Creator Fund has a combination of factors to determine each payment.
How Much Money Can a Viral TikTok Video Make?A viral video with 10 million views could get $200 to $400 from the creator fund.

Really, How Much Do TikTokers Make?

Here’s how much the highest-paid TikTokers made in 2021:

Highest-Paid TikTokers in 2021

CreatorRevenue
Charli D’Amelio$17.5 million
Dixie D’Amelio$10 million
Addison Rae$8.5 million
Bella Poarch$5 million
Josh Richards$5 million
Kris Collins$4.75 million
Avani Gregg$4.75 million

These TikTokers are likely making a lot of money from strategies aside from the TikTok Creator Fund. 

Normally,  30% to 50% of a TikToker’s earnings come from sponsored posts and brand partnerships, with some of them charging $100,000 to $250,000 per post. 

Making money on TikTok could be a hit or miss, but luckily there’s more than one way to do it.

Well, What Are Ways to Make Money on TikTok?

As we saw, TikTok’s creator fund will likely only give you a small amount of money each month.  

And while that amount can grow over time, it’s less likely to become the kinds of income you can rely on in the short- to medium-term. So, you’ll need to get creative.

So, if you want to start bringing in the big bucks like those TikTokers have, there are a couple of ways to do it. 

A graphic goes over other strategies for making money on TikTok after learning how much does TikTok pay.

Popular Ways To Make Money on TikTok Outside of the Creator Fund

Creator Marketplace

The Creator Marketplace is a TikTok platform that matches brands and influencers with the same niche to allow them to collaborate.

Gifts and Tips 

Encourage followers to send tips to your account or gifts when you’re live streaming. Viewers can tip a maximum of $100 per transaction, with a cap of $500 per viewer per day. Viewers are also not allowed to make more than 100 tips per day.

Collaborations, Sponsorships, and Brand Partnerships

Reach out to brands for collaborations and partnerships where they’ll pay you to show their product on TikTok. Sponsorships and collaborations can be some of the most lucrative deals you’ll do because brands are interested in creators with access to their ideal target audience.

Here’s an example of how Bobbipeaches created a sponsored post for Maybelline.

@bobbipeaches

New Maybelline Campaign on IG 🤍 @Maybelline New York #maybellinesouthafrica #fypシ #fyp

♬ original sound – Bobbi

Affiliate Marketing

Include an affiliate link when sharing products and service recommendations, so you can receive a commission. And finding the right affiliate marketing program is easy too. Start with a Google search for using a term for the industry you’d like to produce content for, and include the words “+ affiliate program”.

Here are results for the search above:

Screenshot from google showing top beauty affiliate programs

Sell Merchandise

Launch your merch and promote it to your followers. Charli D’Amelio has a link to a footwear brand called D’Amelio Footwear. Here’s what that looks like via her LinkTree page:

Charli D'amelio's link tree showing a link to her footwear website

And this is what the merchandise website looks like:

tiktoker charli d'amelio's merchandise website

Create Your Own Video Platform

Create your own video-on-demand platform and charge members to access exclusive content. Creating your own streaming channel is one of the easiest ways to turn your creative work into a sustainable monthly income.

Creators in many niches use this model to sell their video content as monthly subscriptions or even live streams to viewers across the globe.

Big Picture Skiing is an online ski school, and it grew to a $30k/month business, with 300 members and 40% of its revenue coming from people using its apps to view content.

big picture skiing app and website

User Generated Content (UGC)

UGC is a fast-growing industry and one almost any creator can break into. Like sponsorships and collaborations, UGC deals are centered around audience reach. Brands want to work with creators who embody their values and have access to their ideal audience.

You can kickstart your journey into brand collaborations by identifying companies that resonate with your ethos and content style. Reach out to them with thoughtful proposals for partnerships or sponsorships, highlighting how you can craft genuine, engaging UGC that speaks to your audience while spotlighting their brand.

Aim for a balance of authenticity and professionalism, ensuring that the collaboration brings mutual benefits and maintains the trust of your followers.

It’s about creating a win-win scenario where your content continues to engage and inspire, while also serving the brand’s objectives.

Wrapping This Up

As we saw, some TikTokers believe the TikTok Creator Fund has room for improvement, but it can still make you some passive income.

And if you’re successful enough, we might even be sliding into your DMs asking “How much does TikTok pay you?”

Finally, if you want to create your own video-on-demand platform to share exclusive content, start a free trial with us and learn everything Uscreen can do for you. 

It’s simple with Uscreen.

Build, launch and manage your membership, all in one place.