Loan YouTube Earnings Calculator
YouTube does not pay per view — it pays a share of ad revenue, and the rate swings wildly by niche. Enter your views, pick your niche, and get a low/mid/high estimate with the RPM ranges shown honestly as the editorial estimates they are.
The RPM ranges are editorial planning estimates for a US-heavy audience in November 2026, labeled as estimates because YouTube publishes no rate card. Shorts use their own much lower range ($0.03–$0.07 per 1,000 views) regardless of niche, because Shorts revenue is pooled. Audience geography, video length, seasonality (Q4 pays more) and watch time move real RPM a lot — the method card below explains the mechanics.
How it works
RPM (revenue per mille) is what you actually keep per 1,000 views, after YouTube's 55% creator share on long-form. It is not CPM: CPM is what advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions, and not every view carries an ad. Monthly earnings = views ÷ 1,000 × RPM. The niche ranges reflect what advertisers bid for each audience — a finance viewer is worth more to advertisers than a gaming viewer, so finance RPM runs several times higher. Shorts revenue comes from a pooled fund split by view share, which is why Shorts RPM sits near $0.03–$0.07 per 1,000 views whatever the niche.
Formula & worked example
Formula: Monthly earnings = monthly views ÷ 1,000 × RPM. RPM is the creator's actual revenue per 1,000 views after YouTube's share — not the advertiser CPM. Shorts use the pooled Shorts RPM range instead of the niche range.
Worked example: 100,000 long-form tech views at a $14 mid RPM: 100 × $14 = $1,400 a month, $16,800 a year. The same views as Shorts at a $0.05 mid RPM pay $5.00.
When to use this
- You are deciding whether a channel idea can pay its way before you commit months to it
- A video took off and you want a grounded estimate of what it earned
- You are comparing a long-form strategy against a Shorts strategy in the same niche
- You are setting a quarterly income target and need the views it actually requires
How to use it, step by step
- Enter a typical month's views — not your best month.
- Choose long-form or Shorts; if you post both, run the calculator twice and add.
- Pick your niche for its RPM range, or enter your real RPM from YouTube Studio.
- Leave sponsorships off for a pure ad-revenue figure; switch on only with a real number.
- Read low/mid/high as a band: budget on low, plan on mid, celebrate high.
- Cross-check the yearly figure against your sponsorship income — the ratio tells you where to focus.
What the inputs mean
| Input | What it is | Typical values |
|---|---|---|
| Views per month | All monetized long-form or Shorts views in a typical month. | Use a normal month; one viral video distorts a budget |
| Format | Long-form pays niche RPM; Shorts pay the pooled Shorts range regardless of niche. | The split is the biggest single lever on this page |
| Niche RPM range | Editorial planning ranges for a US-heavy audience, labeled as estimates. | Finance $15–35; gaming $1.50–5 — niche is destiny |
| Custom mid RPM | Your own RPM from YouTube Studio, if you are already monetized. | Your real number replaces the range instantly |
| Sponsorship add-on | Off by default; adds a flat monthly sponsorship figure you supply. | Brand deals are priced properly in the Sponsorship Calculator |
Another worked example
A personal finance channel with 60,000 views a month at the finance range ($15–$35, mid $25): 60 × $25 = $1,500 a month at mid, $900–$2,100 across the range, $18,000 a year. Fewer views than the tech example on the formula card, more money — the niche premium is worth roughly 25,000 extra tech views a month at these rates.
Frequently asked questions
How much does YouTube pay for 100,000 views?
At a mid-range tech RPM of $14, about $1,400 for the month — $800 at the low end of the range and $2,000 at the high end. The same 100,000 views in gaming might pay $150–$500, and as Shorts only about $3–$7. Niche and format matter more than view count.
What is the difference between CPM and RPM?
CPM is what advertisers pay YouTube per 1,000 ad impressions. RPM is what lands with you per 1,000 views after YouTube's cut and after counting views with no ad at all. RPM is always the smaller, honest number — it is the one in YouTube Studio.
Why do Shorts pay so much less per view?
Shorts ads run between videos in the feed, not inside yours, so revenue goes into a pool shared by all Shorts creators in proportion to views. The per-view payout works out to roughly $0.03–$0.07 per 1,000 views — Shorts are an audience-building tool first and a direct income source second.
Which niche has the highest RPM?
Personal finance, insurance and business software consistently top the ranges — advertiser demand for those audiences is intense. That is also why "highest RPM niche" content attracts so much competition; a mid-RPM niche you can actually win beats a high-RPM niche you cannot.
When does YouTube RPM go up or down?
Advertiser budgets peak in Q4 (October–December) and dip in January, so the same views can pay 30–50% more in November than in January. Audience in high-income countries, longer videos with mid-roll ads, and older demographics also push RPM up.
How many views do I need to make $1,000 a month?
Divide $1,000 by your RPM and multiply by 1,000: at $14 RPM, about 71,400 views a month; at a finance RPM of $25, about 40,000; at a gaming RPM of $3, about 333,000. This is why sponsorships — priced with the Sponsorship Rate Calculator — matter so much at small scale.
💼 Price your brand deals
For most mid-size channels, one sponsorship pays more than a month of ads. The Sponsorship Rate Calculator turns your views and engagement into a defensible rate range.
Does video length change RPM?
Yes — videos over 8 minutes can carry mid-roll ads, so long-form RPM rises with length up to a point, while sub-minute content earns the least per view outside Shorts. Two channels in the same niche can sit at opposite ends of the range purely on average video length.
What RPM should a brand-new channel expect?
The bottom of your niche's range, or below it, until watch history and audience geography settle. New channels also skew toward lower-income geographies early. Budget on the low line and treat anything above it as upside.