How YouTube Shorts pay creators
Shorts don’t earn per view the way long videos do. Ads run between Shorts in the feed, so YouTube can’t tie one ad to one video. Instead, it adds up the Shorts ad revenue each month and shares it out.
- Ad revenue from the Shorts feed goes into a monthly pool.
- Part of the pool pays for music licensing used in Shorts.
- The rest is allocated to monetizing creators by their share of total eligible Shorts views.
- Creators keep 45% of what is allocated to them, whether or not they used music.
Because the pool is shared by millions of channels, earnings per view are small. That’s why Shorts are usually best for growing an audience, with long-form videos or other income doing more of the earning.
The formula behind the estimate
Published 2026 guides put Shorts RPM at roughly $0.03–$0.08 per 1,000 views for most English-language channels. We apply the audience adjustment for where viewers live, then convert into your chosen currency.
| Where most viewers live | RPM range |
|---|---|
| Global mix | $0.03 – $0.08 |
| US & Canada | $0.05 – $0.14 |
| UK & Europe | $0.04 – $0.11 |
| Australia & New Zealand | $0.05 – $0.13 |
| Middle East | $0.02 – $0.06 |
| Latin America | $0.01 – $0.04 |
| Southeast Asia | $0.01 – $0.03 |
| South Asia | $0.01 – $0.02 |
Sources: YouTube Help — YouTube partner earnings overview (45% Shorts share). Ranges reviewed November 2026.
Common questions
How much do YouTube Shorts pay per 1,000 views?
Most English-language channels earn a few cents per 1,000 Shorts views. Choose where your viewers live above to see the range for your audience.
How much do 1 million Shorts views pay?
Enter 1,000,000 views to see the range. It is usually tens of dollars rather than hundreds, and more for audiences in high-paying ad markets.
Does using music in Shorts lower my earnings?
Music licensing is paid from the pool before it is shared, but YouTube says creators keep 45% of their allocated revenue whether or not they used music.
Do I need to be in the YouTube Partner Program to earn from Shorts?
Yes. Only channels in the YouTube Partner Program that accept the Shorts monetization terms share in Shorts ad revenue.