What this calculator does
It turns your monthly views into money using your RPM, the revenue per 1,000 views that YouTube Analytics shows you. Long videos and Shorts are entered separately because they are paid in different ways. You also see a 12-month what-if at the growth rate you choose and how many views a month reach your income goal.
RPM and CPM are not the same
CPM is what advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions, before YouTube's share. RPM is what you, the creator, earned per 1,000 views of your videos after YouTube's share, counting all views, including those that showed no ad. RPM is the number to plan with, because it is the money that reaches you. You find it in YouTube Studio under Analytics, then Revenue. The calculator's default RPMs are only examples; your own can be much higher or lower.
How YouTube shares ad money
According to YouTube, creators in the YouTube Partner Program receive 55% of the net ad revenue on long-form videos. Shorts work differently: ad revenue from the Shorts feed is pooled, part of it is allocated to creators by their share of Shorts views, and creators keep 45% of what is allocated to them. That is one reason why Shorts usually earn far less per 1,000 views than long videos.
What changes your RPM
- Where your viewers live. Advertisers pay different prices in different countries, so 1,000 views from one country can earn several times more than from another. YouTube Analytics can show revenue by geography.
- Your topic. Videos about personal finance, business, software or other topics where advertisers compete tend to have a higher RPM than general entertainment.
- Video length and watch time. YouTube allows mid-roll ad breaks only in videos 8 minutes or longer, and viewers who watch longer can see more ads. Breaks placed at natural pauses are more likely to serve ads.
- The time of year. Ad budgets usually rise in the weeks before the year-end holidays and fall in January, so the same views often pay more in the fourth quarter.
- Ad-friendliness and viewers. Videos with limited or no ads, viewers using ad blockers and YouTube Premium members (whose views are paid from Premium revenue instead) all change the result.
Joining the YouTube Partner Program
You only earn ad money inside the YouTube Partner Program. Its entry thresholds combine a number of subscribers with either public watch hours in the last 12 months or Shorts views in the last 90 days; the current numbers are on YouTube's Help Center page linked under this article. YouTube has announced higher thresholds for new applicants starting February 1, 2027, so check the official page before you plan around them. Facebook and other platforms run their own programs with their own rules, and they also show earnings per 1,000 views in their creator tools, so you can use this calculator with those numbers too.
Frequently asked questions
How much does YouTube pay for 1,000 views?
There is no fixed amount. What you earn per 1,000 views is your RPM, and it depends on your viewers' countries, your topic, video length, the season and how many views show ads. Look up your RPM in YouTube Studio under Analytics, then Revenue, and type it into the calculator.
How many views do I need to make $1,000 a month?
Divide $1,000 by your RPM and multiply by 1,000. At an RPM of $4, that is 250,000 long-video views a month; at $8 it is 125,000. Shorts usually need many more views because their RPM is lower.
Why are Shorts paid less than long videos?
Ads in the Shorts feed play between videos rather than inside one, so their revenue is pooled and shared by views. Creators keep 45% of the revenue allocated to them, compared with 55% of net ad revenue on long-form videos, and fewer ads run per view.
Is the 12-month projection a forecast?
No. It simply applies the growth rate you choose to this month's earnings with the same RPM. Real growth and RPM go up and down, so treat it as a what-if for planning.
Do I owe tax on YouTube income?
Yes. For creators who live in the United States, YouTube income is usually self-employment income, and no tax is withheld. The creator tax calculator estimates the 2026 federal and state tax; it is general information, not tax advice.