How many subscribers do you need to earn on YouTube? Do you already have 500 subs? You can start earning on YT sooner than you think!

Earning on YouTube is no longer just a topic for giants with a million subs. Thanks to new thresholds, you can start earlier than you think—even if you’re just kicking off your channel. In this post, you’ll find out when you can really start earning, what you need to meet, and how not to miss the moment you can enable earnings.

Minimum thresholds to earn on YouTube – what do you need to start?

When do you start earning on YouTube? It’s not about one magic subscriber number. In 2025, the platform offers access to two monetization paths, which means that entering earnings is possible earlier than a few years ago.

To start, you need to meet at least: 500 subs + 3000 watch hours in the last 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in the last 90 days. This is so-called early monetization, which unlocks features like Super Chat, Super Thanks, membership subscriptions, and purchases in YouTube Shopping. Only at a higher threshold – 1000 subscribers + 4000 hours or 10 million Shorts – do you gain full access to ad revenue and YouTube Premium.

This means that when you can start earning on YouTube depends not only on the number of subs but also on how much people are actually watching your content. In short? YouTube looks at whether you actually create regularly and capture viewers’ attention – not just whether someone clicked ‘Subscribe’.

Early vs. full monetization – which path to choose and when is it worth it?

In 2025, YouTube strongly separates basic monetization from advanced. 

• The early version gives you access to community support forms (Super Chat, memberships), but does not include ads – which are the main source of revenue in the classic model. However, it’s easier to access – and is great for those who have a strong relationship with viewers but still small reach.
• Full monetization, i.e., access to video ads, requires more time and consistency, but also offers the greatest potential for scaling revenue. You can insert mid-roll ads, earn from YouTube Premium, and combine it with other sources.

So: when do you earn on YT? Technically – from 500 subs already. Realistically – when your content regularly attracts attention and you can deliver value several times a week. If you have a good community and engagement – it’s worth entering early monetization right away. If you plan to operate on a larger scale – from the start aim for full YPP.

What Influences YouTube Earnings? (and why it’s not just about the numbers)

You already know that the number of subscriptions isn’t everything. But what specifically affects the payout amount? Primarily: the theme of your channel. If you’re in niches like finance, technology, or education, your CPM (cost per thousand ad views) can be up to 30–50 zł. If you create memes or vlogs, it falls to 3–8 zł.

The second factor is viewer location – users from the USA, Canada, or Germany generate 3–5 times higher revenue than the Polish audience. The third – the length and type of video. Longer materials (8+ minutes) can contain more ads, hence generating more income than Shorts, which have an RPM of about 0.3–1 USD.

Finally: engagement. The more comments, subscriptions, and clicks on links – the better for the algorithm. All this makes the question of how many views to earn on YouTube have only one sensible answer: it depends on the quality of your viewers, not just their number.

How to Increase Your Income? Practical Ways Beyond Ads

If you want to get more from YouTube than just CPM, you need to diversify your income sources. Ads are just one part. Beside them, you might activate memberships, accept tips (Super Thanks, Super Chat), use affiliations, and sell your own products or courses, for example, through the RefSpace platform.

Data from 2025 clearly shows: creators using 3+ monetization methods earn 2.5 times more than those relying solely on ads. And you don’t need hundreds of thousands of subscribers – it’s enough that viewers trust you and react to your recommendations. YouTube offers huge possibilities, but it’s up to you to decide which to activate.

RefSpace as Support for Creators – Earn from Your First YouTube Video

Don’t have your own product yet? Don’t want to set up a shop or company just to add a link under a video? RefSpace solves this problem instantly. It’s a platform that allows you to promote your favorite ready-made products from other brands, earn a commission, and integrate your content with monetization from day one.

How does it work? You create your Space – essentially a store with video and a portfolio. You choose products that you use and honestly recommend (books, cosmetics, gadgets, e-books), add them to videos, Shorts, or descriptions under the materials. When someone clicks and buys – you get a commission, without invoices, warehousing, and shipping. Everything works automatically.

This is an ideal option if you don’t yet have full monetization from YPP, but want to start acting now. RefSpace allows you to use every film as a real source of income. And if you have your own products – you can also upload them there and link them with YouTube without setting up a store from scratch. Thanks to this, earning on YouTube ceases to be a distant goal and becomes something you can implement immediately – with what you already have.