How to make money on YouTube: Partner Program requirements and ways to earn

How do you make money on YouTube? In two ways that are worth separating from the start. The first is money from YouTube itself: a share of ad revenue, payments from viewers and Shopping. The second is money from brands that pay you directly for an integration in your video. The first requires the YouTube Partner Program (YPP); the second does not.

YouTube Partner Program: two entry levels

According to the YouTube Help Center (as of 9 October 2026), Poland is one of the countries where the expanded Partner Program is available. That means two thresholds, each unlocking a different set of features.

• Lower threshold: 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in the last 90 days and either 3,000 watch hours on long-form videos in 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days. It unlocks viewer payments (channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, Super Thanks) and Shopping.
• Full threshold: 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 watch hours on long-form videos in 12 months or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days. Only this level adds ad revenue sharing on the Watch Page, in the Shorts Feed and from YouTube Premium.

Only “qualified” numbers count. Private, unlisted and deleted videos, views from paid ad campaigns and Shorts do not count toward watch hours — Shorts watch time does not help with the 4,000-hour threshold. Sources: YouTube Partner Program overview & eligibility and Choose how you want to monetize.

What you need besides the numbers

Hitting a threshold does not mean automatic acceptance. YouTube requires the channel to follow its monetization policies, have no active Community Guidelines strikes, and have 2-Step Verification and advanced features turned on for the Google Account. You also need one active AdSense for YouTube account linked to the channel.

You apply in YouTube Studio under “Earn”. Automated systems and human reviewers assess the channel, and a decision typically comes in about a month. If rejected, you can appeal within 21 days or reapply after 30 days. YouTube also says it may turn off monetization on channels that have not uploaded a video or post for 6 months.

Ways to earn inside YouTube

Watch Page and Shorts ads

Once accepted, you sign separate contract modules. The Watch Page module shares revenue from ads before, during and after long-form videos; the Shorts module shares revenue from ads shown between videos in the Shorts Feed. Ads only run on content that meets the advertiser-friendly content guidelines.

YouTube Premium

When a YouTube Premium subscriber watches your video, you get part of their fee. Nothing extra needs switching on beyond the ad modules for long-form videos and Shorts.

Memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks

This is money directly from viewers. Channel memberships are monthly payments in exchange for perks such as badges, emoji or members-only content. Super Chat and Super Stickers work during live streams and Premieres, while Super Thanks lets a viewer say thank you for a regular video with a highlighted comment. It requires accepting the Commerce Product Module.

YouTube Shopping

Shopping lets you connect your own store to the channel and show products under videos. Where the program is available, you can also tag other brands' products and earn from sales. Check availability of that second option under “Earn” in YouTube Studio.

Brand deals: earning without a threshold

Brands pay creators for integrations — a mention in a video, a dedicated video or a series of Shorts. That agreement is between you and the brand, so YouTube sets no subscriber threshold here. Brands care about audience fit and whether your videos are watched through, not just subscriber count. A small niche channel can be more interesting to them than a big but random one.

What this looks like from the brand side — integration, dedicated video or Shorts — is covered in YouTube for brands. From your side, three things matter:

• Disclosure. YouTube requires you to tick “paid promotion” in video details when you feature sponsored content; a label then appears at the start of the video. Source: YouTube Help Center. More in our glossary (Polish): ad disclosure and product placement.
• Media kit. A short document with your channel topic, audience data and past collaborations shortens the talk with a brand. See what a media kit contains.
• Scope in writing. Agree the format, number of revisions, publication date and whether the brand may use clips in its ads.

Where to start if you have not reached a threshold yet

First decide whether you are building on long-form videos or Shorts — the thresholds are counted separately and do not add up. Publish regularly: the lower threshold needs three public uploads in 90 days, and an inactive channel can lose monetization. Turn on “Get notified” in YouTube Studio to get an email when your channel qualifies. Meanwhile, you can already look for your first brand deals, as they do not depend on partner status.

Brand collaborations on Blogger Bank

Blogger Bank is a platform where brands publish paid and barter briefs, and creators — YouTubers included — apply without hunting for contacts. As measured on 21 August 2026, 99% of briefs receive applications. For paid briefs the budget is held until the content is approved, and the commission is 5% on the creator side and 5% on the brand side. See how other creators present themselves in the influencer catalogue, for example in the technology niche.

Read also: YouTube for brands: integration, dedicated video or Shorts and how to decline or counteroffer a brand collaboration. Create a creator account and reply to your first brief.