YouTube Monetization Checker
Enter your channel's numbers from YouTube Studio to see if you qualify for the YouTube Partner Program, what's still missing, and how the 2027 rules change it. Free, no signup.
Add your growth for a time estimate (optional)
Meeting the numbers lets you apply. YouTube still reviews your channel against its policies, and you also need 2-Step Verification, an AdSense account and no active Community Guidelines strikes.
Watch hours come from long videos. VidPuff turns a title into a long-form faceless YouTube video, with a script, voice, visuals for every scene, music and captions. You review each stage. Plans from $25/month.
Make your first faceless video →How this YouTube monetization checker works
The checker compares your numbers with the thresholds on YouTube's own help pages for the YouTube Partner Program and its expanded lower tier. For each tier it shows a progress bar, what's missing, and, if you add your monthly growth, a rough time estimate. It runs in your browser and doesn't save your numbers.
Get your numbers from YouTube Studio: subscribers and watch hours are on the Earn page, and the analytics give you Shorts views and average view duration.
YouTube monetization requirements at a glance
| Tier | Subscribers | Plus one of |
|---|---|---|
| Fan funding and Shopping (lower tier) | 500, plus 3 public uploads in 90 days | 3,000 watch hours in 12 months, or 3M Shorts views in 90 days |
| Ad revenue (until January 31, 2027) | 1,000 | 4,000 watch hours in 12 months, or 10M Shorts views in 90 days |
| Ad revenue for new applicants (from February 1, 2027) | 1,000 | 8,000 watch hours in 365 days, or 20M Shorts views in 90 days |
Sources: YouTube Help (YPP overview, expanded YPP). The 2027 change was reported by Music Business Worldwide. The lower tier is available in 130+ countries and regions.
The numbers aren't the only requirement. According to YouTube, you also need to live in a country where the program is available, have no active Community Guidelines strikes, turn on 2-Step Verification, have access to advanced features, and link an AdSense account. Our guide to YouTube monetization requirements covers each one, plus the most common reasons channels get rejected.
What 4,000 watch hours looks like in views
Watch hours depend on how long people watch, not only on how many views you get. Views needed = hours × 60 ÷ average view duration in minutes:
- 2-minute average: about 120,000 views for 4,000 hours, or 240,000 for 8,000
- 4-minute average: about 60,000 views for 4,000 hours, or 120,000 for 8,000
- 8-minute average: about 30,000 views for 4,000 hours, or 60,000 for 8,000
That's why longer videos that hold attention get channels monetized faster. Doubling your average view duration halves the views you need. Once you're in, our YouTube money calculator estimates what those views would pay.
How to get monetized faster
- Make videos people search for. Search keeps bringing views to a video for months, so its watch hours keep adding up.
- Go longer, and keep people watching. A 10-minute video with a 5-minute average adds watch hours far faster than a Short.
- Keep a schedule you can hold. Watch hours use a rolling 12-month window, so steady uploads matter more than one burst. Our data on how often to post on YouTube shows the best rate depends on the niche.
- Apply before February 1, 2027 if you're close. After that date the watch-hour bar doubles for new applicants.
If being on camera is what slows you down, see how to make a faceless YouTube channel or how to start a YouTube channel.
FAQ
How do I check if my YouTube channel is eligible for monetization?
Open YouTube Studio and go to Earn. It shows your subscribers and watch hours against the thresholds. Or enter your numbers in this checker: subscribers, public watch hours from the last 12 months, Shorts views from the last 90 days, and public uploads from the last 90 days.
How many subscribers and watch hours do you need to get monetized?
For ad revenue, 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months, or 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days. A lower tier for fan funding and Shopping needs 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in the last 90 days, and 3,000 watch hours or 3 million Shorts views.
What changes in 2027?
From February 1, 2027, new applicants need 8,000 watch hours in the last 365 days or 20 million Shorts views in the last 90 days to join the Partner Program. The 1,000-subscriber rule stays, channels already in the program keep their status, and the lower-tier thresholds don't change.
Do Shorts views count toward the 4,000 watch hours?
No. Shorts views count only toward the separate Shorts path (10 million views in 90 days). Watch hours come from public long-form videos.
How can you check if a YouTube channel is monetized?
For your own channel, YouTube Studio shows your status under Earn. For someone else's channel there's no official indicator. Ads on a video don't prove it, because YouTube can show ads on channels that aren't in the Partner Program.
How long does the YouTube monetization review take?
YouTube reviews each application against its policies once you apply, and it usually takes about a month. Meeting the numbers opens the application but doesn't guarantee approval.