YouTube Earnings Calculator
Estimate how much a YouTube channel earns from ads - based on views, niche CPM rates, and monetization factors.
Assumes ~50% of views are monetized (after ad blockers and skips) and YouTube's 45% revenue share. Ad revenue only - sponsorships, memberships, and affiliates are extra.
How to use the Earnings Calculator
- 1Set your view volume
Use the slider to set daily or monthly views - your own channel's numbers or a channel you're evaluating.
- 2Pick your niche
Choose a niche preset (finance, tech, gaming, lifestyle...) or set a custom CPM if you know your rate from YouTube Studio.
- 3Read the estimate
See estimated monthly and yearly earnings, computed with realistic monetized-view rates and YouTube's revenue share.
About this tool
How much does a YouTube channel actually earn? This calculator gives you a realistic estimate based on the numbers that matter: view volume, your niche's typical CPM (cost per 1,000 ad impressions), and the fact that only a fraction of views actually show ads.
CPM varies enormously by niche - finance and business content commands $15-40 CPM because advertisers pay premium rates for those audiences, while gaming and entertainment typically sees $2-6. The calculator includes niche presets based on publicly reported creator data so your estimate starts from a realistic baseline.
The math also accounts for the gap between total views and monetized views: after ad blockers, skipped ads, and non-monetizable content, typically only 40-60% of views generate revenue - and YouTube keeps 45% of ad revenue. This calculator models the full chain so the output reflects what actually lands in a creator's account.
Features
- ✓Niche CPM presets from real creator-reported data
- ✓Custom CPM input for creators who know their rates
- ✓Models monetized-view rate and YouTube's 45% share
- ✓Monthly and yearly projections
- ✓Daily or monthly view input modes
- ✓Free with no signup
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between CPM and RPM?
CPM is what advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions. RPM is what YOU earn per 1,000 total video views - after YouTube's 45% cut and accounting for views that showed no ads. RPM is typically 40-60% of CPM. YouTube Studio shows both; RPM is the number that predicts your actual income.
How much does YouTube pay per 1,000 views?
It varies hugely by niche and audience country. Realistic RPM ranges: gaming/entertainment $1-3, lifestyle/vlogs $2-5, tech $4-10, business/finance $8-25. A US-heavy audience earns several times more than the same views from lower-CPM countries.
Does this calculator include sponsorships and memberships?
No - it estimates ad revenue only. Many creators earn as much or more from sponsorships, channel memberships, affiliate links, and merch. Total creator income is often 2-4x ad revenue alone.
Why is my actual revenue different from the estimate?
Estimates use niche averages, but your real RPM depends on your specific audience geography, viewer age, ad-friendliness of your content, video length (8+ minute videos allow mid-roll ads), and seasonality - Q4 CPMs can be double Q1 rates.
How many views do I need to make $1,000 per month?
At a typical $3 RPM: ~333,000 monthly views. At finance-niche $15 RPM: only ~67,000 views. This is why niche selection matters more than raw view count for income.
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