Incomes

Remember when your parents said “You can’t make money playing on the internet”? Well, someone should tell that to Mark Rober, who turned science experiments into a 60-million-subscriber empire. Or maybe mention it to the folks at BRIGHT SIDE, who are casually making $1.7 million a year explaining random facts with stick figures. (Yes, you read that right – stick figures are making millions. Let that sink in.)

The Truth About YouTube Money in 2025

Here’s a spicy truth bomb for you: While everyone’s fighting over TikTok dances and Instagram reels, YouTube creators are quietly building actual empires. And the best part? You don’t need to be MrBeast or have a fancy studio to get a piece of the pie.

Your inbox pings. A brand wants to collaborate. Your heart races as you read their message, but then comes the million-dollar question: “What are your rates?”

If you’ve ever felt that mix of excitement and panic, you’re not alone. Whether you’ve got 10,000 subscribers or 1 million, pricing your first (or fifteenth) sponsorship can feel like solving a Rubik’s cube blindfolded.

Here’s the thing: Markiplier charges upwards of $25,000 per sponsored video. Meanwhile, mid-sized tech channels like Austin Evans command between $2,500 to $9,000 per collaboration. But what about your channel? Let’s cut through the confusion and break down exactly what you should charge.

Ah, the elusive dream of becoming a YouTube millionaire - the holy grail for every budding video creator out there. Just imagine it: Raking in the big bucks, sipping mai tais on a private yacht, all while your videos rack up millions of views. It’s the stuff of legend, right?

Well, I’m here to tell you that the reality is a bit… different. You see, the truth is, you don’t need millions of subscribers or views to earn a decent living on YouTube. In fact, relying solely on ad revenue as your primary income source is often a recipe for disappointment, especially if you’re in a lower-paying niche like gaming.