YouTube Raises The Monetisation Bar
YouTube is making it significantly harder for new creators to qualify for advertising revenue sharing through its YouTube Partner Programme.
From February 1, 2027, new applicants will need 1,000 subscribers and either 8,000 hours of qualified public watch time in the previous 12 months or 20 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days to become eligible for ad and YouTube Premium revenue sharing.
The subscriber requirement remains unchanged, but both performance thresholds have been doubled.
Watch Hours Requirement Doubles To 8,000
Until now, creators needed 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public watch hours to qualify for the main monetisation tier.
That requirement will now rise to 8,000 hours.
For creators building long-form channels, this means they will need substantially more consistent viewing activity before YouTube begins sharing advertising revenue with them.
The change is particularly significant for smaller channels that have been working towards the existing 4,000-hour milestone.
Shorts Creators Face An Even Bigger Challenge
The threshold for Shorts creators will also double.
Creators seeking ad revenue through Shorts will need 20 million qualified Shorts views within 90 days, compared with the existing requirement of 10 million views.
YouTube is also introducing an ongoing requirement for Shorts revenue sharing. Channels will need to repeatedly reach 10 million qualified Shorts views over a rolling 90-day period to continue earning ad and subscription revenue from Shorts.
If a channel falls below that threshold, it can remain in the Partner Programme and continue earning from long-form content, with Shorts revenue resuming once the required view count is reached again.
Existing YouTube Partners Are Protected
Creators already participating in the YouTube Partner Programme will not suddenly lose access because of the higher entry thresholds.
They will be grandfathered into the programme, although they will need to accept updated terms through YouTube Studio by January 31, 2027 to continue earning.
Existing partners will also face ongoing activity requirements, including minimum levels of watch hours, Shorts views or publishing activity.
Lower Monetisation Tier Remains Unchanged
The changes do not affect YouTube’s lower entry tier.
Creators can still access features such as Super Thanks, channel memberships and YouTube Shopping with 500 subscribers, three public uploads within 90 days and either 3,000 watch hours or 3 million Shorts views.
This means smaller creators can continue monetising through fan support and commerce even if they have not reached the much higher threshold required for advertising revenue.
YouTube Wants Smaller Creators To Focus On Commerce
YouTube says the higher thresholds reflect the enormous growth of its creator ecosystem.
The platform now records around 200 billion Shorts views every day and more than a billion hours of daily viewing on television screens.
Instead of relying primarily on advertising revenue, YouTube plans to offer smaller creators other opportunities, including Shopping bonuses, brand-deal rewards and milestone-based incentives.
This effectively shifts the early monetisation path away from AdSense and towards commerce, memberships and brand partnerships.
The Creator Economy Is Getting More Competitive
The change could have a major impact on aspiring creators who are still working towards YouTube monetisation.
A creator with 600 subscribers, for example, can still use memberships and shopping features. However, earning a share of advertising revenue will require reaching a substantially higher level of audience engagement.
For creators who have not yet qualified under the existing rules, the February 2027 deadline could therefore make the next several months particularly important.
YouTube has already paid more than $100 billion to creators, artists and media companies over the past four years, making access to its revenue-sharing system highly valuable.
But with millions of channels competing for audience attention, YouTube is now raising the bar for who gets access to that advertising pool.
Summary
YouTube will double the monetisation requirements for new creators from February 1, 2027. New applicants will need 1,000 subscribers plus either 8,000 public watch hours or 20 million qualified Shorts views. Existing partners will remain protected, while the lower tier for memberships, fan funding and shopping remains unchanged. The move pushes smaller creators towards commerce and brand partnerships before they can access advertising revenue sharing.
