How much does YouTube pay for 1 million views?
1 million long-form YouTube views typically pays $1,000–$8,000 in ad revenue, with most creators landing between $2,500 and $5,000. Finance channels can clear $15,000–$40,000 for the same view count; gaming channels often see $800–$2,000. Shorts at the same view count typically pay $30–$100 from the pooled revenue share.
Estimated earnings from 1M YouTube views
| Niche | Long-form ad revenue | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Finance / investing | $15,000–$40,000 | Highest CPMs on the platform |
| Tech / SaaS reviews | $6,000–$18,000 | |
| Education | $4,000–$10,000 | |
| Lifestyle / vlogs | $2,000–$6,000 | |
| Gaming | $800–$3,500 | |
| Shorts (any niche) | $30–$100 | Pooled Shorts fund |
Context
The '1 million views' benchmark is popular because it's cited constantly, but the payout swing is enormous. The three levers that move the number: niche (advertiser competition), audience geography (US/UK/CA views pay 5–20× LatAm/India), and Shorts share (Shorts pay a fraction of long-form).
Methodology
Estimates derived from long-form RPM medians × 1,000,000 views, using the calculator's built-in niche multipliers. Real creators frequently share screenshots inside these ranges — outliers exist in both directions.
Model your own numbers
Related reading
More answers in this category
- How much does YouTube pay per 1,000 views in 2026?
- Do YouTube Shorts pay less than long-form videos?
- How many YouTube subscribers do you need to make $1,000 per month?
- What is a good YouTube RPM in 2026?
Last updated 2026-07-10.