How much does YouTube Premium pay creators?
Short answer
YouTube Premium pays creators a share of subscription revenue proportional to their share of Premium-subscriber watch time. Typical effective RPM is $4–$8 from Premium views — often higher than ad RPM.
YouTube pools all Premium subscription revenue (after Google's cut), then distributes to creators based on Premium watch time on their content.
Effective Premium RPM is typically $4–$8 globally — competitive with ad RPM for mid-RPM niches, and a major bonus for low-RPM niches (gaming, vlog) where Premium can outpay ads.
| Segment | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Premium RPM | $3 | $6 | $10 |
| Premium RPM in gaming/vlog | $2 | $5 | $9 |
| Premium RPM in tech/finance | $4 | $7 | $12 |
Caveats
- Premium revenue is reported separately in YouTube Studio — many creators miss it.
- Higher Premium-viewer share in your audience (US, UK, JP) lifts blended RPM.