What percentage of YouTube ad revenue do creators get?
Short answer
Creators get 55% of long-form ad revenue and 45% of Shorts ad revenue (after music licensing). Google keeps the remainder. The 55/45 split has been constant since 2007 — there's no negotiating it.
Long-form: 55% to creator, 45% to YouTube. Shorts: ~45% to creators (pool, after music splits). Premium: similar 55/45 split applied to Premium watch-time share.
MCNs (Multi-Channel Networks) take an additional 5–30% of your 55% share. Most established creators don't use MCNs anymore because the math rarely works out.
| Segment | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-form ads | 55% to creator | 55% | 55% |
| Shorts ads (pooled) | ~45% to creators | 45% | 45% |
| Premium watch time | 55% | 55% | 55% |
| MCN take rate (on your 55%) | 5% | 15% | 30% |
Caveats
- Music-licensed Shorts allocate part of the pool to rights holders before creator distribution.
- Some MCNs offer perks (legal, contracts, sponsor matching) that justify the cut for new creators.