What is a YouTube channel actually worth?
Enter your monthly views and niche. See AdSense + sponsorship revenue side-by-side, plus a scale table showing what different view counts would earn at the same RPM.
Inputs
Your channel numbers
Presets by niche
Scale scenarios
| Monthly views | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10k | $370 | $4,440 |
| 100k | $3,700 | $44,400 |
| 500k | $18,500 | $222,000 |
| 1M | $37,000 | $444,000 |
| 5M | $185,000 | $2,220,000 |
How to read the numbers
The revenue figure combines two independent streams. AdSense revenue is deterministic — views × RPM ÷ 1,000. Sponsorship revenue is what you could theoretically earn at a given per-1,000-views rate; it doesn't appear until you're big enough for brands to reply.
The RPM defaults are grounded in creator reports across the last 24 months. They reflect realistic mid-channel performance in tier-1 markets. New channels sit lower; large channels (500k+ subs) often sit meaningfully higher because they attract better ad categories.
What the calculator doesn't include
- YouTube Premium revenue (small but real for most channels)
- Channel memberships, Super Chat, merch shelf
- Affiliate revenue — often the highest-margin stream for creators with newsletter or Discord funnels
- Course, cohort, or product revenue driven by the channel
For most established faceless channels, the number this calculator produces is 60–75% of the total business's monthly revenue. Everything else is upside.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between RPM and CPM?
CPM (cost per mille) is what advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions. RPM (revenue per mille) is what the creator receives per 1,000 video views, after YouTube's 45% cut and after accounting for views that don't show ads. RPM is always lower than CPM. Creators care about RPM; advertisers care about CPM.
Why do RPMs vary so wildly between niches?
Advertisers bid different amounts to reach different audiences. Financial-services advertisers pay $20+ to reach a 35-year-old male researching investments; a snack brand might pay $2 to reach a general-audience viewer. RPM directly reflects what advertisers value about your audience.
How accurate is this calculator?
It's a directional estimate, not an accounting tool. Real YouTube revenue varies with watch time (long-form pays more), geography (US/UK/CA views pay 3–5× developing-market views), video length (mid-roll eligibility at 8+ min matters), and ad categories active during your billing cycle.
What RPM should a new channel expect?
New channels almost always sit at the low end of their niche's RPM range for the first 6–12 months because YouTube optimizes ad load and category matching over time. Doubling of RPM at the 12-month mark is normal for channels that consistently publish long-form content.
Are sponsorships worth chasing?
Yes, but only at a certain scale. Most brands don't reply below 50k subscribers or 100k monthly views. Once you cross that threshold, sponsorships can 2–5× your AdSense revenue for the same audience.