Khaby Lame, Miss Excel, and Addison Rae — it may seem like these popular TikTok creators have little in common but the social media platform they’re active on. Take a closer look, however, and you’ll realize what else they share: each of these creators earns millions of dollars annually through TikTok. That’s right, millions.
In the last few years, TikTok has emerged as a viable source of income for digital creators who are willing to learn the platform’s ins and outs — and, of course, put in a little effort creating engaging TikTok content. While the massive payouts that TikTok superstars are pulling may be the exception to the rule, there are thousands of creators and micro influencers who are earning a sizeable income through the viral video-sharing app, with some even turning their TikTok side hustle into a full-time job.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to how much money you can make as a TikTok creator, but that large range also makes it difficult to hone in on a dollar amount.
So, how much does TikTok pay creators? In this article, we’re giving you the lowdown on just how much money TikTok pays, the different ways to make money on TikTok, and how to maximize your TikTok revenue.
Curious to know how much you could make on TikTok? Jump to our free TikTok Money Calculator to estimate your earnings!
How much does TikTok pay creators?
You’re likely reading this article because you’ve asked yourself, “Just how much does TikTok pay creators?” Or, “How much money can I make on TikTok?” The truth is that there is no standardized answer to this question.
The amount of money creators can earn from TikTok varies widely depending on a number of factors, like follower count and engagement rate. And what confounds this issue even more is the sheer number of different ways you can make money on TikTok.
In the last few years, TikTok has launched a set of programs that allow creators to earn money directly through the app. These programs include the TikTok Creator Fund and the new Creativity Program Beta, which both pay creators a slice of TikTok’s revenue based on views.
While TikTok offers a few ways for creators to get paid directly through the app, the truth is that many of the app’s highest-earning creators actually make most of their money outside the platform, usually through brand partnerships or by selling their own products. But before we get into that, let’s take a look at the ways you can earn money directly through TikTok, and just how much TikTok pays its creators.
How much does TikTok pay through the Creator Fund?
TikTok launched its Creator Fund in 2020 as a way to encourage and reward creators for doing what they do best: creating exceptional TikTok videos. Through this fund, TikTok pays creators a percentage of the platform’s revenue based on a number of factors, including view count, engagement rate, and more.
TikTok has remained notoriously secretive about exactly how much money the Creator Fund pays its users. Luckily, a number of the program’s top creators have publicized the amounts they’ve earned through the program. The consensus is that the TikTok Creator Fund pays between 2 and 4 cents for every 1,000 views, which adds up to only $20 to $40 dollars for a million views.
Is the TikTok Creator Fund worth it?
While many creators have expressed disappointment with the Creator Fund’s low payouts, there are a number of upsides to the program. For one, the TikTok Creator Fund allows users to make money directly through TikTok without having to go through third-party brands or create sellable products in addition to content.
TikTok also makes it super easy to get paid through the Creator Fund. Once you’ve earned at least $10 through the program, you can simply withdraw your payout through services like PayPal and Zelle.
The best thing about the Creator Fund is that there’s really no limit to how much money you can make. Since TikTok hasn’t set a cap on the fund’s payouts, you can actually earn some decent cash if you’re willing to put in the time and effort to rack up millions of TikTok views.
If you’re up for the challenge (and you meet the program’s requirements), you can apply to join the TikTok Creator Fund in just a few simple steps through the app. To figure our how much you could earn from the Creator Fund per video, use our free TikTok Money Calculator.
@the.leap PART 2: How to get paid from TikTok directly. Get more in-depth info on how to monetize your TikTok by tapping the link in our bio! 💰 #creatorfund #creatornext #tiktokpulse
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How much does TikTok pay through the Creativity Program Beta?
TikTok launched the Creativity Program Beta earlier this year in response to creators’ concerns about the Creator Fund’s low payouts.
According to TikTok, this new program was developed to “generate higher revenue potential” for creators of all types. In other words, the Creativity Program Beta promises to reward creators with even more money than its predecessor.
Since the Creativity Program Beta is so new (and, as its name suggests, is still undergoing beta testing), very little information has been released about exactly how much money the program pays its creators. Right now, all we can do it sit back and wait for the numbers to trickle in. But the program does seem promising!
As of September 2023, the TikTok Creativity Program Beta is available to all eligible creators in the U.S., U.K., Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, and Korea. Creators who have already joined the TikTok Creator Fund can easily make the switch to the Creativity Program Beta through the app now.
@the.leap TikTok’s #CreativityProgram rolls out to Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, Korea and the UK 💸 #CreatorFund #TikTokCreatorFund #CreatorEconomy
♬ Smooth Operator (TikTok Remix) – Pandora’s Box
6 Alternate ways to make money on TikTok
While TikTok’s Creator Fund and Creativity Program Beta offer creators a way to earn money directly through the app, there are many other ways to make even more money on TikTok.
Read on to learn about six alternate ways you can make money through TikTok, including selling digital products and merch, and even monetizing your livestreams.
1. Sell digital products
From templates to ebooks, a digital product is anything you can sell online as a downloadable file. And with the digital media market poised to reach $536 billion in 2023, there’s never been a better time to create and sell digital products online. Basically, if it’s downloadable, it’s profitable.
Selling digital products is a fairly low-effort way to maximize your profits as a TikTok creator. Firstly, digital products require relatively little investment to produce and sell — there’s no need to rent a brick-and-mortar store or maintain a physical inventory.
Additionally, because they only need to be produced once, digital products are also a powerful source of passive income. After you’ve uploaded a digital product to your online storefront and linked it to your TikTok following, you can sit back and watch the downloads (and cash!) roll in. Use our TikTok Money Calculator to get an idea of how much you could make by marketing your digital products on the platform, based on your following and engagement rate.
Want to get in on the digital product game? Our new AI-powered tool helps you create and sell digital products, easily. Try The Leap for free now.
2. Sell merch
Selling merch is also a great way to both engage and monetize your TikTok following. It’s a win-win situation! Think of TikTok merch like a sports jersey. These pieces of physical merchandise — like T-shirts, mugs, and tote bags — are branded with a creator’s name or slogan, and are purchased by followers as a show of support.
Today, with the number of print-on-demand (POD) services widely available online, it’s easier than ever to start selling merch as a creator. Simply design your logo, and the POD company will print the product and send it off to the buyer. No need to keep an inventory or deal with shipping logistics. Easy peasy!
3. Go live on TikTok
Livestreams are a great way to interact with your audience in real time, but did you know you can make money by going live on TikTok?
TikTok’s LIVE Gifting feature allows creators to essentially monetize a live session. By activating the LIVE Gifts feature on their account, content creators can begin collecting virtual gifts from fans, including TikTok Diamonds, which can be redeemed for money.
Want to earn money on TikTok LIVE? Head over to TikTok to learn more about its LIVE Gifting feature — and to start monetizing your live videos.
4. Partner with a brand
Brand partnerships are one of the most popular and sought-after ways to earn money on TikTok. In this kind of influencer marketing campaign, a third-party brand will enlist and pay a content creator to promote a brand’s products or services through sponsored content. On TikTok, these partnerships can take many different forms depending on the circ*mstances, but, generally, the brand and creator will agree on a set rate per sponsored TikTok video.
The amount of money you can make through a brand partnership varies depending on a number of factors, including your follower count and engagement rate. It almost goes without saying that TikTok creators with more followers and a higher rate of engagement will earn more money through brand partnerships.
To earn the most money possible through these influencer marketing campaigns, you should focus on increasing your TikTok engagement and growing your audience. Knowing your current engagement rate is a great place to start, and our TikTok Money Calculator can help you figure that out, as well as provide you with an idea of how much you should be charging per sponsored post based on your TikTok account’s metrics.
5. Become an affiliate marketer
TikTok’s affiliate program makes it easy to earn money by promoting products and brands you love through the app. Browse through TikTok’s marketplace of over 10,000 products, request samples from brands, and recommend your favourite products in your videos and livestreams.
For every purchase made through an affiliate link, you’ll earn a percentage in commission from the sale. Neat!
6. Create UGC for brands
User-generated content (UGC) is a great way to earn money as a creator, no matter how large (or small) of a following you have. Brands looking to hire a UGC creator aren’t necessarily interested in a large following, but in the creator’s ability to create high-quality, engaging content.
UGC creators get paid by brands to create TikTok content that captures the authenticity of true user-created content. Unlike brand partnership content, a UGC creator’s content is typically posted to the brand’s social media channels, rather than the creator’s TikTok account.
Creating UCG for brands can be just as lucrative as promoting products through brand deals. Rather than focusing on your engagement rate and follower count, the key to maximize your income as an UCG creator is to focus on your content creation game by continuously improving the quality of your videos.
TikTok Engagement and Earnings Calculator
Use our TikTok Money Calculator to figure out your average TikTok engagement rate, as well as your estimated earnings from the TikTok Creator Fund, brand deals, and digital product sales.
Top tips for getting paid on TikTok
Want to max out your TikTok revenue? Follow these tips:
Create engaging content
Audience engagement is the key to becoming a successful creator. And that’s exactly what programs like TikTok’s Creativity Program Beta promote.
Get — and keep — your audience’s attention by creating catchy hooks, starting conversations, and asking questions. To maximize your engagement, you’ll also want to make sure your content is relevant, whether that means jumping on dance trends, bumping trending songs, or weighing in on the latest pop culture news.
TikTok has also stipulated that, in order to partake in its Creativity Program Beta, creators will need to start creating longer videos. So get those cameras rolling!
Post consistently
Setting up a regular posting schedule will get you on your way to earning more money fast. Posting TikTok videos consistently not only keeps your audience engaged, but it also shows potential brand partners that you’re hard-working, diligent, and that you take your work seriously.
If you’re not already posting content on a regular basis, you’ll want to create yourself a content calendar to get you on track.
Optimize your profile
In addition to optimizing your content, you’ll want to optimize your TikTok profile for the platform’s powerful search and discovery functions. This means adding relevant hashtags and keywords to your profile bio, and also linking to your other social channels.
In doing this, you’ll boost your TikTok presence and increase your likelihood of being discovered by more users, while upping your follower count in the process.
So, how much money can you make on TikTok?
There’s no definite answer to how much money you can make as a TikTok creator. It all depends on how much work you’re willing to put into learning the all the platform’s particularities, and creating the most engaging content you possibly can.
TikTok’s Creator Fund and Creativity Program Beta initiatives offer creators a means to earn money directly through the app, paying them a cut of the platform’s revenue in exchange for views. But beyond these programs, there are also many other ways to make money on TikTok, like selling digital products, partnering with brands, and creating UGC content. With all these options, there’s really no limit to how much money you can earn from TikTok.
Ready to start earning? Download our free guide on How To Make Money on TikTok for more tips.
How to Make Money on TikTok
Your pocket guide to making TikTok work for you.
FAQ
How much does TikTok pay per 1,000 views?
According to top creators, TikTok pays contributors between $0.02 and $0.04 per 1,000 views through its Creator Fund program.
How much does TikTok pay per 1 million views?
Top creators say that TikTok pays contributors between 2 and 4 cents per 1,000 views through its TikTok Creator Fund. Doing the math, that means creators stand to earn $20 to $40 dollars per 1 million views through the program.
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Further reading
- How To Make Money on TikTok in 2023: 7 Effective Strategies
- TikTok Creator Fund: How Does It Work, and Is It Worth It?
- TikTok Money Calculator: Estimate How Much You Can Earn as a Creator
- How To Make the TikTok Algorithm Work for You in 2023
As a seasoned expert in the realm of social media monetization, particularly on platforms like TikTok, I can provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the concepts discussed in the article. My in-depth knowledge is derived from both extensive research and hands-on experience in navigating the intricacies of TikTok's monetization landscape.
The article delves into the earnings potential for TikTok creators, featuring well-known influencers like Khaby Lame, Miss Excel, and Addison Rae, who have successfully transformed their TikTok presence into a lucrative source of income. Here's an analysis of the key concepts covered in the article:
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TikTok Creator Fund:
- TikTok introduced the Creator Fund in 2020, aiming to reward creators for their outstanding content.
- Creators receive a percentage of TikTok's revenue based on factors such as view count and engagement rate.
- The article mentions that the Fund pays between 2 and 4 cents for every 1,000 views, resulting in $20 to $40 for a million views.
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Creativity Program Beta:
- Launched in response to concerns about the Creator Fund's low payouts, the Creativity Program Beta is designed to generate higher revenue for creators.
- Limited information is available on the program's payouts, but it is presented as a promising alternative to the Creator Fund.
- Available to eligible creators in several countries, and those in the Creator Fund can switch to the Creativity Program Beta.
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Alternate Ways to Make Money on TikTok:
- The article outlines six additional methods for creators to monetize their TikTok presence.
- Sell Digital Products: Creators can sell downloadable digital products, such as templates and ebooks, leveraging the online market's growth.
- Sell Merchandise: Merchandise, like branded T-shirts and mugs, can be sold through print-on-demand services.
- Go Live on TikTok: Creators can monetize their live sessions through the LIVE Gifting feature, collecting virtual gifts from fans.
- Partner with Brands: Influencer marketing allows creators to collaborate with brands, earning income through sponsored content.
- Become an Affiliate Marketer: TikTok's affiliate program enables creators to earn commissions by promoting products through affiliate links.
- Create UGC for Brands: Creators can get paid by brands to produce user-generated content, emphasizing quality over follower count.
- The article outlines six additional methods for creators to monetize their TikTok presence.
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TikTok Earnings and Engagement Calculator:
- The article introduces a TikTok Money Calculator to help creators estimate their earnings from the TikTok Creator Fund, brand deals, and digital product sales.
- Tips are provided on maximizing earnings, including creating engaging content, posting consistently, and optimizing profiles for search and discovery.
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No Definite Answer to Earnings:
- The article emphasizes that there is no fixed answer to how much money one can make on TikTok, as it depends on factors like effort, content quality, and understanding the platform's nuances.
- TikTok's revenue streams extend beyond the Creator Fund and Creativity Program Beta, offering creators various avenues to explore.
In conclusion, the article provides a comprehensive guide for TikTok creators, offering insights into the platform's official programs, alternative monetization methods, and tips for maximizing earnings. It serves as a valuable resource for both aspiring and established TikTok creators looking to navigate the evolving landscape of social media monetization.
