How Much Does TikTok Pay for 1 Million Views? (2026)

You hit 1 million views on a TikTok video. Now the question: how much money did that actually make you?

Through TikTok's Creator Rewards Program in 2026, 1 million views typically pays $400 to $1,000. The average creator reports earning around $800 for a million-view video, which works out to an RPM (revenue per 1,000 views) of roughly $0.80.

But that range is wide enough to be frustrating. A finance creator in the US might earn $1,000+ while an entertainment creator in Southeast Asia sees $150 for the same view count. The difference comes down to three things: what your content is about, where your audience lives, and how they watch your videos.

This guide breaks down the real numbers — by niche, by country, and by creator tier — so you can estimate what your specific content should be earning. We also built a free TikTok money calculator that lets you estimate your earnings right now based on your actual metrics.

How TikTok Pays Creators in 2026

TikTok has two payment programs. Only one is worth paying attention to.

Creator Rewards Program (the current system)

TikTok launched the Creator Rewards Program in late 2023 to replace the widely criticized Creator Fund. The payout difference is massive:

Program	Pay Per 1,000 Views	Pay Per 1M Views	Status
Creator Fund (old)	$0.02–$0.04	$20–$40	Retired in most regions
Creator Rewards Program (new)	$0.40–$1.00+	$400–$1,000+	Active (2026)

That's a 10–25x increase in per-view earnings. TikTok made this change because creators were leaving for YouTube and Instagram, where ad revenue sharing paid significantly more. The new program closed much of that gap.

The Creator Rewards Program pays based on qualified views — not total views. This is a distinction most guides skip over. A "qualified view" means the viewer watched your video for a meaningful amount of time on eligible content. If someone scrolls past after half a second, that view doesn't count toward your payout.

What counts as a "qualified view"

For a view to earn money through Creator Rewards, your video must meet all of these criteria:

• Original content — no reposts, compilations, or content primarily using someone else's material
• Over 1 minute long — videos under 60 seconds are not eligible for Creator Rewards payouts
• Standalone content — duets and stitches don't qualify
• Community guideline compliant — no active violations or strikes on the video

This means a 15-second viral clip that hits 10 million views earns $0 from Creator Rewards. Only longer original content qualifies. TikTok designed this specifically to reward creators who invest effort in quality content rather than quick trend-jacking.

Eligibility requirements for Creator Rewards

To join the program, you need:

• 10,000+ followers on your account
• 100,000+ video views in the last 30 days
• Age 18+ (19+ in South Korea)
• Based in an eligible country — US, UK, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil as of early 2026
• Account in good standing with no active community guideline violations

If you don't meet these requirements yet, your views earn nothing through direct TikTok payouts. Focus on growth first, and use our TikTok money calculator to track your estimated earning potential as your account grows.

Real TikTok Earnings Data: What 1 Million Views Actually Pays

Let's get specific. Here's what creators are actually reporting for 1 million views on different types of content in 2026:

Content Type	Typical Payout (1M Views)	RPM Range	Why
Finance/investing explainer (3+ min)	$800–$1,200	$0.80–$1.20	High-value audience, long watch time
Tech review (3–8 min)	$700–$1,100	$0.70–$1.10	High CPM advertisers targeting tech buyers
Educational how-to (3+ min)	$600–$1,000	$0.60–$1.00	TikTok actively promotes this category
Beauty tutorial (2–5 min)	$600–$900	$0.60–$0.90	Massive brand demand from cosmetics companies
Cooking/recipe (2–4 min)	$500–$800	$0.50–$0.80	Consistent engagement, moderate CPM
Lifestyle vlog (5+ min)	$500–$900	$0.50–$0.90	Long watch time boosts payout multiplier
Fitness routine (1–3 min)	$400–$700	$0.40–$0.70	Supplement and wellness brand spending
Comedy/entertainment (1–2 min)	$300–$600	$0.30–$0.60	High view volume, lower per-view rates

Two patterns are clear from this data:

1. Longer videos earn more per view. A 5-minute video with 1 million views will almost always outpay a 1-minute video with the same count. TikTok's algorithm rewards watch time, and longer content generates more ad inventory.

2. Niche matters more than virality. A finance creator with 500,000 views can earn more than an entertainment creator with 2 million views. Advertisers targeting finance audiences pay premium rates because each viewer has higher purchasing power.

Calculate Your TikTok Earnings

Want to see what your specific account could earn? Our free TikTok Money Calculator estimates your earnings based on follower count, engagement rate, and content niche. It uses 2026 industry benchmarks and factors in both Creator Rewards payouts and sponsorship potential — no signup required.

TikTok Earnings by Content Niche (Detailed Breakdown)

Your niche is the single biggest factor in how much TikTok pays you per view. Advertisers don't pay the same rate to reach every audience — a financial services company will pay 5x more per impression than a mobile game publisher, because each customer they acquire is worth dramatically more.

Here's the full breakdown for 2026.

High-paying niches ($0.70+ RPM)

Niche	RPM Range	1M View Payout	Why It Pays Well
Finance & Investing	$0.80–$1.30	$800–$1,300	Financial services advertisers have massive customer LTV
Technology & Software	$0.70–$1.20	$700–$1,200	B2B and SaaS companies bid aggressively for tech audiences
Insurance & Legal	$0.75–$1.20	$750–$1,200	Single customer worth thousands in lifetime revenue
Real Estate	$0.70–$1.10	$700–$1,100	High-ticket purchases drive premium CPMs
Education & Online Courses	$0.65–$1.00	$650–$1,000	EdTech companies invest heavily in user acquisition

Mid-tier niches ($0.40–$0.70 RPM)

Niche	RPM Range	1M View Payout	Why It Pays Well
Beauty & Skincare	$0.50–$0.80	$500–$800	Massive brand budgets from L'Oréal, Sephora, CeraVe, etc.
Health & Fitness	$0.45–$0.75	$450–$750	Supplement and wellness brand spending continues to grow
Travel	$0.40–$0.70	$400–$700	Tourism boards and hospitality companies are active advertisers
Food & Cooking	$0.40–$0.65	$400–$650	CPG brands and kitchen product companies run consistent campaigns
Parenting & Family	$0.45–$0.70	$450–$700	Family-oriented brands (baby products, education) pay well

Lower-paying niches ($0.15–$0.40 RPM)

Niche	RPM Range	1M View Payout	Notes
General Entertainment	$0.25–$0.50	$250–$500	High view volume compensates for lower RPM
Comedy & Skits	$0.20–$0.45	$200–$450	Broad audience, but non-specific advertiser interest
Gaming	$0.30–$0.55	$300–$550	Wide range — hardware reviews earn more than gameplay
Music & Dance	$0.20–$0.40	$200–$400	Low CPM but strong viral potential
Memes & Trends	$0.15–$0.35	$150–$350	Often short-form, which limits Creator Rewards eligibility

An important note on "lower-paying" niches: entertainment and comedy creators often get 10–50x more views than finance creators. A finance creator making $1,000 from 1M views and a comedy creator making $300 from 5M views end up in a similar ballpark. Don't switch niches just for higher RPM — play to your strengths and maximize total earnings.

For strategies on growing your audience in any niche, check out our guide on the best times to post on TikTok to make sure your videos get maximum initial traction.

How Your Audience Location Affects TikTok Earnings

Not all views are worth the same amount. A million views from US-based audiences earns significantly more than a million views from audiences in developing markets. Advertisers pay different rates depending on the purchasing power of the viewers they're reaching.

Audience Region	Estimated RPM	1M View Payout	Relative to US Average
United States	$0.60–$1.10	$600–$1,100	Baseline
United Kingdom	$0.55–$1.00	$550–$1,000	~90% of US rates
Canada	$0.50–$0.95	$500–$950	~85% of US rates
Australia	$0.50–$0.90	$500–$900	~80% of US rates
Western Europe (DE, FR)	$0.45–$0.85	$450–$850	~75% of US rates
Japan & South Korea	$0.40–$0.80	$400–$800	~70% of US rates
Brazil	$0.20–$0.45	$200–$450	~35% of US rates
Southeast Asia	$0.10–$0.30	$100–$300	~20% of US rates
India	$0.05–$0.15	$50–$150	~10% of US rates

This geographic disparity explains why two creators with identical content and identical view counts can earn vastly different amounts. If you're creating English-language content that attracts US/UK viewers, your per-view earnings will be 5–10x higher than content targeting South Asian audiences.

What you can do about it: Check TikTok Analytics (Creator Tools > Analytics > Followers > Top territories) to see where your viewers are located. If your audience skews toward high-CPM countries, lean into that. Consider posting during peak US/UK hours even if you're based elsewhere — capturing those viewers early means higher-value initial engagement.

5 Factors That Determine Your Actual Payout

Two creators can both get 1 million views and earn vastly different amounts. Here's what actually drives the gap.

1. Watch time and completion rate

This is the single most important factor. TikTok's Creator Rewards Program explicitly rewards videos that keep people watching. A 3-minute video where the average viewer watches 2.5 minutes will earn significantly more per view than a 3-minute video where most people drop off at 30 seconds.

The longer people stay on your video, the more valuable that view is to advertisers — and the more TikTok pays you for it.

2. Video length

Videos must be over 1 minute to qualify for Creator Rewards at all. But within eligible videos, longer content generally earns more:

• More ad inventory can be served within or between longer videos
• Longer watch sessions signal higher audience quality to the algorithm
• TikTok applies a payout multiplier for sustained engagement

The sweet spot in 2026 appears to be 2–5 minutes for most niches. Long enough to maximize per-view earnings, short enough to maintain strong completion rates. Going beyond 8–10 minutes rarely helps unless your content genuinely warrants it (deep tutorials, storytelling).

3. Content originality and search value

TikTok has introduced "search value" as a factor in Creator Rewards payouts. Content that answers search queries — tutorials, how-tos, explainers, product comparisons — earns more than purely entertainment-driven content.

This aligns with TikTok's push to become a search engine competitor. Nearly 40% of Gen Z users now search TikTok before Google for certain queries. If your video ranks for valuable search terms (like "how to invest in index funds" vs. "funny cat compilation"), you'll see higher RPMs.

4. Audience demographics

Beyond geography, other viewer demographics affect your payout:

• Age: Viewers aged 25–44 are more valuable to advertisers than 13–17 year-olds
• Income level: Audiences with purchasing power attract higher ad bids
• Interests: Viewers interested in finance, technology, and health command premium ad rates

You can't fully control who watches your content, but your niche choice and content style heavily influence the demographics you attract.

5. Engagement signals

Comments, shares, and saves don't directly increase your Creator Rewards RPM. But they indirectly boost your total earnings by:

• Pushing your video to more viewers (more total views = more total revenue)
• Signaling to TikTok's algorithm that your content is high quality
• Improving your video's position in TikTok search results

Focus on content that generates genuine engagement — questions that invite comments, tutorials people save for later, stories people share with friends. These engagement patterns compound your view count over time.

TikTok Earnings by Creator Tier

Your follower count affects your earning potential beyond just Creator Rewards. Brand sponsorships, affiliate deals, and TikTok Shop opportunities all scale with audience size.

Creator Tier	Followers	Sponsored Post Rate	Monthly Potential	Typical Brand Deals/Month
Nano	1K–10K	$5–$50	$25–$250	2–5 (gifted + small paid)
Micro	10K–100K	$50–$2,500	$500–$10,000	3–8
Mid-Tier	100K–500K	$1,000–$5,000	$5,000–$25,000	4–10
Macro	500K–1M	$5,000–$15,000	$20,000–$75,000	5–12
Mega	1M+	$10,000–$50,000+	$50,000–$250,000+	6–15+

Use our TikTok Money Calculator to get a personalized estimate based on your exact follower count and engagement rate.

TikTok vs YouTube vs Instagram: Earnings Comparison at 1 Million Views

How does TikTok stack up against other platforms for monetizing 1 million views? Here's the direct comparison:

Platform	Direct Pay (1M Views)	How Payment Works	Best For
TikTok (Creator Rewards)	$400–$1,000	RPM-based on qualified views	Fast audience growth, viral potential
YouTube (AdSense)	$2,000–$12,000	55% revenue share on ads shown in videos	Highest per-view earnings
Instagram (Reels Bonuses)	$200–$600*	Invite-only performance bonus program	Brand deals (not direct pay)
Facebook (Reels)	$100–$500*	Performance-based bonuses	Supplementary income stream

Instagram and Facebook Reels bonus programs are inconsistent and not available to all creators.

YouTube pays 3–10x more per view than TikTok. But there's a reason creators don't just abandon TikTok for YouTube: TikTok's algorithm makes it dramatically easier to accumulate those views. A brand-new TikTok account can realistically hit 1M views on its first video. On YouTube, that essentially never happens without an existing audience or external promotion.

The smart strategy is to use both. Build your audience on TikTok where growth is fastest, then funnel viewers to YouTube where monetization is strongest. Repurpose your best TikTok content as YouTube Shorts (for discovery) and expand hits into long-form YouTube videos (for revenue). For a deeper look at YouTube earnings, see our guide on how much YouTube pays for 1,000 views.

If you're posting across multiple platforms, a social media scheduling tool can help you publish to TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and more from one dashboard — saving hours each week on manual cross-posting.

Beyond Direct Payouts: How Creators Actually Make Money

Here's what experienced TikTok creators know: direct platform payouts are the smallest slice of the income pie. The real money comes from what you build on top of your audience.

Brand sponsorships ($500–$25,000+ per post)

This is where the real money lives. A creator with 100,000 followers and strong engagement can charge $1,000–$5,000 for a single sponsored post. At 1 million followers, rates jump to $5,000–$25,000+.

Brand deal rates depend on:

• Follower count and engagement rate — brands pay for reach AND response
• Content niche — finance and tech creators command higher rates than general entertainment
• Deliverables — one video vs. a package deal with multiple posts and usage rights
• Exclusivity terms — brands pay more if you agree not to work with competitors

Use our TikTok money calculator to estimate your sponsorship rates based on your current metrics. Most creators undercharge by 30–50% because they don't know the market rates.

Affiliate marketing (5–30% commission per sale)

Every video is an opportunity to earn commissions on products you recommend. TikTok has built this directly into the platform:

• TikTok Shop affiliate — earn commission on products you tag in videos
• Link in bio — send traffic to affiliate landing pages
• Promo codes — trackable discount codes that give you a percentage of each sale

Top creators earn 40%+ of their total income from affiliate commissions. The key is recommending products you genuinely use within content that's already providing value — not creating content that feels like a disguised advertisement.

TikTok Shop (direct sales)

TikTok Shop has exploded in 2025–2026. If you sell physical products, digital products, or branded merchandise, you can sell directly through your videos with product tags and a built-in storefront.

Creators report conversion rates of 2–5% on well-made product showcase videos. That's significantly higher than traditional e-commerce because the content builds trust and demonstrates value before asking for the sale.

Cross-platform repurposing

A TikTok video that performs well can generate additional income when reposted to:

• YouTube Shorts — eligible for YouTube's ad revenue sharing program
• Instagram Reels — builds your multi-platform presence (brands pay more for creators active on multiple platforms)
• Facebook Reels — additional bonus payouts in eligible regions

One piece of content, multiple income streams. Scheduling your content across platforms takes minutes and can double your total earnings from the same creative work.

Products, courses, and services

The highest-earning creators treat TikTok as a funnel for their own offerings:

• Online courses and coaching — $50–$2,000+ per customer
• Consulting and freelance services — leveraging your demonstrated expertise
• Digital downloads — templates, presets, guides, e-books
• Physical merchandise — print-on-demand or custom product lines

A single viral TikTok that drives 500 email signups can generate more long-term revenue than the $800 Creator Rewards payout from that same video. The views are the top of the funnel — what you build below it determines your actual income.

What to Do When Your TikTok Goes Viral (Action Plan)

Most creators watch the view count climb and wait for the Creator Rewards payout. That's leaving significant money on the table. Here's what to do instead.

First 24 hours

1. Pin a comment with a link to your product, lead magnet, or affiliate offer. Conversion rates are highest while the video is actively growing.
2. Post 2–3 follow-up videos on the same topic. TikTok's algorithm pushes related content to viewers who engaged with your viral video.
3. Update your bio with a clear call-to-action and relevant link. New profile visitors from a viral video are warm leads.
4. Go LIVE if you have 1,000+ followers. Your live streams appear in front of your new expanded audience, and you earn directly from viewer gifts.

First week

5. Reach out to brands in your niche. A viral video with real metrics is the best pitch deck you'll ever have. Include the view count, engagement rate, and audience demographics.
6. Repurpose to YouTube and Instagram — cross-post while the topic is trending. Check our guide on scheduling TikTok posts for the most efficient workflow.
7. Create a longer YouTube version expanding on the viral topic. A 1–3 minute TikTok can become a 10-minute YouTube video that earns $20–$120 per 1,000 views through AdSense.
8. Build your email list with a free resource related to the viral topic. Social media followers are rented — email subscribers are yours.

Long-term

9. Double down on the topic. If a video about "how to save money on groceries" went viral, create a full series. TikTok's algorithm favors accounts with proven track records on specific topics.
10. Set up affiliate partnerships for products related to your viral content. Negotiate better commission rates by referencing your proven reach and engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does TikTok pay per 1,000 views?

Through the Creator Rewards Program, TikTok pays $0.40–$1.00 per 1,000 qualified views in 2026. The old Creator Fund paid just $0.02–$0.04 per 1,000 views before being phased out. "Qualified views" means views on original content that's over 1 minute long — short clips, reposts, duets, and stitches don't count toward your earnings.

Can you make a living from TikTok views alone?

For most creators, no. Even at $1,000 per million views, you'd need 10 million views every single month to earn $10,000 — and that's before taxes. The creators who earn a living from TikTok combine Creator Rewards payouts with brand sponsorships, affiliate marketing, TikTok Shop sales, and their own products. Views build the audience; everything else generates the income.

How many views do you need to start earning on TikTok?

You need at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in the last 30 days to qualify for the Creator Rewards Program. You also need to be 18+ and based in an eligible country. However, you can earn money through brand deals and affiliate marketing without meeting these requirements — a strong viral video can attract sponsors even on a small account.

Does TikTok pay for views on older videos?

Yes. As long as your video meets Creator Rewards criteria (original, over 1 minute, and you're enrolled in the program), you earn money on every qualified view regardless of when the video was posted. Evergreen content — tutorials, how-tos, product reviews — can generate ongoing passive income as views accumulate over weeks and months.

Why do some creators earn more than others with the same view count?

Three main reasons: content niche (finance earns 3–5x more per view than entertainment), audience location (US/UK viewers generate higher RPMs than viewers in developing markets), and watch time (videos with higher completion rates get larger payouts per view). Two creators with identical 1 million view counts can realistically earn $300 vs. $1,200 based on these factors.

How does TikTok's Creator Rewards compare to YouTube AdSense?

YouTube pays significantly more per view — typically $2–$12 per 1,000 views vs. TikTok's $0.40–$1.00. The trade-off is discoverability: TikTok's algorithm gives new creators far more organic reach. A practical comparison: earning $800 from 1M TikTok views that accumulated in 2 weeks vs. earning $5,000 from 1M YouTube views that took 6 months. For a detailed breakdown, see our guide on how much YouTube pays for 1,000 views.

Do TikTok videos under 1 minute earn money from Creator Rewards?

No. Videos must be over 1 minute to qualify for Creator Rewards payouts. However, short videos still earn indirectly — they grow your audience (making you eligible for higher-value brand deals), drive traffic to affiliate links in your bio, and boost overall account visibility. Many creators use short clips as teasers that drive viewers to their longer, monetized content.

Is TikTok's Creator Rewards Program available worldwide?

No. As of early 2026, Creator Rewards is available in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil. TikTok continues expanding to new regions. If your country isn't eligible yet, focus on brand sponsorships and affiliate marketing — these income streams work for creators everywhere, regardless of TikTok's direct payout programs.