How far is your channel from monetisation?
Enter four numbers from YouTube Studio and see your progress towards each way into the YouTube Partner Programme: today's thresholds, the lower tier some countries offer, and the higher bar YouTube has announced for channels applying from 1 February 2027.
The thresholds, at the time of writing
These are the figures on YouTube’s own help pages when we last checked them, on . YouTube changes them from time to time, so confirm them on its eligibility page before planning around them.
| Level | Subscribers | Plus | What it unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full programme, today | 1,000 | 4,000 watch hours in the last 12 months, or 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days | A share of ad and YouTube Premium revenue, plus the lower tier's features |
| Full programme, applying from 1 February 2027 | 1,000 | 8,000 watch hours in the last 365 days, or 20 million Shorts views in the last 90 days | The same. Channels already in the programme are not affected |
| Lower tier, in selected countries and regions | 500 | 3 public uploads in the last 90 days, and 3,000 watch hours in the last 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in the last 90 days | Channel memberships, Super Chat and Super Stickers, Super Thanks, Jewels and gifts, and Shopping. No ad revenue |
YouTube has also announced that from 1 February 2027, a share of Shorts ad and subscription revenue will need 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. A channel below that stays in the programme and keeps earning on long-form videos, and its Shorts revenue sharing resumes once it crosses the line again. The details are on YouTube’s page about the changes, and the lower tier on its expanded programme page.
What counts, and what does not
YouTube counts only qualified figures, and the exclusions matter more than they look.
Watch hours
Long-form videos you have set public, over the last 12 months.
Not counted- Private, unlisted or deleted videos
- Ad campaigns
- Shorts
- Live streams that are unlisted, deleted or not kept as a video
Shorts views
Public Shorts that appear in the Shorts feed, over the last 90 days.
Not counted- Private, unlisted or deleted Shorts
- Ad campaigns
- Image posts shown in the Shorts feed
Both are rolling windows. Figures older than 12 months, or 90 days for Shorts, drop out as time passes, so a channel can move further from the bar without losing a single subscriber. Take the numbers from YouTube Studio rather than the public channel page, where subscriber counts over 1,000 are shortened.
The numbers are only the first test
Meeting a threshold lets you apply; it does not get you in. You apply from the Earn section of YouTube Studio, which can also notify you once the channel is eligible. YouTube says its automated systems and human reviewers then check the channel against its policies, and that a decision typically takes about a month.
Reviewers cannot watch everything, so YouTube says they may focus on the channel’s main theme, its most viewed and newest videos, the videos with the biggest share of watch time, its titles, thumbnails and descriptions, and the About section. A rejection means they found that a significant part of the channel does not meet the policies.
Questions about YouTube monetisation
Do Shorts count towards the 4,000 watch hours?
No. Time spent watching Shorts is excluded from watch hours. Shorts have their own route instead: 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days, with 1,000 subscribers. The checker shows both routes side by side, and a channel needs only one of them.
What changes on 1 February 2027?
Channels applying from that date will need 1,000 subscribers plus either 8,000 qualified watch hours in the last 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. YouTube says channels already in the programme are not affected and the thresholds for fan funding and Shopping stay the same. Switch the checker to the 2027 bar to see your progress against it.
What is the 500-subscriber tier?
An earlier way into the programme, offered in many countries and regions but not all. It asks for 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in the last 90 days, and either 3,000 watch hours in the last 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in the last 90 days. It unlocks fan funding features, such as channel memberships and Super Thanks, and Shopping, but not a share of ad revenue.
What happens once my numbers are met?
You apply from the Earn section of YouTube Studio, where you can also ask to be notified when the channel becomes eligible. YouTube's automated systems and human reviewers then check the channel against its policies, and YouTube says a decision typically takes about a month.
Can bought views or subscribers get a channel monetised faster?
No: they are a reason to be turned down. YouTube's monetisation policies say creators should not artificially inflate views, subscribers, likes or watch time, and that doing so may lead to removal from the programme or termination of the channel. Subscribers that YouTube identifies as spam are not counted either.
When can I reapply after a rejection?
YouTube says you can reapply 30 days after a first rejection email, or 90 days after a later one, and that you can appeal within 21 days. Use the time to deal with what the reviewers flagged; the thresholds still have to be met when you apply again.
Why does my public subscriber count look different?
Once a channel passes 1,000 subscribers, YouTube shortens the public count, to 1.23K for example, and it moves in steps rather than one subscriber at a time. The exact figure is in YouTube Studio's analytics, and that is the one to enter here.