YouTube Shorts Monetization in 2025: Everything You Need to Know
Shorts now pay through the YouTube Partner Program. Here's how the revenue model works and what RPM to expect.
How YouTube Shorts monetization works
YouTube Shorts are monetized through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). In 2023, YouTube replaced the one-time Shorts Fund with a recurring ad revenue model.
How it works:
1. Ad revenue from ads shown between Shorts in the feed is pooled
2. Each creator's share is based on their proportion of total Shorts views
3. Payments are monthly via AdSense
RPM expectations
Shorts RPM (revenue per thousand views) is significantly lower than long-form:
- Long-form YouTube RPM: $2–$15 depending on niche
- Shorts RPM: $0.03–$0.08 on average
The volume game: 1 million Shorts views = $30–$80 in ad revenue. Shorts monetization matters most at scale (10M+ views/month).
Why Shorts still matter financially
Even at low RPM, Shorts drive:
- Channel growth — Shorts funnel viewers to long-form content with high RPM
- Brand deals — 100K subscribers from Shorts converts to $500–$2,000 per sponsored video
- Merchandise — Product links convert well from warm Shorts audiences
YPP requirements for Shorts
- 1,000 subscribers AND
- 10,000,000 Shorts views in the last 90 days
OR the standard long-form threshold (4,000 watch hours).
Maximizing Shorts revenue
1. Post consistently (5/week) to compound views
2. Use CTAs to drive long-form watch time (higher RPM)
3. Build in niches with high advertiser demand (finance, tech, health)
4. Cross-promote Shorts to other platforms to drive views from outside YouTube
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