How Much Does YouTube Pay in India in 2026?

YouTube income in India differs significantly based on factors such as niche, total views, and audience geography. On average, creators earn about ₹30–₹150 per 1,000 ad views, while large channels can generate lakhs per month through sponsorships, memberships, and affiliate marketing. Channels with 1 million or more subscribers may earn anywhere from ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakhs or higher from ads alone, with additional income from other revenue streams. Key earning drivers include RPM (typically ₹15–₹50 in India), audience demographics, and the ability to diversify income sources.

If you’re an aspiring YouTube creator looking to understand how YouTube income really works, you’ve come to the right place. This guide covers the basics of monetization, updated 2026 policies, top YouTubers in India, and how factors like niche, views, and engagement influence earnings, helping you clearly understand the Indian YouTube income landscape in 2026.

If you’re interested in entering the online marketing industry, you can check our Digital Marketing Courses and find courses that’ll help you learn the right skills in 2026

How much does YouTube pay per 1000 views in India?

As of 2026, for every 1000 views, Indian YouTubers can get between INR 50 to 200 and the exact amount depends on your niche, engagement, ad formats and location. So, if your video hits 1 million views, your earnings could range from INR 50,000 to INR 2,00,000. For 1 crore views, this may go up to INR 20 lakhs, depending on your CPM (Cost Per Mille) and RPM (Revenue Per Mille).

Wondering what these terms CPM and RPM mean in the context of YouTube earnings? Let's understand these better.

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What affects CPM and RPM in India?

CPM (Cost Per Mille) is the amount advertisers pay to YouTube for every 1,000 ad impressions. In India, YouTube income per 1,000 views can vary significantly depending on factors

• Content type
• Audience
• Time of year. 

For Indian creators, CPM typically ranges between ₹20 to ₹150, depending on how advertiser-friendly the content is.

Revenue per mille (RPM) is how much money you've earned per 1,000 video views. It is calculated after YouTube has taken its cut. The RMP also includes these revenue sources:

• Ads
• channel memberships, 
• YouTube Premium revenue
• Super Chat
• Super Stickers.

Also Read: 100 Best YouTube Channel Ideas in 2025 

How much does YouTube pay for 1000 views on Shorts in India?

While YouTube Shorts are a  way to grow your channel and get views quickly, the direct income from them through ads is lower than the longer videos.

As an Indian creator, the money you can actually make from Shorts through ad revenue is a small fraction of what you'd earn from a normal video. On average, Indian creators report an RPM (Revenue Per Mille, or earnings per 1,000 views) for Shorts that can be anywhere from INR 5 to 30, which is very different from a normal video, where the RPM for an Indian audience can be INR 50 to 200 or sometimes higher, especially for niches like finance or tech.

Let's look at a practical example:

Imagine a Shorts video you created goes viral and gets 1 million views.

• With a typical Shorts RPM of INR 15, you would earn approximately ₹15,000 from that video.
• Now, if a long-form video in a high-paying niche like finance gets the same 1 million views, with an RPM of ₹150, you could earn a whopping ₹1,50,000.

An importantl point for Indian creators: you need to get a huge number of views on Shorts to earn a decent amount of money.

How long does it take for a new channel to start earning money in India?

It usually takes a new channel at least 6 to 12 months to start earning money from ads. This is because you must first meet the eligibility criteria for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP): 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months. 

For most creators, reaching this milestone requires consistent effort in creating high-quality, engaging content over several months.

What is the earning potential for a 'small' YouTuber (ex- 5,000 subscribers) in India?

A small YouTuber with 5,000 subscribers in India can earn between INR 5,000 to 25,000 per month. Your income will mostly depend on how many views you get, not just your subscriber count. 

For example, if your videos get around 1 lakh (100,000) views in a month, you could earn anywhere from INR 5,000 to 15,000 just from AdSense. The rest of your income would come from brand deals, affiliate marketing, or fan donations.

How Much Can Indian YouTubers Earn?

With the rules, processes and metrics in place for YouTube earnings, let’s now look at how much YouTubers earn in India.

Income estimates for 10K, 100K, and 1M+ subscriber channels

Even though YouTube doesn’t pay based on subscriber count alone, the number of subscribers often gives an idea of your reach and potential monthly income. 

Moreover, the actual income is understood by views and RPM. Based on that, here's a rough estimate of how much creators can earn at different subscriber counts in India:

Read: Benefits of Leveraging Influencers for Brand Promotion in 2025 | Instagram Influencer Salary

What’s the monthly income for Indian creators?

As we understood from the above section, the monthly income for Indian creators is not just determined by subscriber count or just through AdSense. Here’s what creators usually do to boost their income on YouTube:

• Do a brand deal
• Launch their merch
• Provide affiliate marketing links

However, we can look at the monthly income for the top-earning Indian YouTube creators in the next section. So keep reading!

How Can You Start Earning on YouTube?

Before understanding how YouTube pays, let’s understand the rules involved in YouTube earnings in India. 

To become eligible for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and start earning, creators must meet these criteria:

These rules are part of the New YouTube Monetisation Norms.

How Does YouTube Pay Creators in India?

Now that you know the rules, let’s understand the payment process to get income from YouTube in India. 

• You need to make sure you complete your tax and personal information verification to be able to receive any money in the first place
• Then you need to link your account to your AdSense account, which is where you will receive your YouTube Income
• YouTube follows a minimum limit called the payment threshold that you need to reach. This is set at USD 100, which is roughly INR 8600. So, you need to first reach a revenue of 8600 to be eligible to get paid by YouTube
• YouTube takes a cut of 55% in YT shorts and 45% in long-form videos, leaving you with actual earnings to be 45% and 55% in shorts and long-form

How do I link my AdSense account to my YouTube channel for the first time?

After you meet the YouTube Partner Program requirements, follow these simple steps:

1. Go to YouTube Studio: Log in and click on the 'Earn' tab from the left-hand menu.
2. Apply for YPP: Follow the on-screen steps to accept the Partner Program terms.
3. Set up AdSense: YouTube will prompt you to link an AdSense account. Click 'Start'.
4. Choose Google Account: You'll be redirected to Google to choose the account you want to use for AdSense. If you don't have one, you can create a new account right there.
5. Complete Details: Fill in your personal information, including your name, address, and bank details for future payments.
6. Confirmation: YouTube will send you back to Studio, and you'll see the status change to "In Progress" as they review your application. This usually takes a few days.

How to switch from one AdSense account to another if you’re already in the YouTube Partner Program?

You can easily change your linked AdSense account, but you can only do it once every 32 days. To make the change:

1. Go to YouTube Studio: From the left menu, select the 'Earn' tab.
2. Change Association: Under the 'YouTube Partner Program Options' section, you will see a link to 'Change' your AdSense account.
3. Log In: YouTube will redirect you and ask you to log in to the new AdSense account you want to link.
4. Confirm: Once linked, you'll be redirected back to Studio. The update can take up to 24 hours to reflect on your channel.

Are there any tools to Calculate YouTube income in India?

Yes, several online tools can help you estimate your earnings, but remember they only provide a rough idea. A simple search for "YouTube Money Calculator" will show you options from several websites. 

To use them, you typically need to input your channel's daily views and an estimated CPM (Cost Per Mille) for your niche in India. These tools can give you a general sense of what you could earn, but your actual AdSense revenue will be a bit different.

Top Niches and Factors That Affect YouTube Earnings

How is YouTube earning affected by the kind of niche and what are other factors that play a part in determining YouTube income in India? Let’s find out:

Which niches earn the most in India?

The YouTube content creation game is also impacted by the kind of niche you choose. Many niches have a higher CMP rate because of the value they bring to their audiences.

So, which are the most profitable niches for earning YouTube income in India? Let’s understand this.

Here’s a table listing high-earning YouTube channel niches in India and why they are earn more:

Does viewer location impact YouTube income?

The viewer location is actually quite important for YouTube income. This is because the CPM rates differ by country. Countries with a stronger economy, larger per capita income and larger audiences have higher CPM rates. For example, YouTube views from developed countries like USA and UK will pay more than views from most South Asian countries. 

What are Additional Ways to Earn from YouTube in India?

Other than AdSense, there exist multiple other earning pathways for YouTube creators in India. The following are the most popular ways to earn money besides ads. 

Brand deals and sponsorships

Collaborating with brands is a great way to boost your income as a YouTuber. Brands are always looking for creators to promote their products in a way that resonates with their audience. 

For example, if you're a fitness YouTuber, you could partner with a brand that sells workout gear and create a sponsored video showcasing their products. In return, you’d earn money for promoting their brand, and your audience gets valuable recommendations. 

Affiliate links and merch

Collaborating with brands is a great way to boost your income as a YouTuber. Brands are always looking for creators to promote their products in a way that resonates with their audience. 

For example, if you're a fitness YouTuber, you could partner with a brand that sells protein powder and create a sponsored video. In return, you’d earn money for promoting their brand, and your audience gets valuable recommendations. 

Amazon Associates is a popular affiliate marketing platform. 

YouTubers can also launch their own merch, such as T-shirts, hoodies and mugs. This is especially relevant for creators who have a strong and consistent fan base, where they eventually build a supportive community.

Memberships and Super Chat

These two features, namely memberships and super chat are a way for YouTube creators to directly get income from their fans or viewers.

In YouTube membership for a particular channel, the subscribers pay a monthly fee to access exclusive content for a subscription-only audience. 

In Super chat, fans and creators interact during a live stream, where viewers can pay to get their messages highlighted or pinned in a live chat.

Who are the Top Earning YouTubers in India?

This table below represents the highest-earning YouTubers in India who earn through ad revenue, sponsorships and even brand partnerships:

Wanted to be as successful as these top YouTube influencers. Here are the top 100 YouTube channel ideas for you! Get started now. 

Conclusion

We’ve finally learned the series of factors that impact how much does YouTube pay in India. In 2025, content creators on YouTube have massive growth potential as the creator market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22.2% between 2025 to 2032.

So, if you’re someone who wants to begin their YouTube content creation journey, you have opportunities to grow and earn a good income.

Meanwhile, you can start by start with basic learning courses, such as those from upGrad. You can find various learning options to step into the digital content industry:

• Basics of Search Engine Optimization
• Building Successful Celebrity Partnerships
• Social Media Marketing
• Marketing Masterclass: Create Your Brand

Looking to explore more learning options to scale your career? Book a free 1:1 call with our experts for personalized guidance. 

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