With over 3,000 channels analyzed, one thing is clear: YouTube Shorts CPMs are on the rise globally. But even with that growth, they’re still a few steps behind the payouts of traditional long-form content. So what’s the real story behind Shorts revenue in 2025? How much are top creators actually making per million views?
In this blog, we’ll break down the numbers, show what affects your earnings, and share tips from creators making money with Shorts.
Plus, we’ll show you how tools like MilX can help you unlock your revenue faster, allowing you to reinvest in your content and keep growing your digital empire without waiting for the next payout cycle.
YouTube Shorts 1 Million Views Income Breakdown
What can you actually earn from a Short hitting 1 million views? The answer varies significantly, but let's break down the numbers clearly.
The Numbers Explained
Is YouTube Shorts revenue worth your time? Let’s see what you can get.
On average, here’s how Shorts earnings typically break down:
Estimated YouTube Shorts earnings by views:
- 100,000 views: You can expect to earn between $1 and $30, depending on your audience location and content type.
- 500,000 views: Typically brings in $5 to $150, with wide variation based on RPM.
- 1 million views: In most cases, payouts range from $10 to $300, though this varies significantly.
But averages only tell part of the story. Let's dig deeper into a realistic scenario:
Imagine your Short hits exactly 1 million views in the U.S. market. If those views represent 0.25% of all monetized Shorts views in a given month, your share from YouTube’s Creator Pool would be approximately $291. However, after YouTube takes its standard 55% revenue cut, you’d be left with about $131 in total earnings.
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Why Such a Wide Range?
What factors influence YouTube Shorts revenue? This significant variation in earnings boils down to a few key factors:
- Region matters: In high-CPM regions (like the United States, the UK, or Australia), you might see CPMs as high as $0.30 or even more per thousand views. In contrast, lower-CPM regions can earn as little as $0.01 per thousand views.
- Your niche is crucial: Educational, informative, or highly targeted Shorts typically generate higher CPMs. Meme compilations or entertainment Shorts, while often more viral, usually attract lower advertising rates.
- Competition and monetized shorts pool: Earnings also depend on how many monetized Shorts compete for ad revenue each month. The bigger the pool, the thinner your slice of the pie could become.
Why Creators Still Invest in Shorts?
Despite lower per-view earnings compared to long-form content, Shorts hold a unique advantage: speed and scalability.
They can be produced quickly, tested easily, and published at a higher frequency. This means more content, more algorithm exposure, and more chances of achieving cumulative growth and visibility.
So, while a million-view Short won’t make you wealthy overnight, consistent, strategic use of Shorts can significantly grow your overall YouTube business.
What Successful YouTubers Say About Shorts Earnings?
Wondering how much YouTube Shorts revenue really adds up? Let’s break down the numbers for successful creators
Jenny Hoyos (Entertainment Niche)
Jenny Hoyos is an entertainment-focused creator well-known for her comedic YouTube Shorts. From over 22 million Shorts views, Jenny earned approximately $1,200 in ad revenue, which translates to roughly $55 per million views.
While the direct Shorts earnings were relatively modest, Jenny strategically used the immense reach and visibility of her short-form content to attract brand sponsorships, sell merchandise, and launch online courses.
LordDraconical (Tech Reviews)
LordDraconical is a tech-focused YouTuber known for his reviews of gadgets and modded tech products. While his long-form videos achieve an average RPM (Revenue Per Mille) of approximately $3.33, his Shorts content typically garners an RPM of around $0.20.
Despite the lower earnings from Shorts, he continues to produce them to align with audience preferences and YouTube's algorithm.
Thomas Frank (Educational Niche)
Thomas Frank is a productivity and personal development YouTuber who has effectively utilized YouTube Shorts to expand his audience and drive traffic to his long-form content. While specific earnings from his Shorts are not publicly disclosed, educational content like Thomas's typically commands higher CPMs compared to entertainment content.
He uses Shorts to share concise productivity tips and insights, which serve as teasers for his more in-depth videos and online courses. This approach helps funnel viewers from Shorts to his premium content offerings, enhancing overall engagement and revenue.
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Sydney Morgan (Lifestyle & Beauty)
Sydney Morgan is a beauty and lifestyle influencer who has effectively utilized YouTube Shorts to monetize her content. Despite experiencing lower reach on YouTube Shorts compared to TikTok, Sydney found that Shorts became her primary revenue source.
This shift was largely due to YouTube's monetization features, including Google AdSense, creator fund bonuses, and affiliate links.
Her strategy underscores the potential of YouTube Shorts as a viable revenue stream for creators in the beauty and lifestyle niche.
Maldhound (Gaming)
Maldhound, a gaming content creator specializing in "Magic: The Gathering" videos, has shared insights into the earnings disparity between his long-form content and YouTube Shorts.
According to Maldhound, his long-form videos, typically ranging from 20 to 30 minutes, achieve an average RPM (Revenue Per Mille) of approximately $5.50. In contrast, his Shorts content garners an average RPM of about $0.18.
Despite the lower earnings from Shorts, Maldhound continues to produce them. He acknowledges the importance of Shorts in maintaining channel growth and visibility, even if the direct revenue from Shorts is comparatively modest.
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Even if your Shorts earnings start small, getting faster access to your payouts can help you grow faster.
MilX lets you unlock up to six months of your future YouTube revenue - without waiting for AdSense cycles or monthly payouts.
With MilX, you can:
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