How to Make Money on TikTok

How to Make Money on TikTok in 2026: The Complete Guide

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TL;DR: Creators make money on TikTok through the Rewards Program, brand deals, LIVE gifts, TikTok Shop, digital products, affiliate links, and off-platform offers. TikTok starts paying once you reach 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in 30 days, with most Creators earning about $0.20 to $1.00 per 1,000 views. Your reach and earnings depend on retention, watch time, and relevance, so focus on strong hooks, clear value, and consistent posting. Long-term income comes from building systems and owning your audience.


You already know TikTok can push your content to thousands of people. What’s less clear is how to make money on TikTok in a consistent and predictable way. The platform shifts often, payout systems change, and Creators are left guessing what actually leads to steady income.

This creates frustration. You post regularly, yet still feel unsure about when TikTok starts paying, how much TikTok pays, or which monetization paths matter most. Without clarity, it is difficult to grow with intention.

What helps is understanding how TikTok pays creators and how successful creators structure their income. Once you know how the algorithm affects your reach and how different earning methods work, the entire process of monetizing your content becomes much simpler.

This guide gives you that clarity. You will learn how TikTok payments work, the top ways Creators earn, and how to position your content for long-term monetization.

Let’s get into it.

Table of Contents

How TikTok Pays Creators

Understanding how TikTok pays Creators is the foundation of earning consistently on the platform. TikTok now uses a performance-based payout system that rewards videos that hold attention and reach the right audience.

Before exploring the income streams Creators rely on, it helps to know how TikTok’s payout system works, when you start earning, and what Creators typically make from views.

The TikTok Creator Rewards Program

The Creator Rewards Program is TikTok’s primary way of paying Creators for their video performance. It replaces the older Creator Fund and is built to reward content that drives strong watch time, steady engagement, and clear value for viewers. The program focuses on longer, higher-quality videos and pays Creators based on how well their content performs, not just how many followers they have.

To qualify, Creators must meet TikTok’s eligibility requirements, which include follower count, video views, and adherence to TikTok’s community guidelines. Once approved, earnings are calculated using factors like audience geography, watch duration, and overall video performance. This means two videos with the same number of views can earn differently, depending on who watched them and how long they watched.

The Creator Rewards Program is the first step toward understanding how to make money on TikTok, as it reveals what TikTok values and why some content earns more than others. It also sets the foundation for the other monetization methods that Creators rely on across the platform.

When TikTok Starts Paying You

TikTok starts paying you once you meet the eligibility requirements for the Creator Rewards Program and your account is approved. These requirements ensure that your account is active, established, and producing original content that aligns with TikTok’s standards.

To qualify, you must have:

  • A public TikTok account
  • At least 10,000 followers
  • At least 100,000 eligible video views in the last 30 days
  • Content that complies with TikTok’s community guidelines
  • A Creator age of 18 or older
  • Residency in a region where the Creator Rewards Program is available

Once you are accepted, TikTok begins calculating your earnings immediately based on how your videos perform. These earnings appear in your Creator Rewards dashboard, where you can track estimated daily payouts.

TikTok processes payments monthly, usually beginning on the 15th of each month. Your earnings for the previous period are reviewed, finalized, and made available for withdrawal once you meet the minimum payout threshold set for your region. Your first payment is released after your account completes its first full earnings cycle and TikTok confirms your balance.

How Much You Can Make From Views

Earnings on TikTok vary based on watch time, audience location, and how well a video performs overall. This is why two Creators with the same number of views may earn different amounts. Still, there are reliable ranges that show how much TikTok pays Creators for typical view milestones.

Most Creators report that TikTok pays between $0.20 and $1.00 per 1,000 views, depending on content quality and viewer geography. This gives a baseline for understanding how much you can make when your videos start gaining traction.

Here is a general breakdown:

  • 1,000 views: around $0.20 to $1
  • 10,000 views: around $2 to $10
  • 100,000 views: around $20 to $100
  • 1 million views: often $20 to $200, depending on the factors above

These ranges show how widely earnings can vary. Payouts are not fixed and depend heavily on watch time, audience location, and how well the video performs overall.

TikTok does not pay for likes. It pays for performance signals that show viewers value your content. The more people watch until the end, rewatch, or share your videos, the more you can earn. This also affects how much TikTok pays per view because strong engagement increases the value of each impression.

What TikTokers Typically Earn

What TikTokers earn varies widely depending on their niche, audience size, content style, and the number of income streams they use. While view-based payouts provide a baseline for earnings, most Creators make the majority of their income through a combination of monetization methods.

Here is a general breakdown of what different types of Creators typically earn:

Creators with 10,000 to 50,000 followers

These Creators often make money through TikTok Shop commissions, small brand deals, and the Creator Rewards Program. Monthly earnings commonly range from $100 to $1,000, depending on posting consistency and niche demand.

Creators with 50,000 to 100,000 followers

At this level, Creators usually attract regular brand deals and see more consistent TikTok Shop sales. Earnings often range from $1,000 to $5,000 per month, with spikes when a video performs above average or drives product purchases.

Creators with 100,000 to 500,000 followers

Creators in this tier tend to have more predictable income. Brand deals alone can bring $1,000 to $10,000 per partnership, and many Creators combine this with digital products or affiliate income. Monthly revenue commonly reaches $5,000 to $20,000, depending on activity and niche.

Creators with 500,000 to 1 million+ followers

These Creators typically earn from multiple income streams. High performers can make $10,000 to $50,000 per month, especially if they sell their own products or partner with larger brands. Viral content at this level adds an additional layer of earnings and helps keep their revenue more consistent.

Creators who focus on high-demand niches

Niches like fitness, beauty, money, tech, productivity, and education tend to earn more. These Creators often build income systems beyond the Creator Rewards Program, which increases how much they make with TikTok overall.

Creators who rely only on view-based payouts

Creators who depend solely on TikTok’s internal payouts often earn less than those who diversify. View-based earnings tend to be in the tens to hundreds of dollars unless the Creator consistently produces long, high-retention videos.

The Top 7 Ways Creators Make Money on TikTok

There is no single path to earning on TikTok. Creators who make money consistently use a mix of income streams, some built directly into TikTok and others that grow from the attention their videos generate.

These seven methods represent the most reliable ways Creators turn views into revenue, regardless of niche or audience size.

1. Brand Deals and Sponsored Content 

Brand deals remain one of the most profitable ways to make money on TikTok. Brands partner with Creators because TikTok content feels authentic, converts well, and reaches audiences who trust Creator recommendations more than traditional ads.

A typical deal works like this: A brand provides a product or campaign goal, and you create a video that aligns with your style while meeting their requirements. Strong engagement and clear niche positioning often matter more than follower count.

This is why Creators like Alix Earle, who built a loyal audience through beauty and lifestyle content, consistently land high-value partnerships with top brands like L’Oréal, Tarte, and Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty.

@alixearle

I know I can’t be the only one with multiple shampoos … These are my @loréal paris usa faves!! 💗#lorealparispartner #everpurebonding

♬ original sound – Alix Earle

Her results show how effective TikTok videos can be when the Creator’s audience trusts their recommendations.

When it comes to rates, the range is broad. Smaller Creators may earn a few hundred dollars per sponsored post, while mid-tier Creators often earn between $1,000 and $10,000 per partnership. Larger Creators charge even more, especially in high-value niches such as beauty, fitness, tech, and personal finance.

Brand deals often become a Creator’s first major income milestone because one partnership can outperform the earnings of several high-performing videos. For many Creators, this becomes a core part of their monetization strategy.

If you want a deeper understanding of how to land brand deals, how to negotiate rates, and what brands look for, you can read our full breakdown here.

2. TikTok LIVE Gifts and Subscriptions 

TikTok LIVE is one of the fastest ways Creators earn directly from their audience. When you go live, viewers can send virtual gifts that convert into Diamonds, which TikTok allows you to withdraw as real money. LIVE earnings depend less on follower count and more on how well you connect with viewers in real time.

A screenshot of the TikTok LIVE feed.

Creators earn during live sessions in three main ways:

  • LIVE Gifts: Viewers purchase virtual gifts and send them during the stream. These gifts convert to Diamonds, which you can cash out.
  • Battles and Challenges: Creators go live with others, compete or collaborate, and earn more gifts when engagement spikes.
  • LIVE Subscriptions: Viewers pay monthly to access perks like badges, exclusive chats, or subscriber-only interactions.

LIVE income varies, but Creators who build stronger communities tend to earn more. Common high-performing LIVE formats include:

  • Fitness Creators hosting live workouts
  • Beauty Creators doing product demonstrations
  • Educators running Q&A sessions
  • Entertainment Creators hosting games or interactive challenges

Your earnings depend on how engaged viewers feel. A Creator with 50 active viewers can earn more than someone with 500 passive viewers if the session encourages participation.

Here are the key factors that influence LIVE earnings:

  • How often you go live
  • The level of interaction you create
  • How long viewers stay during the session
  • Clear calls for engagement and participation
  • Whether viewers feel part of a community

For many TikTokers, LIVE becomes a reliable income stream because it rewards connection. When you create interactive, high-energy sessions, LIVE becomes one of the most dependable ways to make money on TikTok.

3. TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop has become one of the most powerful earning opportunities for Creators because it allows viewers to purchase products directly inside the app. This removes friction and makes it easier for Creators to earn commissions without sending people to external websites.

Creators earn through TikTok Shop in two main ways.

The first is by promoting products from other brands as an affiliate. Each product has a set commission rate, and Creators earn money every time a viewer buys through their link or video.

The second is by selling their own products through TikTok Shop, which gives them both visibility and ownership of the full customer relationship.

What converts well on TikTok Shop follows a clear pattern. Products that solve a specific problem, demonstrate results quickly, or fit into relatable daily routines tend to perform best.

Beauty, skincare, fashion, gadgets, fitness accessories, and home products often go viral because they show immediate value in a short video. When Creators demonstrate the product clearly and show how it fits into their lifestyle, conversion rates rise sharply.

Trust also plays a major role. Viewers are more likely to buy from Creators who have a consistent niche and regularly share honest recommendations. Creators who test multiple products, compare options, or provide tutorials often become the go-to source in their category. This builds a cycle where both views and sales increase over time.

4. Digital Products 

Digital products are one of the most profitable ways to make money on TikTok because they let you earn without inventory, packaging, or ongoing production costs. Once you create the product, it can be sold repeatedly, which gives Creators far higher margins than physical products or one-off brand deals.

Creators across niches use TikTok to sell guides, templates, workouts, mini courses, Notion systems, eBooks, presets, and coaching programs. If you’re still deciding which format fits your niche, this list of digital product ideas can help you choose a direction.

The most effective digital products solve a specific problem for a specific audience. When your TikTok content teaches, demonstrates, or reveals something useful, your digital offer becomes the next step viewers naturally want to take.

Several Creators on Stan prove how powerful this model is.

Rachel Adams Lee built reliable income streams by turning her expertise into digital offers her audience actually needed.

Jenny Reimold used digital products to build a seven-figure business starting with only 4,000 social media followers, showing that you do not need a massive audience to scale.

Carissa DeVries also built a sustainable income stream through digital products that match her niche and serve her community consistently.

Selling digital products on TikTok usually follows a simple pattern:

  • You publish short, value-driven videos that highlight a problem and give a small, actionable insight.
  • Viewers who want the full process click the link in your bio to purchase the complete resource.
  • TikTok’s features such as playlists, pinned videos, and search-friendly captions make it even easier to bring new viewers into your product funnel every day.

Want a detailed walkthrough on how to create, package, and sell digital products that convert well? Explore our full guide on selling digital products.

4. Series and Paid Exclusive Content 

TikTok’s Series feature allows Creators to sell access to paywalled video collections directly inside the app. This gives Creators a simple way to package tutorials, lessons, behind-the-scenes content, or long-form breakdowns into a structured offer that viewers can unlock for a one-time fee. It is TikTok’s built-in version of selling premium content without needing an external platform.

A Series can include multiple videos, each up to several minutes long, which makes it ideal for content that goes deeper than regular TikTok posts.

Creators use Series for step-by-step guides, masterclasses, workout plans, cooking lessons, advanced tutorials, or any topic that requires more detail than a standard short video can hold. Because viewers pay to access the full set, Creators earn directly from their audience without relying on views alone.

Paid exclusive content works best when you already have viewers who want more from you. If your comments section is filled with requests for longer explanations or detailed processes, a Series becomes an easy way to meet that demand. It also works well for Creators who teach skills or share specialized knowledge, since viewers are willing to pay for structured instruction.

6. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is one of the easiest ways to start making money on TikTok because you earn a commission every time someone purchases or signs up through your link. You do not need a large audience to begin. What matters is trust and how clearly you show the value of what you recommend.

Many Creators use a mix of product recommendations, referral bonuses, and helpful tools that fit their niche. For example, Amy Coulston, who creates content about saving money and side hustles, shares her affiliate links through her Stan Store.

A screenshot of Amy Coulston’s Stan store showing her sign-up bonuses and featured affiliate products.

Her page includes cashback apps, budgeting tools, sign-up bonuses, and grocery savings resources. Because these offers align directly with her content, they convert well without feeling promotional.

Using a single storefront also helps viewers find everything easily. Instead of scattering links across different platforms, Creators can send their audience to one place where all their recommendations live. This keeps the experience simple, increases click-through rates, and makes affiliate marketing much more effective.

Affiliate marketing works best when your recommendations are authentic and tied to the problems your audience wants to solve. Quick tutorials, product demos, or “here’s what I use” style videos often drive steady commissions, even for smaller Creators.

7. Off-Platform Income Streams 

Off-platform income streams allow you to turn TikTok attention into a full business.

Instead of relying only on TikTok payouts or occasional brand deals, Creators use the awareness they build through short-form content to grow coaching, courses, newsletters, memberships, and other offers they own. This gives you more control, more stability, and higher earning potential. TikTok becomes the discovery engine. A short, valuable video pulls the right people in, and your off-platform offer gives them a clear next step.

Creators in niches like fitness, education, beauty, tech, money, and mindset use this model every day because their audience already wants more structure, more depth, and more guidance than a single TikTok can deliver.

A strong example is Katie Xu, a Creator who used TikTok to build demand for her coaching and consulting offers. She focused on sharing clear, helpful content that solved real problems for her audience. As viewers began to trust her expertise, many wanted a deeper level of support.

Katie directed this interest to her Stan Store, where she offered structured coaching and resources. As demand grew, her off-platform offers became the core of her business, leading to six-figure revenue with a streamlined, intentional system.

Her journey shows what is possible when you treat TikTok as the beginning of your funnel rather than the entire business. You do not need millions of followers. You need clarity, a valuable offer, and a simple path that guides engaged viewers into deeper transformation.

Coaching, courses, community memberships, and digital programs remain some of the highest-earning opportunities for TikTok Creators because they are built on trust. When your audience sees you as the person who can solve their problem, your off-platform income becomes predictable and scalable.

How the TikTok Algorithm Influences Your Earnings

Your earnings on TikTok depend heavily on how the algorithm distributes your content. 

Even if you know how to make money on TikTok, you still need reach, retention, and the right audience to unlock consistent income. The algorithm determines who sees your videos, how long your content stays in circulation, and whether your posts reach viewers who are likely to buy, subscribe, or engage.

TikTok’s recommendation system rewards videos that hold attention. Strong watch time, rewatches, saves, and shares signal that your content is valuable. When the algorithm detects this, it pushes your video to more viewers, which increases your chances of earning through the Creator Rewards Program, TikTok Shop sales, or brand partnerships.

When viewers swipe quickly, the opposite happens. Your distribution slows, fewer people see your content, and your earning potential drops. This is why understanding what drives engagement is essential for consistent monetization on TikTok.

Understanding how the algorithm behaves helps you create content that reaches the right people, stays in circulation longer, and aligns with how TikTok measures performance.

This connection between reach and earnings is why Creators who study their analytics and refine their content style often grow faster and monetize more consistently.

How to Get More Views on TikTok

Getting more views on TikTok comes down to creating content that holds attention, speaks to a clear audience, and shows value within the first few seconds. When your videos perform well in these areas, the algorithm distributes them to more viewers, which directly increases your earning potential.

Below are practical, high-impact steps Creators use to grow their views and strengthen content performance.

1. Use strong hooks that capture attention immediately

Viewers decide within the first one to two seconds whether they will keep watching. A clear hook sets the expectation and tells the viewer why they should stay. Questions, bold statements, quick demonstrations, and visual contrast all work well. The stronger your hook, the stronger your retention.

2. Create content that maximizes retention

Retention is the number one signal TikTok uses when deciding whether to push your video. Aim for clean pacing, tight storytelling, and moments that reward viewers for watching until the end. Removing filler and keeping each second meaningful increases your chances of distribution.

3. Build series that keep viewers coming back

Creating a series turns casual viewers into returning viewers. It also signals to TikTok that your content belongs in a specific topic cluster, which helps the algorithm distribute future videos to the right audience. Series work especially well in educational, lifestyle, fitness, and storytelling niches.

4. Use TikTok SEO to improve search visibility

TikTok is now a major search engine. Clear keywords in your caption, on-screen text, and spoken words help TikTok understand what your video is about. When viewers search for solutions or tutorials, your content becomes discoverable in search results, increasing long-term views.

5. Edit for fast pacing and replay value

Short cuts, clean transitions, and clear visual changes make your video easier to follow. Videos that rewatch well perform better because the algorithm reads replay behavior as a strong engagement signal. When people watch more than once, your reach increases.

6. Post consistently and test multiple content formats

Consistency gives TikTok more data to work with. Testing helps you learn which formats perform best with your audience. Over time, a clear pattern emerges and you can lean into what works while improving weaker content styles.

7. Lean into topics your audience already engages with

Your analytics show which videos perform best. Doubling down on clear themes helps the algorithm understand your niche and improves how often your videos reach the right viewers. Focus beats variety when you want to grow quickly.

8. Use playlists and pinned videos to guide viewers

Playlists group related content and help viewers binge your videos. Pinned posts highlight your most important or highest-performing content. Both tools increase session time, which strengthens your overall account performance and boosts your visibility.

9. Engage with comments to strengthen distribution

Replying to comments, answering questions in new videos, and encouraging discussion increase the engagement signals TikTok tracks. Higher interaction helps the platform understand that your content is relevant, which improves how often it gets shown to new viewers.

10. Avoid outdated tactics that no longer work

Engagement bait, overusing trending audio, and copying popular formats without adding value lead to poor retention. TikTok prioritizes originality, clarity, and usefulness. Focusing on these consistently leads to better view performance long term.

How to Build a Long-Term Monetization System

Making money on TikTok becomes more predictable when you build systems. While individual videos can go viral and generate short-term income, long-term monetization depends on owning your audience, diversifying income streams, and creating offers that grow with your expertise. 

This section explains how to move beyond platform dependency and build a Creator business that lasts.

Why TikTok Alone Isn’t Enough

TikTok is an incredible discovery platform, but it is not built for Creators to depend on it entirely. Algorithms shift. View performance fluctuates. Monetization features evolve. If your income relies only on TikTok payouts or in-app features, you have less control over your long-term growth.

Creators who build off-platform assets earn more consistently because their business does not collapse when a video underperforms. A strong monetization system uses TikTok as the traffic source rather than the entire business model. This separates hobby-level income from scalable Creator income.

Turning TikTok Followers Into Owned Audiences

Owned audiences are the backbone of long-term Creator revenue. When someone joins your email list or private community, you gain a direct line of communication that is not controlled by TikTok’s algorithm.

Creators build owned audiences in several ways: 

  • Educational Creators offer free resources. 
  • Fitness Creators offer starter plans. 
  • Beauty Creators offer routine guides. 
  • Productivity Creators offer templates. 

These lead magnets give your most engaged viewers a reason to subscribe, and once they do, you can build a deeper relationship over time.

Owned audiences convert better, buy more consistently, and help stabilize revenue even when TikTok reach fluctuates.

Building a Multi-Offer Product Ecosystem

Creators who earn predictably have more than one offer. A structured product ecosystem allows you to meet your audience at different stages of their journey. It usually includes:

  • A low-priced or entry-level offer
  • A core product or mid-tier offer
  • A higher-ticket or premium offer

This system works because viewers who find you on TikTok often start with a small commitment, then move into deeper products as they gain trust in your expertise. With each layer, your income becomes more stable and less dependent on view spikes.

How Stan Helps Creators Monetize Efficiently

Stan gives Creators a complete, all-in-one system for turning TikTok attention into revenue. Instead of juggling landing pages, checkout tools, scheduling apps, and product platforms, Creators run everything inside Stan. 

It is built for speed, simplicity, and conversion, which is why thousands of top Creators rely on it to power their digital product businesses.

A screenshot of the Stan dashboard showing a variety of product types that creators can sell through the platform.

With Stan, you can sell digital products, coaching sessions, mini-courses, templates, memberships, and exclusive offers with a seamless checkout experience designed specifically for Creators. Your audience can buy in seconds, even while watching your TikTok videos. This removes friction and makes every link click more valuable.

Stan also gives you the tools to build a complete funnel. You can collect emails, deliver automated products, upsell other offers, and track performance all in one place. For Creators who want predictable income, this level of control is essential. It turns your TikTok presence from a source of views into a functioning business.

If you want a monetization system that actually scales, Stan gives you the structure to do it. Start your 14-day free trial and see why thousands of leading Creators trust Stan to power their business.

TikTok Is Still Early, and the Best Time to Monetize Is Now

TikTok continues to grow, and Creators who understand how to make money on TikTok today are building a real advantage. The platform rewards clarity, consistency, and content that delivers value. When you combine that with a strong monetization system, you put yourself in a position where your income does not depend on one viral video or one algorithm shift.

Every Creator starts at zero, but the Creators who move fastest are the ones who learn how TikTok pays, choose the right income streams, and build offers their audience is ready to commit to. You now have the roadmap to do the same. The next step is simple. Start applying what you have learned, refine your content as you grow, and create a structure that supports your long-term goals.

If you continue showing up and improving your process, TikTok can become one of the most powerful drivers of your Creator business. This is your moment to take action and build something that lasts.

FAQ About Making Money on TikTok

1. When does TikTok start paying you?

TikTok starts paying you once you join the Creator Rewards Program. You must be 18 or older, have at least 10,000 followers, 100,000 views in the last 30 days, a public account, and content that follows TikTok’s community guidelines. Once approved, earnings begin as soon as your videos generate eligible performance.

2. How much does TikTok pay?

TikTok pays based on video performance. Most Creators earn between $0.20 and $1.00 per 1,000 views, depending on watch time, audience location, and content quality. Earnings appear in your Creator Rewards dashboard.

3. How much does TikTok pay per view?

TikTok does not pay a fixed rate per view. Instead, it calculates earnings using retention, engagement, and viewer geography. On average, views fall within the range of $0.0002 to $0.001 each.

4. How much does TikTok pay per 1,000 views?

Most Creators earn $0.20 to $1.00 per 1,000 views, with higher-earning niches and longer videos often landing toward the upper end of that range.

5. How much does TikTok pay per million views?

A video with one million views typically earns between $20 and $200. The exact amount depends on watch time, content category, audience location, and overall engagement.

6. How much do TikTokers make?

Earnings vary widely. Smaller creators may earn a few hundred dollars per month through TikTok Shop, affiliate links, or the Rewards Program. Mid-sized creators often earn between $1,000 and $20,000 monthly across income streams. Top creators can earn significantly more depending on their niche and offers.

7. How much does TikTok LIVE pay?

TikTok LIVE earnings come from viewer gifts, Diamonds, and LIVE subscriptions. Income depends entirely on how engaged your audience is during live sessions. Some Creators earn a few dollars per session, while others earn hundreds or thousands when hosting interactive or high-energy streams.

About The Author

Richard is Entrepreneur in Residence at Stan, where he helps creators navigate the complexities of building their online businesses. With years of hands-on experience in digital entrepreneurship, he’s passionate about making the journey simpler and more achievable for others.

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