· 2 min read
YouTube Partner Program requirements in 2026: how monetization works
Monetization is one of the most searched topics among channel buyers. Here are the current YouTube Partner Program requirements and how they relate to aged and monetized channels.
Full monetization with ad revenue
To earn a share of ad revenue, a channel needs 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months or 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days.
YouTube reviews each application. Meeting the numbers makes a channel eligible to apply; approval depends on the review of the channel's content and policies.
The lower tier: fan funding
A lower tier opens fan funding features, such as memberships and Super Thanks, and shopping features, but not ad revenue. It needs 500 subscribers, at least 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.
Thresholds and availability can vary by country and change over time, so always confirm the current figures in YouTube Studio.
Other requirements
The channel owner must live in a country where the program is available, have no active Community Guidelines strikes, follow YouTube's monetization policies, turn on 2-step verification and link an AdSense account.
After joining, YouTube keeps reviewing channels. Reused content, misleading metadata or policy violations can lead to monetization being removed.
What an aged channel changes
An older creation date does not count towards the thresholds. Subscribers and watch hours are what matter, and watch hours only count within the recent window.
Aged channels can still help: they may have features already enabled and history that supports advanced features, which makes it easier to start publishing at full speed.
Buying a monetized channel
Our monetized listings are channels already accepted into the program, with revenue and view stats shown before delivery. After purchase, the new owner must keep following the policies and update the AdSense account to their own.
Read each listing carefully and ask live support any questions before paying. Monetization depends on how the channel is used after delivery.