YouTube has decreased the minimum subscriber count from 1000 to 500.

YouTube has announced significant changes to its monetization policies, benefiting smaller content creators on the platform. The company has lowered the eligibility criteria for the YouTube Partner Program, reducing the minimum subscriber count from 1000 to 500, and the watch hour requirement from 4,000 to 3,000. Additionally, the requirement for Shorts views has been decreased from 10 million to 3 million. These changes will initially apply to creators in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Taiwan, and South Korea.

While these adjustments provide more opportunities for monetization, creators will still need to meet specific benchmarks and audience growth to earn ad revenue. The existing requirements for revenue sharing remain unchanged, and creators who have already qualified for the YouTube Partner Program do not need to reapply.

YouTube's focus on supporting creator monetization aligns with other platforms like TikTok, which recently introduced its video paywall feature called Series. Both platforms aim to diversify monetization options, enabling creators to sustain their creative endeavors and generate income. YouTube is also expanding its shopping affiliate program, allowing YPP participants with at least 20,000 subscribers to earn through affiliate marketing and product promotion.

These updates reflect a positive shift toward empowering smaller creators and fostering a more inclusive environment for monetization, further enhancing the content offerings across various platforms.