Forbes ranked Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, No. 1 in its 2023 Top Creators list, with Brent Rivera at No. 10. The ranking was published September 26, 2023; its earnings estimates cover June 2022 through June 2023, not current or audited personal income.
Forbes’ top 10 creators and influencers in 2023
The names below are in Forbes’s published rank order. Earnings, follower totals, engagement rates and entrepreneurship scores are the figures Forbes reported with the list.
| Rank | Creator | Estimated earnings | Total followers | Average engagement | Entrepreneurship score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) | $82 million | 312 million | 9.8% | 4 |
| 2 | Olajide Olatunji (KSI) | $24 million | 112 million | 6.5% | 4 |
| 3 | Jake Paul | $34 million | 66 million | 1.6% | 4 |
| 4 | Rhett & Link | $35 million | 32 million | 0.85% | 4 |
| 5 | Charli D’Amelio | $23 million | 213 million | 0.7% | 4 |
| 6 | Logan Paul | $21 million | 74 million | 1.25% | 4 |
| 7 | Elliot Tebele (F*ckJerry) | $30 million | 17 million | 1% | 4 |
| 8 | Emma Chamberlain | $20 million | 28 million | 6.25% | 4 |
| 9 | Matt Rife | $25 million | 22 million | 10.7% | 3 |
| 10 | Brent Rivera | $17.5 million | 96 million | 11.25% | 3 |
All figures are as reported by Forbes on September 26, 2023. Earnings are estimates for June 2022–June 2023; followers and engagement are the counts and rates reported for the ranking.
What the creators were known for in Forbes’s 2023 profiles
MrBeast and KSI
Forbes described MrBeast’s high-production videos and stunts alongside digital advertising, Feastables snacks, MrBeast Burger and merchandise. KSI’s profile traced his move from YouTube comedy into music and boxing, and mentioned his promotion of Prime Hydration with Logan Paul and business activity around Misfits Boxing.
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Jake Paul and Rhett & Link
Forbes cited Jake Paul’s Celsius sponsorship, co-founding of sports-betting app Betr and move into combat-sports events. Rhett & Link’s Mythical company included Good Mythical Morning, Mythical Kitchen, Smosh, podcasts, live events and an online store selling merchandise and kitchen tools.
Charli D’Amelio and Logan Paul
Forbes pointed to Charli D’Amelio’s partnerships and businesses in fashion, fragrance and footwear, as well as a reality series. Logan Paul’s profile spanned YouTube, wrestling, the Impaulsive podcast and Prime Hydration with KSI.
Rank #2
Elliot Tebele and Emma Chamberlain
Forbes described Tebele’s social accounts alongside the What Do You Meme? board-game business, which it said was sold at Target, Walmart and Amazon, and tequila brand Jaja. Chamberlain’s profile covered fashion partnerships, Chamberlain Coffee and a Spotify video deal for her podcast.
Matt Rife and Brent Rivera
Forbes connected Matt Rife’s social-media rise to live comedy, reporting more than 750,000 tickets sold for his international tour over the preceding year and noting his then-upcoming Netflix special Natural Selection. Rivera’s profile cited platform growth, brand partnerships and Amp Studios, which he started in 2017. These details describe Forbes’s 2023 coverage, not necessarily current deals, availability or activity.
How Forbes ranked the creators
The list was not simply an earnings leaderboard. Forbes says it considered estimated earnings, follower counts, engagement rates and entrepreneurship. Its article does not publish a formula or weights that would let readers reproduce each rank independently.
- Earnings: Forbes estimated gross earnings from June 2022 through June 2023; these are not audited income statements.
- Reach and engagement: Forbes partner Influential provided follower counts across social platforms and engagement rates. Engagement was calculated as likes, comments and shares divided by total followers.
- Entrepreneurship: Forbes scored creators from one to four, ranging from those making most of their money through traditional advertising to people building companies, brands and services.
The separate measures capture different dimensions. For example, Rhett & Link’s $35 million earnings estimate was higher than Jake Paul’s $34 million despite ranking fourth rather than third. Matt Rife’s $25 million estimate also exceeded the figures for ranks five and six. That is consistent with an overall ranking that incorporates more than earnings alone.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the 2023 totals say—and do not say
Forbes reported that its 50 honorees had a combined 2.6 billion followers and estimated earnings of $700 million. It compared the earnings total with $570 million in 2022 and described the increase as more than 20%. These are Forbes’s estimates for that year’s honorees, not totals for every creator or a measure of the entire creator economy.
In the same article, Erin Lanuti, chief innovation officer at Omnicom PR Group, told Forbes: “Influencers are more trusted by their audiences than ads. They can sell out products in minutes. They can cause a flash mob that shuts down a major city,” This is Lanuti’s statement, not a finding independently demonstrated by the ranking.
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