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The claim is genuine but narrower and older than the headline suggests. In a March 2024 announcement, YouTube said that more than 25% of channels in the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) were earning money through Shorts revenue sharing. That is not the same as saying one in four YouTube channels—or one in four Shorts creators—earns a living from short videos. It is a company-reported participation figure, and no newer official percentage is established here for 2026.
Where the 25% figure came from
YouTube’s March 2024 announcement described the result roughly one year after Shorts revenue sharing launched. The company said more than one-quarter of channels in YPP were earning through the Shorts revenue-sharing system. Google published a parallel account of the announcement.
This is not a peer-reviewed study, regulator estimate or independently audited industry survey. YouTube did not publish the number of channels behind the percentage, a median or average payout, geographic breakdowns, or the proportion earning enough to cover costs or support a household. TechCrunch reported another YouTube figure from the announcement: more than 80% of YPP creators earning through Shorts also earned through other YouTube monetization products or sources.
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The statistic applies to channels already accepted into the YouTube Partner Program. Most channels on YouTube are not in YPP, so “more than 25% of YouTube channels make money from Shorts” is an unsupported rewrite.
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YPP entry also involves policy compliance and a channel review. Availability and individual features vary by country or region. The relevant question whenever the figure is quoted is: 25% of what population? Here, it is YPP channels, not the entire platform.
What “making money through Shorts” means
For this claim, the money comes from Shorts Feed revenue sharing. Ads appear between videos in the Shorts Feed; YouTube pools that advertising revenue, accounts for music licensing where applicable, and allocates the creator pool according to each monetizing creator’s share of eligible engaged Shorts views. YouTube’s documentation describes a 45% creator share of the allocated Shorts revenue.
That is a different system from a watch-page ad attached to an individual long-form video. A creator does not need to see an ad immediately next to a particular Short for that Short to participate in the pool. Conversely, the 45% figure is not 45% of every ad impression associated with that creator’s individual video. Music costs, eligible-view rules and the pooled calculation matter.
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Shorts can also generate money indirectly through memberships, Super Thanks, Super Chat and Super Stickers, Shopping, sponsorships, affiliate sales, products, services, or by sending viewers to long-form videos and livestreams. Those are separate revenue streams, not proof that a channel earned Shorts Feed ad revenue.
Who can receive Shorts ad-revenue sharing?
For full ad and YouTube Premium revenue sharing, YouTube currently lists:
- 1,000 subscribers; and
- either 4,000 valid public watch hours from long-form public videos in the past 12 months, or 10 million valid public Shorts views in the past 90 days.
Watch hours from the Shorts Feed do not count toward the 4,000-hour route. Other requirements include YPP availability in the creator’s region, monetization-policy compliance, no active Community Guidelines strikes, two-step verification, advanced-features access, an AdSense for YouTube account and successful channel review. A creator must also accept the Shorts Monetization Module; views accrued before accepting it are not eligible for Shorts ad-revenue sharing.
Earlier YPP access is different
In eligible countries, the expanded YPP can open fan-funding and some Shopping features at 500 subscribers, three public uploads in 90 days, and either 3,000 public watch hours in 365 days or 3 million valid public Shorts views in 90 days. That lower tier does not by itself unlock Shorts Feed advertising revenue. The higher 1,000-subscriber route and the 4,000-hour or 10-million-view requirement apply to full ad-revenue sharing.
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Why a viral Short may earn nothing
Public view counts and payable views are not identical. YouTube excludes artificial or automated views and applies eligibility and advertiser-suitability rules. Unedited third-party clips, reuploads and compilations without meaningful original contribution can be ineligible as reused content. Shorts longer than one minute containing claimed content can be blocked and made ineligible for monetization. Private, unlisted, deleted and ad-campaign views do not count toward the relevant eligibility calculations.
Creators should check YouTube Studio and the Shorts monetization policies, rather than infer payment from a public view total. YouTube may also turn off monetization for a channel that has not uploaded a video or posted to the Posts tab for six months or more.
“Earning” is not the same as earning a living
YouTube’s wording establishes that a channel received money through Shorts revenue sharing. It does not reveal whether that payment was a few cents, a recurring side income, a business-sustaining amount, or the channel’s primary revenue. It also does not show whether Shorts generated more money than long-form videos.
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A channel can be counted in the statistic while relying mainly on long-form advertising, sponsorships, memberships, Shopping or an off-platform business. The company’s separate statement that more than 80% of Shorts-earning YPP creators also earned through other sources reinforces that Shorts monetization commonly sits inside a broader business.
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Shorts can be valuable for discovery and audience growth, but the 25% figure is not a business forecast. Build original, advertiser-suitable videos; understand the distinction between the expanded YPP and full ad access; and use YouTube Studio as the authoritative source for eligible views and revenue.
For many channels, a sensible system is to use Shorts to reach new viewers, then offer an appropriate path to long-form videos, livestreams, memberships, products or services. Do not assume that an editing subscription, template pack or analytics tool is required for YPP, and do not treat third-party revenue estimates as a substitute for Studio or AdSense data.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to quote the statistic accurately
The defensible formulation is: “YouTube said in March 2024 that more than one-quarter of channels in its Partner Program were earning money through Shorts revenue sharing.”
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It is not defensible to say “one in four YouTube channels makes money from Shorts,” “25% of Shorts creators earn a living,” or that the figure is a current 2026 measurement. The available official percentage is historical, and the announcement did not disclose typical earnings or a newer platform-wide rate.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: The 25% claim is real, but it describes YPP channels that YouTube said were participating in Shorts revenue sharing in March 2024. It excludes the vast majority of non-YPP channels, says nothing about typical or full-time income, and should not be presented as a current 2026 statistic. Shorts can pay directly through the pooled Shorts Feed system, while sponsorships, fan funding, Shopping and long-form conversions are separate ways a Shorts-led channel may make money.
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