How Medium Pays Writers

Medium offers writers the opportunity to earn money through its Partner Program. Here's a breakdown of how it works and what you need to know:

How Medium Pays Writers:

• Member Read Time and Engagement:

The primary way writers earn is when Medium members (paying subscribers) read, listen to, and engage with their stories. Earnings are based on factors like:

• Member Read Time:

The longer members spend reading your story (30 seconds or more), the more you earn.

• Positive Interactions:

Claps, highlights, replies, and new follows also contribute to your earnings.

• Follower Bonus:

When members follow you and continue to engage with your stories, you get a bonus.

• Boost Bonus:

Stories that are "Boosted" (selected by Medium for wider distribution) earn significantly more.

• Share of Membership Dues:

Medium operates without ads. Instead, it's supported by its paid members ($5/month or $50/year, with a "Friend of Medium" tier at $15/month or $150/year that pays writers 4x more). A portion of these membership dues is distributed to writers based on how much their content is consumed by members.

• Paywall:

To earn money, you need to place your stories behind Medium's paywall, making them accessible only to paying Medium members. You can choose to monetize individual stories.

• Monthly Payouts:

Payments are processed monthly via Stripe. There's a minimum payout threshold of $10; if you don't reach it in a month, the amount rolls over to the next month.

Eligibility for the Medium Partner Program:

To join the Partner Program, you typically need to meet these requirements:

• Be a Medium Member: You must be a paying subscriber to Medium yourself.

• Published Story: Have at least one story published on Medium within the last six months.

• Eligible Country: You must reside in a country supported by the Partner Program and Stripe (Medium's payment processor). Medium has recently expanded its supported countries significantly, including many African nations like Kenya.

• Age: Be at least 18 years old.

• Tax Information: You'll need to provide your taxpayer information to Tipalti, Medium's third-party payment service.

How to Join and Get Paid:

• Create a Medium Account:

If you don't have one, sign up for a free Medium account.

• Become a Paying Member:

Subscribe to a Medium membership.

• Publish a Story:

Write and publish at least one story on Medium.

• Apply to the Partner Program:

Go to the Medium Partner Program page (medium.com/partner-program) and click "Apply now."

• Set Up Payouts:

Link your Medium account to an active Stripe account and provide your taxpayer information to Tipalti. This process may take a few days for verification.

• Monetize Your Stories:

Once enrolled, you can choose to put new and existing stories behind the paywall to start earning revenue. When writing or editing a story, look for the "Paywall your story" or "Members Only" option.

Tips for Earning on Medium:

• Focus on Quality:

Medium emphasizes quality over quantity. Write thoughtful, insightful, and engaging stories that provide value to readers.

• Longer Reads are Encouraged:

Stories that encourage longer read times tend to earn more.

• Engage with the Community:

Clap, highlight, and reply to other stories. Building a following and engaging with your readers can increase your earnings.

• Utilize Publications:

Submit your stories to relevant Medium publications. These can help your work reach a wider audience.

• Aim for a "Boost":

Getting your story "Boosted" by Medium's editors or nominators significantly increases its visibility and earning potential.

• Promote Your Stories:

Share your Medium articles on your social media channels and other platforms to drive more traffic.

• Consider Other Monetization:

While the Partner Program is the primary way to earn, some writers also leverage Medium to:

• Sell Ebooks or Courses:

Link to your own digital products within your articles.

• Affiliate Marketing:

Include relevant affiliate links (with proper disclosure) in your content.

• Attract Clients:

Use your Medium articles to showcase your expertise and attract clients for services like content writing.

Important Considerations:

• Inconsistency of Earnings:

Earnings on Medium can be inconsistent. While some writers make significant income, many earn less than $100 per month. Viral articles can bring in a lot, but this isn't the norm.

• Active Effort:

Medium earnings are not truly passive. You generally need to consistently publish high-quality content and engage with the platform to maintain or grow your income.

• Medium's Algorithm Changes:

The platform's algorithms can change, which can impact earnings.

In summary, getting paid on Medium involves joining the Partner Program, consistently publishing high-quality, engaging content behind the paywall, and understanding how member engagement translates into earnings. It's a platform that rewards good writing and active participation.

💥 Why Many Prefer Vocal Media to Medium

🖋️ 1. No Paywall = More Readership

On Medium, to earn, you must place your stories behind a paywall — meaning only paying members can access them.

On Vocal, your stories are public, increasing chances of organic traffic from search engines and social shares.

More visibility often matters more to newer writers trying to build an audience.

💰 2. Clear, Fixed Payment Structure

Medium earnings can be uncertain — driven by member read time, algorithm boosts, and changing platform dynamics.

Vocal offers a fixed rate per 1,000 reads ($3.80 for free users, $6 for Vocal+ members).

👉 It’s more predictable, especially appealing to those wanting to earn steadily.

🌎 3. No Membership Required to Earn

On Medium, to join the Partner Program, you must become a paying member yourself.

On Vocal, anyone can publish and monetize for free (though Vocal+ offers better rates & perks).

🚀 4. Built-in Challenges with Guaranteed Prizes

Vocal frequently runs writing challenges with cash prizes (often $100-$10,000 range), providing extra incentives.

Medium lacks this type of gamification and reward system.

🌐 5. Better SEO and Shareability

Vocal stories are fully indexable by search engines and openly shareable.

Medium paywalled stories often rank poorly in Google because search bots can’t read full content.

🖼️ 6. More Creative Freedom

Vocal encourages diverse content (stories, poems, recipes, lists, personal experiences) across many niche communities.

Medium strongly favors certain formats (essays, thought leadership, tech articles), and some topics don’t perform well.