How Much YouTube Paid Me For 56 Million Views

You’ve probably heard people say that “Shorts don’t pay well,” or “YouTube only supports long form content.” But is that really true?

Today, I want to tell you exactly how much YouTube paid me for 56 million views on my Shorts channel. The numbers will surprise you, trust me.

How It All Started

In late June 2024, I launched my YouTube channel. I wasn’t sure how things would go, but I stayed consistent like many beginners.

The channel went from 0 subscribers to 160,000 subscribers and 56 million views from that point until February.

Sounds exciting, right?

Before we get to the earnings, we should clear up a common misconception.

Not All of the 56 Million Views Were Monetized

Something you may not know: When you start a new channel, you don’t make money right away. Before you can enter the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), you have to hit certain criteria on YouTube.

To get monetized on Shorts you need to get 10 million views in the last 90 days. So after getting 10 million views, my channel got approved for YPP, that’s when the real money started to roll in.

How Much I Actually Made

Let’s talk numbers now—the part you’ve been waiting for.

After monetization, my YouTube Shorts channel had $2,547 in total Shorts ads revenue in the 4 months.

It’s not a crazy amount, yes. Before you judge, however, there is something important to consider:

My channel is not in English.

If it was in English, the views would have been at least $5,000+ for the same earnings. Why? English speaking audiences (especially from the US, UK, Canada and Australia) get much higher ad rates.

I made $150 in a single day.

So on some days, Shorts were making some decent income. Earnings vary based on factors like watch time, ad rates, and location of the audience.

Yes, Shorts earnings are not as high as long form content, but they are not as bad as many people believe.

Should You Start a YouTube Shorts Channel?

The big question now is: Is it worth starting a Shorts channel in 2025?

Here’s my honest take:

If you want FAST growth, Shorts are the BEST way to grow your channel FAST. In just a few months, I gained 160,000 subscribers and it was all due to Shorts.

If you want to earn as much as possible, create a mix of Shorts + long form videos. Long videos generate better ad revenue and shorts bring the audience.

Even if you’re in a high paying niche (finance, tech, business etc.) you can still make good money from Shorts alone.

It’s all about strategy at the end of the day.

Want to Know How I Did It?

If you’re thinking, “Okay, this sounds interesting, but how do I actually start?”, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!

What I can do is create a step by step guide on:

✅ How I started my YouTube Shorts channel from scratch

✅ How I edit my videos (even if you’re a beginner)

✅ The best strategies for getting millions of views

If you want to know more, comment below, I will make a full series about it!

So, what do you think? When will you start your Shorts channel in 2025? Let me know!

Real-World Examples

A creator with a viral meme video (low CPM, global audience) might earn $8,000–$10,000 for 10 million views.

A tech tutorial channel with a US audience and a $20 CPM could see $100,000+ after YouTube’s cut.

David Dobrik once mentioned earning just $2,000 monthly despite 10 million views per video, likely due to heavy reliance on sponsorships rather than ads.

Bottom Line

For 10 million views, you could have earned anywhere from $2,500 to $400,000, with $25,000–$150,000 being a more common range for well-monetized channels. Your exact payout depends on your specific audience, niche, and ad setup. If you’ve got details about your channel—like the niche or where your viewers are from—I can refine the estimate further!