What YouTube data teaches us
Outliers, niches, titles, thumbnails: analyses drawn from millions of videos, and how to use them.
7 min read
How much do YouTubers make per 1,000 views in 2026? RPM by niche, language and format
A YouTuber earns about $1.80 to $14 per 1,000 long-form views depending on the niche, and $0.03 to $0.10 per 1,000 Shorts views. Full RPM table for 27 niches, 10 languages, and a simple formula to estimate any channel's income.
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YouTube's new monetization rules for 2027: 8,000 watch hours, the 10M Shorts pool rule, and what to do now
YouTube doubles the Partner Program bar on February 1, 2027 (8,000 watch hours or 20M Shorts views), adds a 10M-views rule to earn from the Shorts pool, changes Premium revenue sharing and tests a $20 payout. Every change, sourced, plus Returbe data on which channels are affected.
15 min read
YouTube Partner Program requirements in 2026: the complete guide to getting monetized
Every YouTube Partner Program requirement in 2026: the two tiers (500 and 1,000 subscribers), watch hours vs Shorts views, the policies that get channels rejected, how long review takes, what you earn once accepted, and a realistic plan to get there.
9 min read
Highest paying YouTube niches in 2026: RPM by niche, and what a small channel actually earns
RPM for 27 YouTube niches in 2026, plus a number nobody else shows: what a typical video from a small channel earns in each niche once you factor in real views. Finance pays the most per view; true crime pays the most per video.