New opportunities to earn and changes to the YouTube Partner Program
YouTube announced updates to its Partner Program, expanding Premium Lite subscriptions and adjusting revenue sharing for Shorts starting February 1, 2027, alongside new incentive programs and revised entry requirements for new creators.
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YouTube is introducing the first major changes to its Partner Program (YPP) since 2018, aiming to further reward active creators. The platform will expand Premium Lite to all eligible countries, offering uninterrupted viewing and offline access. Creators will earn 30% of net revenue from Premium subscriptions and 60% from Premium Lite, distributed based on member watch time and views, with long-form videos receiving 55% of the share and Shorts 45%.
Shorts revenue distribution will be updated to prioritize creators driving engagement, with eligibility for ads and subscription revenue sharing beginning February 1, 2027, for those with 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. Channels below this threshold will continue earning on long-form content, with Shorts revenue sharing resuming once they meet the view requirement again.
New incentive programs will broaden revenue opportunities for creators, including bonuses for YouTube Shopping, brand deal incentives, and earnings boosts for trend participation. These initiatives target channels below the 10 million view threshold, offering alternative ways to monetize beyond ad revenue.
YouTube is also updating entry requirements for new creators applying to YPP, requiring either 8,000 qualified watch hours in the last 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. Existing YPP members are unaffected by these changes. Creators must review and sign new terms in YouTube Studio by February 1, 2027.