- YouTube doubles the requirements To enter their Partner Program: 8.000 hours of viewing or 20 million views of Shorts in 90 days.
- The distribution of income from Shorts requires 10 million views in 90 days to collect payment each month, although this does not imply losing the program.
- Premium Lite will distribute 60% of its net revenue among creators, compared to 30% for the standard plan.
- The new conditions They come into effect on February 1, 2027 and they do not affect those who are already in the program.
The world's most popular video platform has decided to make things a bit more difficult for those who dream of making a living from their videos. YouTube has announced stricter requirements for joining its Partner Program, the system that allows creators to earn advertising revenue. The changes, which will take effect on February 1, 2027, affect both long-form videos and the popular Shorts format, and also impact revenue sharing with the new Premium Lite plan.
The Google-owned company has been witnessing the continuous growth of the creator ecosystem for some time now, and is looking to adapt its rules to a reality where competition for attention is fierce . According to Amjad Hanif, Vice President of Product for Creators, the goal is to "reward those who generate real engagement" and not just those who manage to create a one-off viral video. Those already part of the program have nothing to worry about: they will remain in it, although they will have to accept the new terms.
Higher requirements to access the partner program
The main change is that the viewing requirements for monetization have doubled. Previously, creators needed 4.000 hours of watch time in the last 365 days or 10 million views on Shorts over 90 days. From February 2027, these figures will increase to 8.000 hours and 20 million views on Shorts , respectively. The number of subscribers remains at 1.000, the same as before.
This change poses a greater obstacle for small creators trying to get started. As creator Austen Tosone points out, “it will be much harder for small creators” to make money. However, YouTube argues that it is necessary to maintain a sustainable ecosystem and to allocate more resources to new incentive programs, such as AI tools for video creators . The company notes that the program was launched in 2007 and now has more than 3 million creators, so it's time to update the rules.
Shorts: a specific threshold for monthly payment
For short videos, the requirement to receive monthly income is set at 10 million valid views in the last 90 days. This figure is lower than the 20 million required to enter the program, but it's enough to remain active in the Shorts revenue sharing system, a format that has already conquered the entertainment industry with millions of hours watched on TV . Creators who don't reach this threshold won't be removed from the YPP, but they will stop receiving money from Shorts until they surpass it again. However, they will still be able to earn money from their longer-form videos.
In addition, YouTube has announced new incentive programs to reward growth and engagement. These include bonuses for using YouTube Shopping, credits for brand deals, and revenue boosts for starting or growing trends. The goal is to allow creators to explore other ways to earn money on the platform, rather than relying solely on advertising.
Premium Lite: More money for creators
Another aspect of the change is the revenue sharing from subscriptions. YouTube Premium Lite, the most affordable plan available in Spain since September 2025, will distribute 60% of its net revenue to creators whose content is viewed by its subscribers. This figure is double the 30% allocated in the standard Premium plan. The idea is for creators to directly benefit from the expansion of this new service, which will be rolled out in all countries where the standard version already operates.
With this move, YouTube aims to balance advertising and subscription revenue, offering creators a more stable income stream. According to the company, 60% of Premium Lite's net revenue will be distributed into a common fund among all eligible creators, which could provide a significant boost for those with a loyal audience. However, details on how the exact distribution will be calculated have not yet been released.
The new terms will take effect on February 1, 2027, although some provisions, such as those related to channel activation, will be applied later. Channels already participating in the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) will retain their status but must accept the new terms. Furthermore, YouTube has updated the criteria for considering a channel active: from the specified date, it will be necessary to accumulate 1.000 hours of watch time in a year, 1 million views of Shorts in 90 days, or publish two long videos or five Shorts every 90 days.
With these changes, YouTube makes it clear that simply uploading content sporadically is no longer enough. Consistency and the ability to generate engagement are now key to monetizing content on the platform. Creators will have to rethink their strategies if they want to continue earning money, while the company ensures that only the most committed creators have access to the advertising and subscription revenue. This decision will undoubtedly mark a turning point in the economics of content creators.
