In a nutshell:

  • TikTok creators make about $0.02 to $0.04 per 1,000 views on a video
  • The Creator Fund is TikTok’s way of paying creators on the platform
  • The low payout forces creators to use TikTok primarily for exposure, not a revenue stream

TikTok creators, especially those with large followings, get millions of views on their content. So, of course, you’re probably wondering about the payout. How much does TikTok pay you for one million views? Do creators get paid a lot of money for all the views they get? Well, the answer might surprise you. We’ll cover how much TikTok pays creators per one million views, what factors play into how much creators get paid and other ways creators on the platform make money.

So, how much does TikTok pay you for one million views?

The answer to this question might come as a surprise to most people. The payout for TikTok creators is quite low, even for videos that reach one million views. TikTok pays $0.02 to $0.04 per 1,000 views on a video, so creators can make up to $40 per one million views on their content. Yeah, that’s pretty low, especially when compared to platforms like YouTube, which pays creators up to $4,000 per 1,000 views. Even that payout is a little low.

Why is the payout so low?

TikTok pays its creators through the Creator Fund, which is a pool of money distributed among creators on the platform based on their views. This is a set pool of money, so regardless of how many creators are on the platform, the pool remains the same. This system doesn’t exactly work in favor of creators — who are paid pennies for millions of views. TikTok’s rise in popularity has skyrocketed in the past couple of years and continues to grow, yet the platform pays creators the same.

Many creators on the platform have called out TikTok on their low payouts for content creators. When the Creator Fund launched, the pool was set at $200 million in 2020. TikTok stated this was set to increase to one billion in the U.S. in a few years’ time, so we’ll see if the payout increases heading into 2023.

What is the Creator Fund?

The Creator Fund is TikTok’s way of paying its creators. The platform wants to reward creators who create engaging content that attracts more users to the platform. Creators make $0.02 to $0.04 per 1,000 views. To be eligible for the Creator Fund, a creator needs to be 18 years old, be a U.S. resident, have 10,000 followers and receive 100,000 authentic video views. Currently, the Creator Fund is available in the U.S., UK, Germany, Italy, France and Spain.

How do TikTok creators make money?

TikTok can be lucrative if you know what you’re doing, and there are plenty of other ways to make money apart from views.

TikTok Live

Creators on TikTok can make money by hosting TikTok lives on their channel. While on live, followers can give creators “gifts,” which are essentially coins. These coins can be exchanged through PayPal. Lives are a great way to engage with followers as well. Creators can do Q&A sessions, get ready with me content, vlogging and more. The only requirement to go live on TikTok is a minimum of 1,000 followers.

Affiliate marketing

One of the best ways for creators to make money on TikTok is through affiliate marketing. There are plenty of TikTok creators that feature products in their content and have a link in their bio for followers and viewers to purchase the items. Affiliate marketing can be a lucrative way to make money on the platform. Studies have shown that more and more consumers make purchasing decisions on social media platforms. Even if you don’t receive millions of views on your content, you can still make product recommendations and include affiliate links in your bio. Many creators link right to their Amazon storefront.

Brand deals

With the rise in social media, more companies are catching onto influencer marketing and using platforms such as TikTok to market their products. Consumers find relatability more appealing when it comes to purchasing decisions. So, more and more creators on TikTok are receiving brand deals. It’s not uncommon to scroll through your TikTok feed and see multiple ads of what seem like ordinary people talking about a product. Creators with large followings receive thousands of dollars from brands for a post.

TikTok needs an update

With the massive increase in popularity since 2020, TikTok really needs to pay its creators more money for views. The platform’s popularity will only increase heading into 2023, and creators deserve better pay for the content that drives users to the platform. Will TikTok increase the pool for the Creator Fund to one billion, as they stated? Time will tell, but we sure hope so.