We analyze real 2026 YouTube earnings from Ali Abdaal, Roberto Blake, and more. See exact breakdown of AdSense RPM vs. Service Revenue.
💰 Key Takeaways
- AdSense is Base Salary: Real wealth comes from Affiliates, Sponsorships, and Services.
- RPM Variance: Finance channels earn ~20x more per view than Gaming channels.
- The Hierarchy: Level 1 (Affiliates), Level 2 (Sponsorships), Level 3 (Selling Your Own Service).
- Expense Reality: Pro channels often spend 75% of revenue on teams/production.
It’s the question everyone asks, but nobody answers honestly.
“How much do YouTubers make?”
In 2026, the answer isn’t simple. If you are searching for exactly how much do YouTubers make per view, you will find wild variance. We’ve seen creators with 100,000 subscribers barely scraping by, and creators with 10,000 subscribers making $50,000 a month. It is no longer a game of views; it is a game of business models.
At FT Creative, we work with channels across the spectrum. We see the dashboards. We see the wire transfers. And we’re going to pull back the curtain on exactly how money moves on YouTube in 2026, dropping the “hypothetical” scenarios to look at real titans of the industry.
Whether you’re a brand looking to invest or a creator looking to pivot, you need to understand the New Economy of Attention. This article will break down the three distinct income tiers, analyze real-world case studies like Ali Abdaal and Roberto Blake, and give you the exact roadmap to profitability.
1. The AdSense Reality: How Much Do YouTubers Make from Ads?
AdSense (the ads that play before your video) is the “base salary” of a YouTuber. It’s calculated by RPM (Revenue Per Mille), which is how much you get paid per 1,000 views. When people ask “how much do YouTubers make”, they are usually thinking of this number. But it is often the least significant part of a wealthy creator’s portfolio.
In 2026, advertisers have become hyper-targeted. This means the gap between “high value” and “low value” audiences has exploded. An audience of software engineers is worth 50x more than an audience of prank-video watchers.
RPM by Niche (2026 Averages)
- Finance & Business: $25 – $60 RPM (The Gold Standard). Advertisers here are banks, trading platforms, and SaaS companies with high lifetime value (LTV).
- Tech & SaaS Reviews: $15 – $35 RPM. High intent to buy makes this valuable.
- Educational / How-To: $10 – $20 RPM. Solid, consistent, but rarely viral.
- Vlogs & Lifestyle: $2 – $5 RPM. Broad appeal but low purchase intent.
- Gaming: $1 – $3 RPM. Low because the audience is young and often uses ad blockers.
- Shorts: $0.01 – $0.06 RPM. It is purely a volume game; you need millions of views to buy a coffee.
Let’s do the math on the disparity.
- If a Gamer gets 1,000,000 views, they might make $2,000. That barely covers rent in a major city.
- If a Finance Creator gets 1,000,000 views, they might make $40,000. That’s a luxury car.
Frankly, this is why niche selection is more important than viral success. You don’t need millions of views; you need the right views.
2. Making Money Without Ads: The 2026 Hierarchy
Smart creators don’t rely on YouTube to pay them. They use YouTube to build an engine that pays them. This is the difference between being “YouTube Famous” and being “Wealthy”.
Level 1: Affiliate Marketing
This is the easiest step. You review a product, put a link in the description, and get a commission. In 2026, high-ticket software affiliates are paying 30% recurring commissions.
Take a creator reviewing software like HubSpot or Notion. A single signup might be worth $100/month for the life of that customer. If a video drives 50 signups, that is $5,000/month in recurring revenue from one video.
Level 2: Brand Sponsorships
Brands are spending more than ever, but they demand ROI. They don’t just want a shoutout; they want a deeply integrated ad segment. Creators like MrBeast have set the standard for high-production integrations, but niche creators command higher CPMs.
Standard Rates (2026):
- Dedicated Video: $0.15 per expected view (e.g., 10k views = $1,500).
- 30-60s Integration: $0.08 per expected view.
Level 3: Selling Your Own High-Ticket Service
This is where the millionaires are made. When you ask how much do YouTubers make at the top level, the answer usually involves a service business. Instead of selling someone else’s product for 10%, you sell your own service for 100%. If you run a video editing agency, a consulting firm, or a coaching program, one video can generate six figures in leads.
3. Real World Case Studies: The Million Dollar Strategies
Let’s stop guessing and look at the public business models of two of the smartest creators in the game.
Case Study A: Ali Abdaal (The Product Ecosystem)
Ali Abdaal started as a junior doctor making productivity videos. Today, he runs a multi-million dollar business. How?
- AdSense: Yes, he makes good money here ($3k-$5k per video roughly), but it’s a fraction of the pie.
- Affiliates: He is the top referrer for tools like Notion and Skillshare, likely generating $20k+ monthly just from links in old videos.
- The Real Money – “Part-Time YouTuber Academy”: Ali launched a cohort-based course teaching others how to be YouTubers. At price points often exceeding $2,000 per student, a single launch with 500 students generates $1,000,000 instantly.
Ali uses YouTube as a Top of Funnel marketing channel for his education business. The “YouTuber” salary is peanuts compared to the “Course Creator” salary.
Case Study B: Roberto Blake (The Service Economy)
Roberto Blake is the godfather of the “Creator Economy” niche. He is transparent about his diversified income.
- Speaking: He charges high fees for keynote speaking at conferences like VidCon.
- Coaching/Consulting: He offers direct 1-on-1 coaching calls. If he charges $500/hour, five calls a week is $10,000/month.
- Awesome Creator Academy: A membership site that provides stable, recurring revenue regardless of algorithm fluctuations.
Roberto proves you don’t need 10 million subs to be rich. You need a product suite that solves expensive problems for your audience.
4. The Hidden Costs: It Ain’t All Profit
We see the revenue, but we rarely see the P&L (Profit and Loss) statement. Making high-quality content in 2026 is expensive.
Typical Expenses for a “Pro” Channel:
- Editors: $2,000 – $4,000 per month.
- Thumbnail Artist: $50 – $100 per image.
- Equipment: Cameras, lights, mics (One-time $5k – $10k cost).
- Team: Scriptwriters, researchers, assistants.
If a creator makes $20,000 a month but spends $15,000 on their team, their net income is $5,000. This is why efficiency is key. Outsourcing to a dedicated agency like FT Creative can often be cheaper than hiring full-time staff because you avoid payroll taxes, benefits, and management overhead.
Strategy: How to Maximize Your Earnings in 2026
1. Target High Global CPM Countries
If your audience is in the US, UK, Canada, or Australia, your RPM doubles. Create content that appeals to Western markets. Use tools like TubeBuddy to translate your titles and reach these audiences.
2. Increase Your “Session Time”
YouTube pays more for longer videos because they can show more ads. Aim for 8-12 minute videos with high retention. This allows for mid-roll ads. To get high retention, your editing needs to be flawless.
If you’re struggling to keep viewers watching, our Long Form Video Editing Service is designed specifically to boost retention and watch time.
3. Diversify Immediately
Never let one algorithm update destroy your income. Start an email list. Build a community on Skool or Discord. Own your audience.
Verdict: Is It Still Worth It?
Yes. But not as a lottery ticket. As a business.
The days of getting rich by accident are gone. The days of getting rich by strategy are just beginning.
If you treat your channel like a media company, it will pay you like one. If you treat it like a hobby, it will cost you like one.
Ready to turn your channel into a business? Check our Pricing to see how we can handle your production pipeline.
FT Creative Team
Experts in scaling YouTube channels, video editing, and viral storytelling.
