AdSense for YouTube is the Google program through which creators in the YouTube Partner Program get paid. That is money Google pays you. Google Ads works the opposite way: an advertiser pays Google to show ads. So “monetize my channel” and “promote my channel with ads” are two different actions, and you can start the first one only when the channel reaches the program’s thresholds.
To be honest about it: I teach advertising on Google, not YouTube monetization. So the thresholds and payout rules below come from YouTube’s help pages, with dates. AdSense on a website, rather than a channel, has its own article: Google AdSense: what it pays to site owners.
Channel requirements and thresholds
Requirements first, numbers second. According to YouTube’s help page on the Partner Program, you must follow the channel monetization policies, live in a country or region where the program operates, have no active Community Guidelines strikes, turn on 2-Step Verification and have one active AdSense for YouTube account. Then the channel must reach the thresholds. Here they are as of October 2026, and after the changes Google announced for February 1, 2027.
| Format | Now | From February 1, 2027, for new creators |
|---|---|---|
| Long-form video | 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 qualified watch hours in 12 months | 1,000 subscribers and 8,000 qualified watch hours in 365 days |
| Shorts | 1,000 subscribers and 10 million qualified views in 90 days | 1,000 subscribers and 20 million qualified views in 90 days |
Watch hours from Shorts in the Shorts feed do not count toward the 4,000 hours. If you are already in the program, the threshold update does not affect you. In some countries an expanded program has lower thresholds, from 500 subscribers, but it gives early access to shopping and fan funding, not a share of ad revenue. The country list is in YouTube’s help.
- When you reach the thresholds, open YouTube Studio, go to the Earn tab and click Apply now.
- Accept the base terms and create an AdSense for YouTube account, or link an existing one. You can create it only inside YouTube Studio.
- Wait for the review. It usually takes about a month.
- Next Google asks for your tax information, and when your earnings reach the threshold amounts, you verify your identity and address and choose a payment method.
How much and when you are paid
How much Google will pay for your views, the help pages do not say, and I will not guess. Here is what is known. Earnings accumulate over a month, and the finalized total lands in your YouTube payments account balance between the 7th and 12th of the following month. Payment is issued between the 21st and 26th if your balance meets the threshold and there are no payment holds. The threshold depends on your reporting currency: $100 in US dollars, £60 in pounds. If your balance on the 20th is below the threshold, it rolls over to the next month.
The monthly total can be adjusted for invalid traffic, copyright disputes and taxes. Do provide your tax information: if you do not, Google may deduct up to 24% of your total earnings worldwide. I do not give tax advice, so read YouTube’s help page on payout thresholds for the details.
Typical owner mistakes:
- Creating AdSense for YouTube from the main AdSense page. It can only be done in YouTube Studio.
- Holding two accounts. Only one AdSense or AdSense for YouTube account can be linked to one payee, and extra ones are rejected and monetization is turned off for the linked channel.
- Assuming the payment accounts for AdSense on a website and for YouTube are shared. They are separate, and each has its own payout threshold.
- Running ads for your channel in Google Ads and expecting payouts from them. Ads cost you money, they do not bring payouts.
How this differs from Google Ads, and what to choose
| AdSense for YouTube | Google Ads | |
|---|---|---|
| Your role | Channel owner | Advertiser |
| Who pays whom | Google pays you a share of ad revenue from your videos | You pay Google for impressions and clicks on your ads |
| Where you set it up | YouTube Studio, Earn tab | Your Google Ads account |
| What you need | Partner Program thresholds and policies | A payment method and a budget you set yourself |
| Goal | Get paid | Get views, subscribers or leads |
The choice is simple. If the channel is your product, say an entertainment or education channel, monetization makes sense once you reach the thresholds. Ads do not guarantee them, content does: more on that in how to get YouTube subscribers. If the channel serves your business, such as a dental clinic, a plumbing company or a school, customers matter more there than a YouTube payout. Then the channel or its videos are worth promoting with ads, and how to advertise your YouTube channel shows how.
The step-by-step version of deciding whether to monetize a channel or promote it with ads, and of counting what the promotion should return, is in my book on Google Ads for business owners.
My e-book “19 Google Ads Secrets”: how to get the most out of Google Ads without draining your budget, drawn from real campaigns and tests.
See the book →When this does not apply
- The channel is still far from the thresholds. Until you join the program there are no payouts, and the thresholds do not guarantee approval: YouTube reviews the channel against its policies.
- You live in a country where the Partner Program does not operate. Check the country list in YouTube’s help.
- The channel works to sell your business. Then a YouTube payout is not the main goal, and that is a different job from monetization.
- You are looking for AdSense for a website. That is a separate program with its own rules, and a YouTube channel is not part of it.
Questions and answers
Can I use the AdSense account I already have for my website?
Yes, if that account is approved. In YouTube Studio, on the card for signing up to AdSense for YouTube, you sign in with the same Google account and confirm the link. You cannot create a separate second account. Your YouTube earnings still go to a separate payments account with its own threshold.
How much does YouTube pay per 1,000 views?
YouTube’s help pages do not name such a figure. You receive a share of ad revenue from your videos, and the monthly total can be adjusted. Any specific number without your own analytics would be made up.
When does the first payment arrive after approval?
After approval your balance has to reach the payment threshold. Then payment is issued between the 21st and 26th of the following month, and how long the transfer takes depends on the method: for an electronic transfer the help page says up to 7 business days. Payments are not made earlier than the schedule.