Do I need 1000 subscribers for YouTube Shorts?

Do You Need 1000 Subscribers to Monetize YouTube Shorts?

Yes, if you're aiming to make money from YouTube Shorts, hitting 1,000 subscribers is a requirement—but it’s not the only one. To join YouTube’s Partnership Program (YPP) and start earning through Shorts, you need to meet two key thresholds.

First, you must have at least 1,000 subscribers on your channel. This is the same benchmark long-form creators have faced for years, and it still applies even if your content is entirely short-form. However, subscriber count alone isn’t enough.

You also need to accumulate 10 million public views on Shorts within the last 90 days. That’s a significant number—equivalent to roughly 111,000 views per day, every day for three months. Unlike the older monetization model that relied on watch time and ad revenue, Shorts revenue is drawn from a shared pool based on your view share, making virality more critical than ever.

It’s worth noting that these requirements can feel steep, especially for smaller creators. But YouTube’s goal is to ensure that only consistently engaging channels gain access to monetization. The 90-day window also emphasizes recent performance, rewarding active growth rather than past success.

While building to 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views is challenging, many creators find that focusing on authentic, high-energy content helps them connect faster with audiences. The platform favors originality and consistency, so posting regularly with a clear niche can make a big difference.

In short: yes, 1,000 subscribers are necessary—but they’re just one piece of the puzzle. Pair them with strong, recent viewership, and you’ll be on your way to unlocking YouTube’s monetization features for Shorts.