# YouTube Partner Program Requirements Explained (500 vs 1,000 Subscribers) Source: https://devanasolver.github.io/youtube-creator-toolkit/blog/youtube-partner-program-requirements-explained/ Published: 2026-10-04 | Updated: 2026-10-18 | Site: Creator Toolkit (free YouTube creator tools) Related free tool: Monetization Progress tracker - https://devanasolver.github.io/youtube-creator-toolkit/#monetization **TL;DR:** YouTube has two entry levels. In eligible countries you can apply at 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in 90 days and 3,000 watch hours (or 3 million Shorts views) for fan funding features. Ad revenue sharing needs 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 watch hours in 12 months or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days. The Monetization Progress tracker shows how close you are to each. Most creators ask the same thing early on: how many subscribers and hours do I need before I can earn money? The answer has two parts now, and the numbers depend on your country. This page uses YouTube's own help pages, read on the date at the bottom. ## The two tiers | | Fan funding tier (expanded program) | Full tier (ad revenue sharing) | | --- | --- | --- | | Subscribers | 500 | 1,000 | | Uploads | 3 valid public uploads in the last 90 days | Not part of the headline threshold | | Watch time | 3,000 qualified watch hours in the last 12 months | 4,000 qualified watch hours in the last 12 months | | Or Shorts views | 3 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days | 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days | | What you get | Earlier access to fan funding and Shopping features | Revenue sharing from ads and YouTube Premium, plus the other features | Source: YouTube's pages on the [expanded Partner Program](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/13429240) and the [Partner Program overview](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72851). You need to meet either the watch hours route or the Shorts views route, not both. The 500 subscriber tier is only for creators in the countries YouTube lists on its expanded program page. If your country is not on that list, YouTube says there are no changes for you, so the 1,000 subscriber rules apply. ## What counts as a "qualified" hour or view? YouTube counts only certain watch time. For example, its overview page says qualified watch hours from Shorts views in the Shorts feed do not count towards the 4,000 hour threshold. Likewise, the Shorts route needs qualified views on public Shorts. The exact definitions are in a collapsed section of the [overview page](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72851), so check that section against your own numbers in YouTube Studio. The tracker cannot see inside your account, so it only does arithmetic on what you type. ## Other requirements besides the numbers Hitting the numbers is not enough. YouTube's overview lists these as well: - Follow the channel monetization policies. - Live in a country or region where the program is available. - Have no active Community Guidelines strikes. - Turn on 2-Step Verification on your Google Account. - Have advanced features access. - Link one active AdSense for YouTube account, or set one up in Studio when you apply. ## How to check if your channel can apply 1. Open YouTube Studio and look at the **Earn** area. It shows your own eligibility and has a Get notified option. 2. Write down your subscribers, your public watch hours for the last 12 months, and your Shorts views for the last 90 days from Analytics. 3. Enter them in the [Monetization Progress tracker](https://devanasolver.github.io/youtube-creator-toolkit/#monetization) to see the percentage for each tier. 4. Check the non-number requirements above, especially strikes and 2-Step Verification. 5. When you are eligible, choose **Apply now** in the Earn area. ## What happens after you apply YouTube says an application goes to automated systems and human reviewers who look at the channel as a whole. A decision typically takes about a month, and delays are possible. If you are turned down, the help page says you can try again after a waiting period (30 days for a first rejection, 90 days after that) and should review your channel against the policies first. One more point from the same page: YouTube may turn off monetization on channels that have not uploaded a video or posted to the Posts tab for six months or more. ## A note on changes YouTube's overview page currently shows a notice about updated Partner Program terms starting February 1, 2027, with creators asked to accept the updated terms in Studio by January 31, 2027. Rules change, so treat any article, including this one, as a snapshot and check the Earn tab for your own channel. ## What the tracker does not do - It does not know your real numbers. You type them in. - It does not check your country, strikes, 2-Step Verification or AdSense link. - It does not predict when you will reach the goal or promise that you will. - It does not check whether your watch hours are "qualified". Use the figure YouTube Studio gives you. ## FAQ ### How many subscribers do you need to monetize on YouTube? In countries where the expanded program is available, 500 subscribers (with 3 public uploads in 90 days and 3,000 watch hours or 3 million Shorts views) gives access to fan funding features. For ad revenue sharing you need 1,000 subscribers with 4,000 watch hours in 12 months or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days. ### Do I need 4,000 watch hours and 10 million Shorts views? No. It is one or the other. Pick the route that matches how your channel gets its views. ### Do Shorts watch hours count towards 4,000 hours? YouTube says qualified watch hours from Shorts views in the Shorts feed do not count towards the 4,000 hour threshold. Shorts have their own 10 million view route. ### How long does the review take? YouTube says it is typically about one month, and it can take longer when volumes are high. ### Can I buy views or subscribers to qualify? No. YouTube's fake engagement rules prohibit it, and bought numbers can get a channel removed. The tracker has no feature to buy anything. ## Sources - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72851 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/13429240 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9314357 --- From Creator Toolkit: https://devanasolver.github.io/youtube-creator-toolkit/