How Much Money Do People Actually Make On TikTok?
When it's not in the process of getting banned in the U.S., TikTok is one of the world's largest social media platforms, with over one billion monthly users. Naturally, it didn't take long for "TikTok influencers" to become a thing, with the platform offering creators many ways to make money. The company experimented with different avenues of revenue, like the Creator Fund, before eventually settling on the Creator Rewards Program that launched in early 2024. But that begs the question: How much money do people actually make on TikTok?
Unfortunately, there isn't a quick and easy number you can find online. Most TikTok creators aren't transparent with their earnings, and monetization can drastically differ from creator to creator. According to TikTok's Creator Rewards Program, originality, play duration, audience engagement, and search value all factor into how much money people make on the platform. Plus, with TikTok being a prime destination for advertisement, third-party sponsors and brand deals also skew the numbers.
According to Business Insider, Alex Ojeda, a waterpark creator with over 8 million followers, charges at least $20,000 per sponsored video. Hunter Cordle, a lifestyle creator with nearly 5 million followers, described the money they earned through the Creativity Program Beta (an early version of the Creator Rewards Program) as "life-changing." And while they didn't reveal exact numbers, some users managed to bring in five-figure earnings each month through views and ads.
What about TikTok Shop and Lives?
Unsurprisingly, there's a lot of money to be made on TikTok, and that number only continues to grow if content creators add TikTok Shops and frequent livestreams to their accounts.
Through the Shop tab, TikTok offers an affiliate program that creators can join to add commissions to their overall profits. Once accepted into the program, influencers can tag certain products in videos and livestreams or create a dedicated catalog on their profiles to earn sales commissions. Of course, exact numbers aren't readily available, but Business Insider said in January 2024 that creators told them "TikTok Shop commissions have meaningfully contributed to earnings." However, one creator did provide numbers with proof. Jeneen Sahtout — a beauty and shopping content creator with nearly 800,000 followers — said she earned around $6,000 in commissions after driving about $40,000 in product sales.
The virtual gifts creators receive during TikTok Lives also heavily contribute to overall earnings on the platform. Lucy Davis, an ASMR creator with over 600,000 followers, told Business Insider she earns between $20 and $300 each livestream. Jakey Boehm (1.2 million followers) earned over $34,000 from a single month of TikTok Live, livestreaming himself as he slept. So, if you're looking to make as much money as possible on TikTok, you'll undoubtedly want to use every avenue the platform has available.