TikTok Creator Rewards Program: Is It Worth It?
- Philip Romano
- Sep 29
- 5 min read
Now more than ever, creators can potentially go full-time on TikTok.
From taking brand deals in-app to ad revenue, creators looking to monetize have more options readily available than ever on TikTok.
However, many creators seem hesitant about utilizing TikTok’s built-in monetization machine – the Creator Rewards program. A common sentiment among creators is that while it’s helpful, some say it damages their reach and engagement.
Regardless of whether that’s truth or myth, one thing is for certain – creators are nervous about joining.
In this article, we’ll explore technical eligibility, pay rates, and basic information about TikTok’s Creator Rewards program, while addressing some common concerns creators may have. Let’s dive right in.
What is the Creator Rewards Program?
The TikTok Creator Rewards Program is a service designed to help creators on TikTok make income from their videos. Essentially, you get paid a certain amount from TikTok per qualified view.
What makes a view “qualified” in TikTok's eyes comes down to a few key points:
Viewers must watch a minimum of 5 seconds of your video
Videos must be a minimum of one minute in duration
Views must come from authentic viewers (no view-bottling or artificially boosted traffic)
Post only original content that aligns with TikTok’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines (no reposting copyrighted material, for instance)
The pay per view varies drastically depending on many factors, but the consensus is that the program pays out anywhere between $0.40 to $1.00 per thousand views. Creators enrolled in the program can receive payouts once they reach the minimum threshold of $10 accumulated.
Who is Eligible to Enroll?
Eligibility for the TikTok Creator Rewards program boils down to a few simple points.
To be eligible to apply for the program, you must meet the following criteria:
Must have 10,000+ followers
Have at least 100,000 total video views in the past 30 days
Be at least 18 years of age
Have an account in good standing (no major violations)
Live in a supported region (ex., the United States, Brazil, the U.K., France, Germany, and other countries listed here)
If you meet all of these conditions listed here as well as the video conditions above, you’ll have the option to apply for the TikTok Creator Rewards program. After receiving your application, TikTok will review your account to confirm you meet the criteria, and upon approval, you’ll earn monetary rewards for both new qualifying videos and old.
How Much Can You Really Make?
The TikTok Creator Rewards Program commonly pays anywhere from $0.40 to $1.00 per thousand views. While this doesn’t sound like much on its own, what you must remember is that TikTok rewards higher posting frequencies and higher quality content.
Long and short, by posting more, you’ll earn more. The more you post, the more you’ll grow, which in turn means the more people you reach and that watch your content. It’s potentially exponential.
To put this in perspective, when you hit mega-influencer status, such as @isabelleeobrienn, you’ll be receiving hundreds of thousands of views per month. You might even have a viral video that meets the qualifying standard.
For example, Isabelle has one video at 6.6 million views on TikTok, which means she may have received anywhere from $2,640 to $6,600 just for that one video.
Is the Creator Rewards Program worth it?
Like we suggested earlier, many creators have a fear of joining the Creator Rewards Program, claiming it leads to lower video reach and less follower conversion.
From our own research, that is simply not the case. TikTok does not alter or detract from your own video’s growth just because you are monetizing off it. In fact, it may push your videos harder so that both you and TikTok can earn more from your content.
However, if you are seeing smaller view counts over time, it may be time to revise your own content creation strategy. The audience’s taste is constantly changing, and it can be hard to adapt. We wrote a full-fledged guide on getting more views on TikTok here, and we highly recommend reading it.
Another common concern when it comes to the Creator Rewards Program is that it’s simply not enough to live on. For many creators, this is unfortunately true – but it’s still a fantastic thing to enroll in.
Think about it like a professional creator – they create content on multiple platforms, take on sponsorships, enable monetization from ad revenue, and sell merch. By relying solely on ad revenue from the Creator Rewards program, you are effectively eliminating multiple money-making avenues from your content. So while it’s far from much to live off of, it’s still a healthy contribution to the overall pot you could be receiving from your content creation.
Is It Worth It For Me?
Ultimately, we believe it’s better to join the Creator Rewards Program than not to. While its income may be small, it’s still a major player when it comes to turning your content creation hobby into a stable career.
That being said, we’ve boiled down everything we’ve covered in this article into a simple checklist to help you make your decision. When trying to determine if you should join the program, ask yourself this:
Do I meet the program eligibility? If not, why?
Is my content within the TikTok guidelines?
Is my content quality and post frequency high enough to earn?
Do I have a clear niche that my profile is attached to?
How many views am I getting right now vs. how many would I need to make the Program payments worthwhile?
Can I afford to spend extra time and effort for potentially slow returns?
Will the Creator Rewards Program help me go full-time?
The Creator Rewards Program is a wonderful way of making some extra cash from content you’re already producing regularly. It’s a great revenue stream and resource to start monetizing on, especially for beginners.
However, as we’ve discussed throughout this article, it’s far from an end-all solution. It has relatively low payouts for most creators, and even the highest-rated creators on the platform only make enough to be considered comparable to a regular job’s wages. But when combined with other revenue streams, you can seriously start to take TikTok creation as a career.
At Advanced Creative Media, we have a creator growth program designed to help creators like you make the most of their opportunities. If you’re serious about turning your "TikToking" into a career, apply for our Creator Growth Program today.
FAQs about TikTok Creator Rewards
Does joining the program hurt my views?
No. Despite the common misconception amongst creators, TikTok does not actively limit or hurt your reach and views when joining the Creator Rewards program. Any view drop is a result of a content quality issue at heart.
How many views per month do I need to make a meaningful income?
It ultimately depends on how much you expect to earn. The Creator Rewards program solely gives you between $0.40 and $1.00 per 1,000 qualified views. That means to make an average of $60,000 a year, you’d need at a bare minimum of 150 million views per year.
Are payouts taxable?
Yes, all payouts are subject to both federal and state taxes. Review the TikTok program’s policy for more information.
