What are TikTok creator monetization requirements?

This article has been written by our TikTok expert who will tell you what are the most efficient strategies in your niche

What are the basic eligibility requirements to monetize content on TikTok?

TikTok's Creator Rewards Program requires five non-negotiable criteria that must be maintained continuously throughout your participation.

You need exactly 10,000 followers, 100,000 valid video views in the past 30 days, and your account must be in good standing with zero Community Guidelines violations. Your account must be set to "Personal" rather than "Business" because TikTok restricts monetization to individual creators only.

The geographic restriction limits participation to just seven countries: United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil. TikTok actively detects VPN usage and will permanently ban accounts that attempt to bypass location restrictions. Age verification requires you to be 18 or older, and TikTok now cross-references government databases to confirm identity during the application process.

Account standing violations include any strikes for misinformation, harassment, or copyright infringement within the past 90 days. Even resolved violations can delay approval for up to six months depending on severity.

How many followers are needed to start earning money on TikTok?

The Creator Rewards Program requires exactly 10,000 followers as a hard threshold, but maintaining this number becomes more complex than reaching it initially.

TikTok monitors follower counts in real-time, and dropping below 10,000 triggers an automatic 30-day grace period. If you don't recover the minimum within this window, your monetization access gets suspended until you regain the threshold plus an additional 500 followers as a buffer.

Purchased followers or bot accounts are detected through TikTok's engagement pattern analysis, which examines follow-to-engagement ratios and account creation dates. Accounts with suspicious follower growth patterns face immediate disqualification and potential permanent bans from future monetization programs.

The follower count calculation excludes inactive accounts (no activity for 180+ days) and accounts flagged as spam, meaning your visible follower count might not match TikTok's internal eligibility calculation.

What is the minimum number of video views required in the last 30 days?

TikTok requires 100,000 "qualified views" within the most recent 30-day period, but the definition of "qualified" excludes several view types that creators commonly mistake as eligible.

Views from duets, stitches, photo carousels, and any content containing third-party music or media don't count toward this threshold. Only views on original videos that you created entirely yourself contribute to the 100,000 requirement.

The 30-day calculation rolls continuously rather than following calendar months, meaning your view count updates daily as older content falls outside the window. TikTok also filters out bot views, repeated views from the same account within 24 hours, and views from accounts with suspicious activity patterns.

Views generated from paid promotions or TikTok ads are excluded from monetization calculations, even if they're promoting your organic content. This prevents creators from artificially inflating their view counts to meet eligibility requirements.

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Does the TikTok Creator Fund still exist, or has it been replaced by something else?

The TikTok Creator Fund was permanently discontinued in 2024 and completely replaced by the Creator Rewards Program, which operates under fundamentally different rules and payment structures.

The Creator Fund paid all video types regardless of length or originality, typically offering $0.02-$0.04 per 1,000 views. The Creator Rewards Program exclusively monetizes original videos over one minute long but pays significantly more, ranging from $0.40 to $8.00 per 1,000 qualified views.

Existing Creator Fund participants were automatically migrated to the new program if they met the updated requirements, but approximately 60% of previous participants were disqualified due to content type restrictions or geographic limitations.

TikTok made this transition to align with their strategy of promoting longer-form, original content that competes directly with YouTube and reduces reliance on trending audio clips that don't generate sustainable engagement.

How does the TikTok Creator Rewards Program work and how do creators get paid?

The Creator Rewards Program calculates payments based on three primary metrics: qualified views, audience retention rate, and engagement quality, with minimum payout thresholds varying by country.

Payment Factor	Calculation Method	Impact on Earnings
Qualified Views	Views on original 1+ minute videos only	Base rate of $0.40-$1.00 per 1,000 views for standard content
Watch Time Completion	Percentage of video watched by viewers	Videos with 70%+ completion rates earn 2-3x higher RPM
Engagement Quality	Comments, shares, saves weighted by account authenticity	High-quality engagement can boost rates to $4-$8 per 1,000 views
Content Originality Score	AI detection of unique elements vs. trending formats	Highly original content receives 25-40% bonus multiplier
Audience Retention	Viewers returning to watch more videos	Strong retention patterns increase long-term earning potential
Geographic Audience	Location of viewers consuming content	US/UK viewers generate 50-100% higher rates than other regions
Payment Schedule	Monthly payouts via PayPal or bank transfer	Minimum $10 threshold; payments processed 15th of each month

Is there a minimum age requirement to join TikTok's monetization programs?

TikTok requires creators to be exactly 18 years or older with government-issued ID verification during the application process.

The age verification system cross-references multiple databases and requires photo ID submission that matches your TikTok profile information exactly. Attempts to use fake IDs or misrepresent age result in permanent account bans from all monetization programs.

Unlike some platforms that allow parental consent for younger creators, TikTok maintains the 18+ requirement universally across all seven eligible countries with no exceptions for supervised accounts or guardian approval.

Age verification occurs automatically when you apply for monetization and again randomly throughout your participation to ensure continued compliance.

Are there any country or region restrictions for monetizing on TikTok?

The Creator Rewards Program operates exclusively in seven countries with no current expansion timeline announced by TikTok.

Eligible countries include United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil. TikTok determines eligibility based on your legal residence, not citizenship, requiring proof of address and tax documentation from eligible countries.

VPN usage to bypass geographic restrictions results in immediate account suspension and permanent monetization bans. TikTok employs multiple detection methods including IP analysis, device fingerprinting, and behavioral pattern recognition that identify location spoofing attempts.

Creators who relocate to eligible countries must wait 90 days and provide updated documentation before becoming eligible for monetization programs. Temporary visits or vacation travel to eligible countries don't qualify for program participation.

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What type of content is eligible or ineligible for monetization on the platform?

The Creator Rewards Program exclusively monetizes original videos that are at least one minute long and created entirely by the applicant without any third-party elements.

Automatically Ineligible Content Types:

• Duets and Stitches (even if adding substantial original commentary)
• Photo Mode videos or slideshow content
• Videos containing copyrighted music, even with proper licensing
• Green screen effects using third-party backgrounds or images
• Compilation videos using clips from other sources
• Reaction videos to existing content, regardless of commentary quality
• Any video shorter than 60 seconds, including extended versions of shorter clips
• Content promoting products, services, or containing paid partnerships
• Videos using trending audio clips or sound effects not created by you
• Livestream recordings or clips from live broadcasts

TikTok's content scanning algorithm automatically flags videos containing even brief segments of third-party material, including background music, sound effects, or visual elements. The system errs on the side of caution, often flagging original content that resembles existing material.

Eligible content must demonstrate clear originality in concept, execution, and presentation. Educational content, comedy skits, tutorials, and personal storytelling typically perform well if they meet the technical requirements and contain no external elements.

How important is audience engagement for earning revenue?

Engagement quality directly impacts your earnings multiplier, with authentic interactions potentially tripling your revenue compared to passive viewing.

TikTok's algorithm evaluates comment authenticity, share-to-view ratios, and save rates to determine engagement quality scores. Generic comments like "nice" or "good" carry minimal weight, while detailed responses and conversations between creators and viewers significantly boost earnings potential.

Share activity generates the highest revenue multipliers because it indicates content worth recommending to others. Videos shared to other platforms or saved for later viewing receive additional earning bonuses that compound with view-based payments.

The engagement timeline matters more than total numbers – interactions within the first 24 hours carry more weight than delayed engagement. TikTok also analyzes engagement patterns to identify artificial inflation through bot accounts or engagement pods, which can disqualify content from monetization entirely.

Consistent engagement rates across multiple videos demonstrate sustainable audience connection, leading to higher long-term earning potential and preferred algorithm distribution.

Can branded content or affiliate marketing be used alongside TikTok's native monetization?

TikTok allows creators to combine multiple monetization streams, but branded content and affiliate marketing must follow specific disclosure requirements and content restrictions.

Videos containing paid partnerships, product placements, or affiliate links are automatically excluded from Creator Rewards Program payments, even if they meet all other eligibility criteria. However, these videos can still generate revenue through brand partnerships and affiliate commissions.

TikTok's updated Creator Marketplace enables direct brand connections and provides built-in disclosure tools that satisfy FTC requirements. Affiliate marketing through TikTok Shop integration allows product tagging and commission earnings without affecting organic content monetization eligibility.

The key distinction lies in content labeling – clearly marked promotional content maintains separate revenue streams, while undisclosed brand integrations violate platform policies and risk monetization suspension.

Successful creators typically maintain 70-80% organic content eligible for Creator Rewards while strategically incorporating 20-30% branded content for additional income diversification.

If you feel like your content isn't getting enough engagement, we can help improve that.

What tools or dashboards does TikTok provide to track earnings and performance?

TikTok Studio offers comprehensive monetization tracking through its Creator Rewards dashboard, providing real-time earnings data and performance analytics.

The dashboard displays qualified views separately from total views, helping creators understand which content generates revenue versus overall reach. Earnings breakdowns show daily, weekly, and monthly trends with projected payout amounts updated every 24 hours.

Performance metrics include watch time completion rates, engagement quality scores, and content originality ratings that directly impact earnings calculations. The analytics also identify which videos were excluded from monetization and specific reasons for ineligibility.

TikTok Studio's mobile app provides instant notifications when videos qualify for monetization and alerts when content gets flagged for review. The web version offers more detailed analytics including audience demographics, peak viewing times, and earnings optimization recommendations.

Export features allow creators to download earnings reports for tax purposes and business planning, with data available for up to 12 months of monetization activity.

What are common reasons creators get rejected or removed from monetization programs?

Approximately 70% of Creator Rewards Program applications face rejection, with content eligibility violations representing the most frequent disqualification reason.

Rejection Reason	Specific Triggers	Prevention Strategies
Content Ineligibility	Using copyrighted music, creating duets/stitches, videos under 60 seconds	Create 100% original content with self-made audio and visuals only
Account Standing Issues	Community guideline violations, copyright strikes, harassment reports	Maintain clean account history for minimum 90 days before applying
Insufficient Metrics	Falling below 10K followers or 100K qualified views during review period	Build substantial buffer above minimums before applying (15K+ followers recommended)
Geographic Violations	VPN usage, incorrect address verification, temporary residence in eligible countries	Provide authentic documentation showing permanent residence in eligible countries
Artificial Growth Detection	Purchased followers, engagement pods, bot interactions	Focus on organic growth strategies and authentic audience building
Business Account Type	Account set to business rather than personal profile	Switch to personal account type before applying and maintain consistently
Age Verification Failure	Mismatched ID information, under 18, fake documentation	Ensure profile information exactly matches government-issued identification

Conclusion

Sources

1. Supliful TikTok Monetization Requirements
2. Buffer TikTok Creativity Program Guide
3. Blurbay TikTok Monetization Requirements
4. Metricool Monetize TikTok Guide
5. Bluehost How Much Does TikTok Pay
6. Descript TikTok Payment Guide
7. SocialBu TikTok Monetization Requirements
8. Comparitech TikTok Creator Program Access
9. TikTok Official Creator Fund Support
10. Brandwatch TikTok Creator Program

Who is the author of this content?

NAPOLIFY

A team specialized in data-driven growth strategies for social media

We offer data-driven, battle-tested approach to growing online profiles, especially on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Unlike traditional agencies or consultants who often recycle generic advice,we go on the field and we keep analyzing real-world social content—breaking down hundreds of viral posts to identify what formats, hooks, and strategies actually drive engagement, conversions, and growth. If you'd like to learn more about us, you can check our website.

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At Napolify, we analyze social media trends and viral content every day. Our team doesn't just observe from a distance—we're actively studying platform-specific patterns, breaking down viral posts, and maintaining a constantly updated database of trends, tactics, and strategies. This hands-on approach allows us to understand what actually drives engagement and growth.

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We prioritize accuracy and authority. Trends lacking solid data or performance metrics were excluded.

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