Today, do you make more money on TikTok or on YouTube?

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How much total revenue came from TikTok vs YouTube in the last 6 months, and what's the breakdown by revenue stream?

YouTube significantly outearns TikTok in absolute revenue numbers, generating $36.1 billion in 2024 compared to TikTok's $23 billion.

YouTube's Q1 2025 performance reached $8.92 billion with 10.3% year-over-year growth, driven primarily by advertising revenue (75%) and subscriptions (25%). The platform's revenue streams include in-feed advertising dominance, YouTube Premium subscriptions generating $14.5 billion, and diversified income from Super Chats, merchandise, and affiliate marketing.

TikTok's revenue structure centers on advertising (77%) and commerce plus in-app purchases (23%), including TikTok Shop integration and virtual gifts. Despite lower absolute numbers, TikTok's 42.8% year-over-year growth rate demonstrates accelerating monetization potential. Creator monetization pathways include virtual gifts, brand deals, and affiliate marketing, though exact 6-month figures for 2025 remain unreported.

The revenue gap reflects YouTube's mature monetization infrastructure versus TikTok's emerging commerce ecosystem. YouTube's subscription model provides predictable recurring revenue, while TikTok focuses on impulse purchasing through integrated shopping features.

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What's the average engagement rate across different niches and account sizes for both platforms?

TikTok consistently delivers higher engagement rates across all creator tiers, with nano-influencers achieving exceptional 14.21% average engagement compared to YouTube's 5.43%.

On average, how many likes, comments, and shares does a post get for creators with 10K, 100K, and 1M followers?

TikTok's engagement numbers dramatically exceed YouTube Shorts and long-form content across all metrics, particularly for creators with substantial followings.

A creator with 10,000 TikTok followers averages 1,421 likes, 85 comments, and 142 shares per post, while the same-sized YouTube creator receives approximately 500 likes, 30 comments, and 45 shares on Shorts. This 3x engagement difference stems from TikTok's algorithm prioritizing virality over subscriber count.

Million-follower TikTok creators generate massive engagement with 28,800 likes, 1,440 comments, and 2,880 shares per post. YouTube long-form videos for 100K+ subscriber channels typically achieve 5,000 likes and 250 comments, though watch time averages 8+ minutes compared to TikTok's 50-60 second optimal length.

TikTok users spend an average 52 minutes daily on the platform, while YouTube Shorts retention rates reach 80-90% for 50-60 second videos. YouTube's strength lies in deeper engagement, with 73% of watch time occurring on videos longer than 30 minutes.

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What's the conversion rate when selling digital products, services, or physical goods on each platform?

TikTok demonstrates superior conversion rates for digital products while YouTube excels in higher-value transaction consistency.

TikTok achieves 7-10% conversion rates for digital products like cookbooks and online courses, compared to YouTube's 5-8% range for similar offerings. The platform's impulse-driven user behavior particularly benefits quick-decision purchases, with TikTok Shop reporting 0.46% conversion rates for physical goods.

YouTube's strength emerges in sustained customer relationships, generating 0.9% conversion rates for direct physical goods sales with higher average transaction values. Niche-specific performance varies significantly, with tech products achieving 1.5% conversion rates on YouTube due to detailed review content and educated purchasing decisions.

Traffic quality analysis reveals TikTok converts 74.8% of driven traffic compared to YouTube's 19.7%, though YouTube traffic typically represents more qualified, research-driven buyers. TikTok's 78% purchase rate following Catalog ads demonstrates the platform's commerce integration effectiveness.

The conversion disparity reflects user intent differences: TikTok users discover products serendipitously while YouTube users often research deliberately before purchasing.

What percentage of the audience on each platform is estimated to be bots or fake traffic?

TikTok faces significantly higher bot traffic challenges, with estimates ranging from 2.8% to 15% fake accounts, while YouTube maintains stricter detection systems.

TikTok removed 256 million fake accounts in 2022 alone, indicating ongoing struggles with automated engagement and artificial follower inflation. This bot presence can skew engagement metrics and reduce actual reach effectiveness, particularly impacting smaller creators who may unknowingly engage with fake audiences.

YouTube implements more sophisticated detection algorithms and regularly purges fake subscribers, resulting in lower overall bot activity. The platform's ad revenue system inherently penalizes fake views through advanced fraud detection, creating economic incentives for authentic engagement.

Bot traffic directly affects monetization potential, as inflated engagement rates on TikTok may mislead creators about actual audience quality. YouTube's stricter verification processes, while occasionally removing legitimate subscribers, generally provide more reliable audience analytics for strategic decision-making.

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Which platform currently delivers the highest ROI for creators in education, entertainment, fitness, beauty, and finance niches?

ROI varies dramatically by niche, with YouTube dominating high-value educational and financial content while TikTok excels in lifestyle and beauty sectors.

Where do audiences spend more time watching content, and how does average watch time compare?

YouTube users demonstrate deeper content engagement with 8% increased time spent on long-form videos in 2025, while TikTok captures more frequent, shorter sessions totaling 52 minutes daily.

TikTok's algorithm optimizes for the critical first 15-20 seconds, with successful videos maintaining viewer attention throughout 50-60 second clips. The platform's addictive scroll mechanism encourages rapid content consumption, creating multiple touchpoints throughout the day rather than extended viewing sessions.

YouTube prioritizes retention rates above 70% for Shorts and above 50% for long-form content, rewarding creators who maintain audience attention through complete videos. Long-form YouTube content accounts for 73% of total platform watch time, indicating user preference for comprehensive, educational, or entertainment content.

The viewing pattern differences reflect distinct user behaviors: TikTok serves as a quick entertainment fix during breaks, while YouTube functions as a destination for deliberate content consumption, research, and learning.

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What are the most profitable types of content for each platform, and where does each format perform best?

Content profitability aligns closely with platform strengths: TikTok monetizes viral, trend-based content while YouTube excels with search-optimized, educational material.

TikTok's most profitable formats include 30-60 second tutorials, user-generated content campaigns, and trend participation, achieving 7.50% engagement rates for nano-creators. The platform rewards quick, actionable content that users can immediately implement or share, with dance trends, cooking hacks, and beauty transformations performing exceptionally well.

YouTube's revenue leaders include tech reviews generating up to $75 CPM, comprehensive online courses, and detailed vlogs that build long-term audience relationships. Real estate content reaches $75 CPM while finance content achieves $29.30 CPM, demonstrating the platform's effectiveness for high-value niche audiences.

YouTube Shorts, while growing rapidly, generate lower revenue per view ($1-$20 RPM) compared to long-form content but offer cross-promotion opportunities. TikTok's integration with e-commerce through TikTok Shop creates direct monetization pathways for product demonstrations and reviews.

The content creation strategy should match platform algorithms: TikTok favors trendy, immediately engaging content while YouTube rewards comprehensive, search-optimized videos that solve specific problems.

How has monetization and organic reach evolved on TikTok and YouTube in 2025?

Both platforms implemented significant monetization changes in 2025, with TikTok raising creator eligibility requirements while YouTube diversified beyond traditional advertising revenue.

TikTok now requires 10,000 followers plus 100,000 views within 30 days for monetization eligibility, a substantial increase from previous thresholds. This change aims to improve content quality while focusing rewards on established creators. The platform simultaneously expanded TikTok Shop integration and live gift monetization, creating alternative revenue streams for qualifying creators.

YouTube introduced AI content restrictions and enhanced creator revenue diversification through expanded membership programs and integrated shopping features. Shorts monetization remains challenging with $1-$20 RPM compared to long-form content, though the platform continues investing in short-form creator incentives.

Algorithm modifications favor different content types: TikTok prioritizes 15-20 second retention hooks more heavily, while YouTube Shorts requires 80%+ view duration for optimal distribution. These changes force creators to adapt content strategies for platform-specific success metrics.

Organic reach faces increasing challenges on both platforms as they prioritize monetized content and established creators, making early audience building more crucial than ever.

What is the full conversion funnel performance on each platform?

TikTok dominates top-of-funnel awareness and initial engagement, while YouTube excels at mid-to-bottom funnel conversions and customer retention.

How are brands and creators forecasting their budgets and strategies for TikTok and YouTube in 2026?

56% of brands plan to increase TikTok advertising budgets in 2026, while YouTube focuses on AI integration and Web3 monetization experiments.

Brand investment patterns show TikTok gaining significant budget allocation due to its younger demographic reach and growing commerce integration. Companies particularly target TikTok for product launches, trend-based campaigns, and influencer partnerships that capitalize on viral potential and impulse purchasing behaviors.

YouTube's 2026 strategy emphasizes creator revenue diversification beyond traditional advertising, including AI-powered content tools, virtual reality monetization, and blockchain-based creator economies. The platform's mature ecosystem supports long-term brand partnerships and educational content sponsorships that generate sustained ROI.

Creator strategies increasingly involve multi-platform approaches: using TikTok for audience discovery and viral growth while building sustainable income through YouTube's monetization infrastructure. This hybrid approach maximizes reach while ensuring revenue stability.

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What criteria should someone use to decide which platform to focus on?

Platform selection depends on four critical factors: content goals, target audience demographics, monetization timeline, and content creation capabilities.

Choose TikTok if your goals include rapid viral growth, reaching Gen Z and Millennial audiences (52% male demographic), building brand awareness through trends, or selling impulse-purchase products. The platform excels for creators comfortable with short-form, trend-based content who can produce videos quickly and adapt to algorithm changes rapidly.

Select YouTube for long-term sustainable income, targeting ages 25-34 with broader demographic reach, establishing thought leadership through educational content, or monetizing high-value digital products and services. YouTube suits creators who prefer in-depth content, have expertise to share, and can commit to consistent, search-optimized video production.

Consider a hybrid approach for maximum effectiveness: use TikTok for audience discovery and viral content testing, then direct traffic to YouTube for deeper engagement and monetization. Cross-promote YouTube Shorts to both platforms for expanded reach while maintaining platform-specific content strategies.

The optimal choice aligns with your content strengths, audience preferences, and revenue goals rather than following platform trends blindly.

Conclusion

Sources

1. Business of Apps - TikTok Statistics
2. Business of Apps - YouTube Statistics
3. The Influencer Marketing Factory - TikTok Instagram Engagement
4. Impulze - Influencer Engagement Rates
5. Influencer Marketing Hub - TikTok vs Meta Traffic Conversion
6. Learnyst - Top YouTube Niches 2025
7. Streamstoria - YouTube Content Strategy
8. Stack Influence - YouTube Shorts Monetization 2025
9. Supliful - TikTok Monetization Requirements
10. Shopify - TikTok vs YouTube

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.