YouTube Monetization Eligibility Checker

Two doors, not one

Almost every article on YouTube monetization repeats the same three numbers: 1,000 subscribers, 4,000 watch hours, 10 million Shorts views. That is only the second door. Since YouTube expanded the Partner Program there has been a lower entry point at 500 subscribers that unlocks fan funding, and most creators pass through it months before ad revenue is anywhere in reach.

This checker measures your channel against both tiers at once. It draws a progress bar for every individual requirement, tells you exactly how many subscribers, hours or views you are short, and projects a date from your own 90-day growth rate rather than a generic average.

What each tier requires

RequirementEarly access (fan funding)Full monetization (ad revenue)Subscribers5001,000Public uploads3 in the last 90 daysNot requiredWatch hours3,000 in the last 12 months4,000 in the last 12 monthsor Shorts views3 million in the last 90 days10 million in the last 90 daysYou unlockMemberships, Super Thanks, Super Chat, ShoppingAd revenue, Premium revenue share, everything above The watch-hours and Shorts-views lines are alternatives, not both. You satisfy whichever one your content style reaches first. On top of the numbers, every tier requires an eligible country, no active Community Guidelines strikes, 2-Step Verification on your Google account, and a linked AdSense account.

The rolling-window trap

Watch hours are counted across your trailing 365 days and Shorts views across your trailing 90 days. Both windows move forward every day, so old views fall out the back as new ones arrive at the front. A channel publishing at a steady rate does not slowly accumulate toward 10 million Shorts views — it plateaus at whatever 90 days of that rate produces and stays there indefinitely.

That is why this tool reports a required daily pace instead of a fictional countdown when your current rate cannot reach a threshold. At 20,000 Shorts views a day your 90-day total settles near 1.8 million and never crosses 3 million until the daily rate itself climbs to roughly 33,334.

How to use it

1. Open YouTube Studio → Analytics → Overview.
2. Set the date range to Last 365 days and note your watch hours. Switch to Last 90 days and note watch hours, Shorts views and new subscribers.
3. Count your public uploads from the last 90 days — unlisted and private videos do not count.
4. Enter everything, tick the four policy rules that apply to you, and select Check eligibility.
5. Use the reverse-planner to set a deadline and see the daily pace each requirement then demands.

Nothing is uploaded or stored on a server. Every calculation runs in your browser, and the shareable link simply encodes your numbers in the URL.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get monetized with 500 subscribers?

Yes, for fan funding. With 500 subscribers, three public uploads in the last 90 days, and either 3,000 watch hours in 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days, you can apply to the expanded Partner Program. It opens memberships, Super Thanks, Super Chat and Shopping, but it does not pay ad revenue.

Do Shorts views count toward the 4,000 watch hours?

No. Watch time on Shorts is tracked separately and contributes nothing to the watch-hour threshold. Shorts are a parallel path with their own numbers, which is why this tool evaluates both routes independently and names the one you will reach first.

Why does my watch time keep dropping?

The 4,000-hour requirement is a trailing 12-month figure, not a lifetime total. Hours earned more than a year ago stop counting. If your recent output has slowed, older watch time falls away faster than new watch time replaces it and your total moves backward.

How long does YouTube take to review an application?

YouTube states up to one month, and most creators hear back within two to four weeks. If the application is declined you can reapply after 30 days.

Does the projected date guarantee anything?

No. It extrapolates your last 90 days forward at a steady rate. Real channels grow in bursts: one algorithmic push can pull the date months closer, and a quiet stretch pushes it back. Read it as a best case that assumes you keep publishing at your current pace.

What disqualifies a channel regardless of the numbers?

An active Community Guidelines strike, an ineligible country, missing 2-Step Verification, or no linked AdSense account. Content YouTube classifies as inauthentic — mass-produced, heavily repetitive, or reused without meaningful commentary — is also rejected at review no matter how strong the metrics look.

Requirements last reviewed August 2026 against YouTube's official Partner Program documentation. Always confirm your live status in YouTube Studio → Earn.