What changed, and what can we prove?
This is a guide to the finance creator world in 2026. It is not a time study. We do not have the same finance-only test from two time spans.
So we cannot prove that pay, brand spend, or deal types went up or down. We can show the rules and tools that are live now. We can also share what our real deal data shows.
How YouTube pays creators now
YouTube lists three key shares for creators in its earnings guide:
The fan-pay tools include channel joins, Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks. YouTube says there is no promise on how much a creator will earn.
These shares are for pay from YouTube. A sponsor fee is a deal with a brand. It is a different source of pay.
Ways a finance creator may earn
A creator may use one way to earn or many. We do not have sound data on what share of finance creators use each one.
YouTube pay
Ads, Shorts, and fan-pay tools may pay the creator through YouTube.
Brand deals
A brand pays for a post, ad, or other set of work.
Link pay
A tracked link or code may pay a set sum or share.
Own goods
A creator may sell a group, class, tool, or other good.
This list is not a promise that any path will pay well. Each path has its own work, cost, risk, and rules.
What public sponsor data can show
Our study of 10,000 sponsored videos is one fixed random sample. It can show views, channel size, sponsor type, and when the same brand came back.
It cannot show deal fees, brand spend, clicks, sales, or profit. It also cannot prove that one type of deal grew.
A brand deal rate guide from real work
Creators Agency negotiated and helped run more than 4,000 sponsored deliverables that were posted from 2021 through July 2026. One deliverable is one sponsor post. About 75% were mid-roll ads on finance or business YouTube channels. More than 95% were US deals. All fees were in US dollars.
About 90% of those deals had a creator CPM from $50 to $200. The middle CPM was close to $100.
CPM here uses the creator's full fee for making and posting the ad. It does not cover paid use of the ad, a ban on work with other brands, or other terms. The free market sets each fee.
The range is a place to start. It is not a set price or a goal from our team. The fee must fit the brand's goal, the scope, and the value the creator may bring.
Both sides should first agree on the goal and ad plan. They can then set the fee next to the work and value. Read the full sponsor rate guide.
How we plan normal views
We use at least 10 recent videos that have had time to grow. We take out rare high and low posts. Then we find the mean of the rest.
We also check how steady the views are, the viewer's home country, the topic, the ad spot, past work, and fit with the brand.
Start a brand deal with value
A creator needs a clear way to help one brand. They may see a topic the brand has not yet shown in a plain video. They may know the tool fits what their fans need. They may have an ad idea the brand can use.
Put the best proof in the note. Do not lead with a fee. Wait until the brand shows some interest and both sides know the goal and scope.
Creators Agency helps finance and business creators with brand work from pitch to pay. See how we work.
Tools YouTube offers now
YouTube has a tool called Creator Partnerships. Its help page says some people in the YouTube Partner Program can use it.
A creator may use it to:
- get notes from brands
- share a media kit
- set a rate they want
- add a work email or agent contact
Access can change by country and by who can take part. Check the live YouTube page for the current list.
When an agency may help
An agency is not a must for each creator. It may help when brand work takes too much time from the videos.
Track the time used for notes, calls, deal terms, edits, bills, and late pay. Then weigh that time and the agency fee against what you want to keep doing on your own.
There is no fan count that makes the choice for you. Our agency guide has a plain way to think it through.
What brands should do
- Pick one goal and one key act to track.
- Check normal views, topic, country, past work, and brand fit.
- Set the scope, rights, due dates, and review steps.
- Put the fee next to the value and work.
- Use the brand's own data to judge the test.
Views are one clue. A brand also needs its own click, lead, sale, or use data. See the creator ROI guide for the math.
What to watch next
Do not treat a guess as a trend. Look for the same test run in two clear time spans. Check who was in each set and what was left out.
We will make a new page for each year. That keeps old facts in place and gives each new set a clean date.
Frequently Asked Questions
YouTube says a creator gets 55% of net watch-page ad sales. Shorts uses a pool. A creator gets 45% of the amount given to them from that pool.
No. A sponsor fee is a deal between a brand and a creator. It is not the same as YouTube ad pay.
We cannot prove that from the data we have. We do not have the same finance-only study from two time spans.
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