The TikTok Creator Fund gives TikTokers the chance to be paid for their content. Use this guide to decide if it’s worthwhile and learn how to join.
Table of Contents
What Is the TikTok Creator Fund?
How Much Does the Fund Pay Content Creators?
TikTok Creator Fund Pros and Cons
Am I Eligible for the TikTok Creator Fund?
How to Join the TikTok Creator Fund
Other Ways to Make Money as a TikTok Content Creator
How to be Discovered By Brands as Influencer
Content apps like TikTok turn average people into internet-famous celebrities almost overnight. Over a billion people are publishing their product finds, deep thoughts, and quirky dances on the platform, but only a select few are getting paid for it — and you could be one of them if you’re part of the TikTok Creator Fund.
The TikTok Creator Fund is a revenue-sharing feature that makes it easy for users to monetize their content. It’s also a huge incentive to keep creating content for the platform, giving you a chance to grow your audience, go viral, and be an internet superstar.
Here’s what you should know about the TikTok Creator Fund, how to qualify, and whether it’s worth your time.
Tip: Learn How To Negotiate As A Creator
What Is the TikTok Creator Fund?
The TikTok Creator Fund acts as a bank account with funds earmarked for TikTok content creators. Eligible creators will receive money from the fund as a way for TikTok to say “Thanks!” for their content.
The funds come directly from TikTok’s own pockets. Since creators are the main driver of the TikTok app's success, it makes sense that TikTok gives back a little to the creator community that’s driving its growth.
The TikTok Creator Fund emerged in 2021 with a starting balance of $200 million. Since then, the company has announced plans to increase the TikTok Creator Fund to $1 billion over the next three years.
How Much Does the Fund Pay Content Creators?
Now for the (possibly) million-dollar question: How much do creators earn from TikTok?
The simple answer: It depends.
TikTok pays creators who produce high-performing original content. It defines “high-performing” based on the number of views a video receives.
Reports indicate that a TikTok creator can expect anywhere from a few cents to about $8 per 1000 views.
For a video to officially be dubbed viral, it needs to earn around 5 million views within a week. This means that a viral video racking up the minimum views could earn anywhere from $200 to $40,000 from the Creator Fund, if user reports are accurate.
However, other reports note that the average payout is about $0.03-$0.04 per 1,000 views.
Creators must also wait until their account accrues $10 before they can request a payout. From there, you can request Creator Fund payouts as Paypal or Zelle payments.
Compared to other social media platforms and monetization models, the Creator Fund may not be the best way to make money on social media. For instance, YouTube has paid out over $30 billion to creators and artists over the years, while Snapchat has shelled out hundreds of millions to creators.
TikTok Creator Fund Pros and Cons
The TikTok Creator Fund is a real thing and it pays real money. If you’re creating content anyway, it’s always better to get paid for it.
On the flip side, if you do create content for a full-time living (or are trending in that career path), you want to ensure you allocate your time to get the best possible returns. Considering the pros and cons of the TikTok Creator Fund can help you do just that.
Pro: You Don’t Need to Run Ads on Your Content
Unlike a YouTube channel, you don’t need to run ads on your content to make money. Your payments come directly from TikTok, not from user clicks and conversions. This can help you make more audience-friendly content because you won’t be interrupted by ads that could weaken the viewer experience.
Con: Payments Are Lower than Other Models and Tough to Predict
Compared to other social media monetization methods, TikTok doesn’t pay as well from the Creator Fund. It’s also not easy to predict how much you’ll make from your content because TikTok doesn’t share how it calculates earnings. This is like throwing spaghetti at a wall and seeing what sticks — you could win big, or you could waste your time.
Pro: There’s No Limit to Your Earnings Potential
If you’re producing content people are viewing and sharing, there’s no limit to how much of the Creator Fund can be yours. This is a great incentive to keep testing new types of content and seeing what your audience loves.
Con: It’s Not “Free” Money
As with any type of social media monetization, your earnings count as revenue and will need to be reported at tax time. If you earn even the minimum $10 payout, you’ll need to declare it as income.
Pro: Your TikTok Content Can Open New Doors as an Influencer
TikTok is a powerful video-sharing platform that has captured the attention of more than creators. Marketers and brands also eye the channel as a potential sales tool and are keen on TikTok influencer marketing. If you can master the art of video creation, you might have a better chance of connecting with brand clients who need to find influencers.
Brand deals are great opportunities to increase your income as a content creator simply by doing what you love. Plus, TikTok influencers are in high demand. Since you have to be pretty successful to be eligible for the Creator Fund, you can use your status to build trust and credibility with potential brand partners.
Con: It’s Only Open to Eligible Creators
There is no set limit as to the number of creators who can join the fund. However, TikTok limits participation to only eligible TikTok users.
Am I Eligible for the TikTok Creator Fund?
Anyone can create content for TikTok, but only a certain few can grab a piece of the Creator Fund pie. According to TikTok’s website, minimum requirements are that a creator:
- Is based in the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, or Italy
- Is at least 18 years old
- Has 10,000+ followers
- Has 100,000+ video views in the last 30 days
- Aligns with TikTok Community Guidelines and terms of service
If you don’t yet meet these criteria, you’ll have some baseline goals to work toward.
How to Join the TikTok Creator Fund
If you meet eligibility requirements, you can join the Creator Fund with a few simple steps.
To start, you’ll need a Pro account. If you don’t already have a Pro account, you can go to “Manage Account” under Settings, then “Switch to Pro Account.” Then, follow these step-by-step instructions:
- Log into the app.
- Go to Account Settings.
- Click “Creator Tools,” then “TikTok Creator Fund.”
- Submit your application.
Once you’ve done that, TikTok will review your account to ensure you meet the eligibility requirements. The platform will then decide whether to add you as a Creator Fund participant.
Once you’re an official part of the club, you’ll have a dashboard where you can track your content metrics and earnings and request payouts.
Tip: Learn how to get verified on TikTok.
Other Ways to Make Money as a TikTok Content Creator
If you meet the requirements for the Creator Fund, this can be a simple way to boost your income by doing what you’re probably already doing — making great content.
If you don’t meet the requirements or want to explore other options, you can still make money on TikTok.
One option is to run TikTok campaigns as an influencer. Many TikTok influencers are making millions of dollars each year via sponsored posts, which can cost as much as six figures per post.
Influencers with millions of followers command the highest rates, but brands also want to work with micro-influencers. Micro-influencers charge less per post because their content doesn’t reach as many people. For niche companies with smaller target markets, micro-influencers offer a powerful and cost-effective option.
TikTok also allows users to tip creators and send them gifts. Tips can be up to $100 each, and 100% of the money goes to the creator. Eligibility requirements for tips and gifts are less stringent than those for the Creator Fund.
There’s also the TikTok Creator Marketplace, where creators and brands can collaborate on TikTok videos.
Tip: Learn more about influencer gifting.
How To Be Discovered By Brands as an Influencer
Whether you’re participating in the Creator Fund or finding other ways to make money on TikTok, Meltwater Influencer Marketing can help you go all-in as an influencer.
Our influencer marketing suite is designed to help brands find influencers based on topics, interests, platforms, audience size, and other criteria so they can skip the search and get right to business. By signing up in our influencer marketing database, you’re giving yourself greater visibility so brands can find and contact you — sign up as a Creator today.
