YouTube doubles monetisation thresholds for Partner Program as it pivots to premium streaming model
New applicants must now meet doubled watch hour and Shorts view requirements to qualify for ad revenue, while existing partners face regular posting mandates to retain status.
YouTube has announced significant updates to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), effective 1 February 2027, marking a strategic shift to elevate the platform’s status alongside premium streaming services such as Netflix and HBO Max. The changes double the eligibility thresholds for new applicants, requiring 1,000 subscribers alongside either 8,000 qualified watch hours in the past year or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Existing partners must now maintain higher engagement metrics or post regular content to retain their status. Specifically, creators must maintain 1,000 annual watch hours or 1 million Shorts views, or alternatively post two long-form videos or five Shorts every 90 days to avoid falling below the threshold. Creators who have not uploaded content for at least six months will be removed from the program entirely.
YouTube states that these stricter requirements are offset by the global expansion of its ad-free Premium Lite subscription tier to all countries where YouTube Premium is available. The company argues that the influx of paying subscribers will drive higher earnings for partners compared to ad-supported mode, providing a better revenue pool for views obtained via Premium Lite subscribers.
Under the new revenue split for Premium Lite, 55 per cent of subscription revenue is allocated to long-form video creators and 45 per cent to Shorts creators. This is a scaled-back version of the platform that allows users to watch videos without ads but does not include the music-streaming service. YouTube has reported a combined total of 125 million paid users for both Premium and Premium Lite tiers globally, while the platform itself lures in nearly 2.7 billion monthly active users.
The policy change reflects a broader effort by YouTube to compete with established players like Disney Plus. The platform has recently signed deals for exclusive broadcasting rights to shows from figures such as Trevor Noah and introduced features allowing creators to organise content into "seasons," further blurring the lines between user-generated content and traditional television programming.
