How much does YouTube take from channel memberships?

YouTube takes 30% of channel membership revenue, leaving 70% for the creator. That percentage applies after taxes and app store fees, so members who sign up through an iOS or Android app can net slightly less than those who join on the web.

How many members do I need for a steady income?

It equals your net target divided by the price per member, then divided by the share you keep — at $5 a month with a 30% cut, $1,000 net needs about 286 members. Because the revenue recurs, that number is far smaller than the audience required to reach the same figure through ads.

Does this work for platforms other than YouTube?

It does — the formula is identical everywhere, so just change the cut to match your platform. The only thing to check is whether that platform deducts payment processing separately, on top of its revenue share.

Calculators & Stats

Membership Revenue Calculator

Enter your member count and monthly price to see gross revenue, the platform's cut and what is left for you.

Members Currency Price per month Platform cut (%)

Gross per month —

Platform cut —

Net per month —

Net per year —

NET = MEMBERS × PRICE × (1 − CUT)

What this is

A membership revenue calculator works out what actually reaches a creator from monthly subscriptions, after the platform takes its share. The gross is easy — members times price — but that is not the figure that lands in a bank account. YouTube takes 30% of channel memberships, and other platforms use different percentages. This calculator reports all three numbers at once: gross, the cut, and net, so the difference is visible rather than a surprise at the end of the month.

The formula

net = members × price × (1 − platform cut)

members — active paying members.
price — subscription price per member per month.
platform cut — the platform's share; 30% for YouTube channel memberships.

How it works

The platform cut is not the only deduction. In some countries the price a member pays already includes tax the platform remits, and payment processing fees can come off before the revenue share is calculated. Because the rules differ by region, the net figure here is an upper bound — real payouts can land slightly lower.

Membership differs from advertising in one way that matters: the revenue recurs and is far steadier. A hundred members produce the same amount every month regardless of how a given video performs, while matching that with ad revenue requires new views every month. That is why comparing the two at the same headline figure is misleading.

How to use it

Enter your member count Use the number of active paying members, not everyone who ever joined.
Set the price and the cut Enter the monthly price per member. The cut is pre-filled at 30% for YouTube — change it if your platform differs.
Read the net figure The net figure is what reaches you, before your own income tax.

Common questions

How much does YouTube take from channel memberships?: YouTube takes 30% of channel membership revenue, leaving 70% for the creator. That percentage applies after taxes and app store fees, so members who sign up through an iOS or Android app can net slightly less than those who join on the web.
How many members do I need for a steady income?: It equals your net target divided by the price per member, then divided by the share you keep — at $5 a month with a 30% cut, $1,000 net needs about 286 members. Because the revenue recurs, that number is far smaller than the audience required to reach the same figure through ads.
Does this work for platforms other than YouTube?: It does — the formula is identical everywhere, so just change the cut to match your platform. The only thing to check is whether that platform deducts payment processing separately, on top of its revenue share.

Notes

The net figure is before your own income tax. The calculation runs in your browser.