YouTube Take-Home Pay Calculator

Why Use This Calculator?

YouTube Studio's "Estimated revenue" is already your share: YouTube has taken its cut before the number reaches your dashboard. On long-form videos YouTube keeps 45% of ad revenue, so if you're working from gross ad revenue, that's what comes off. What can still reduce your payout is US tax withholding, which hits creators outside the US hardest; work that out in the Cross-Border Tax Calculator. This tool shows what actually lands in your account, so you budget off the right number.

💡 Why Your Take-Home Pay Matters More Than Your "Estimated Revenue"

Ad revenue is only one line of a YouTube creator's income. Memberships and Super Chats have their own 30% cut, Shopping commissions arrive 60 to 120 days later, and brand deals lose a share to managers and agencies instead of YouTube. To compare them side by side, use the Creator Income Streams Calculator; for sponsorships, use the Brand Deal Take-Home Calculator.

Who This YouTube Take-Home Pay Calculator Is For

This tool is built for YouTubers who've stared at their Studio analytics "estimated revenue" figure and then been surprised by a smaller AdSense deposit; creators trying to figure out how a mid-roll ad-heavy video actually compares to a brand deal dollar-for-dollar; and any channel owner who's never separated "what YouTube pays me" from "what sponsors and members pay me directly."

How To Use This YouTube Take-Home Pay Calculator

Step 1: Choose which number you're entering: Studio "Estimated revenue" (already your share) or gross long-form ad revenue.
Step 2: Pick the period and enter the amount for it, then choose your currency.
Step 3: If YouTube withholds US tax from you, take your result to the Cross-Border Tax Calculator.
Step 4: Review what you keep.

Frequently Asked Questions

QIs my YouTube Studio "Estimated revenue" before or after YouTube's cut?

After. Studio's Estimated revenue is already your share; YouTube's own analytics documentation defines it as net revenue. Enter it with "Studio Estimated revenue" selected, so YouTube's share isn't taken off a second time. It can still move a little before payment, because YouTube removes revenue from invalid traffic when it finalises the month.

QHow much does YouTube keep?

On long-form videos, creators keep 55% of the net ad revenue from the Watch Page and YouTube keeps 45%. On Shorts, creators keep 45% of their allocation from the monthly Shorts Creator Pool. Music in a Short reduces what goes into the Creator Pool, not your 45%.

QDo memberships and Super Chats have a fee?

Yes. Creators get 70% of membership revenue recognised by Google, after local sales tax and other fees that depend on the country and the platform the fan buys on. For Super Chat and Super Stickers, the 70% is worked out after local sales tax and, on iOS, App Store fees.

QHow do YouTube Shopping commissions work?

Each brand sets its own commission rate. Commissions are paid through AdSense for YouTube 60 to 120 days after the purchase, to allow for returns, and can change if an order is cancelled, refunded or exchanged.

QDoes this include brand deals?

No. Sponsorships aren't paid by YouTube, so YouTube's share doesn't apply. If a manager or agency takes commission, use the Brand Deal Take-Home Calculator to see what you keep.

QWhat changes in 2027?

From 1 February 2027, a channel needs at least 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days to earn Shorts Creator Pool ad revenue and Premium revenue for that month.

QWhen does YouTube pay?

Earnings for the previous month are finalised between the 7th and 12th. If your balance reaches the payment threshold by the 20th, payment is issued between the 21st and 26th.

QDoes Google/AdSense charge a separate transaction or processing fee?

No. Google's own support documentation states it does not charge a fee to receive your funds via standard direct deposit — that method is free. If you choose wire transfer for a large payment, any fee comes from your own bank, not from Google.

QDoes Google charge for currency conversion?

Google converts earnings using market exchange rates and publishes no separate conversion fee. Your own bank may charge its own conversion fee when the money arrives.

QDoes YouTube withhold tax from creator payments?

Only US tax. Once you submit US tax info, YouTube withholds 0% to 30% of the earnings that come from US viewers, depending on whether your country has a tax treaty with the US. If you don't submit it, individual accounts have 24% of total worldwide earnings withheld. YouTube doesn't withhold your own country's income tax, so set that aside yourself. To work out your US withholding, use the Cross-Border Tax Calculator. Use the Tax Deadline Clock to track your own payment dates.

More Help for YouTube Creators

YouTube doesn't withhold your own country's income tax, so the Tax Deadline Clock helps you track your payment dates. If sponsors or brand deals pay you in a currency different from your bank account, the Currency Take-Home tool shows what conversion actually costs. To see exactly when your AdSense payout lands each month, check the YouTube Payout Calendar. To track take-home pay across ad revenue, sponsorships, and memberships in one place, our Income Tracker gives you a unified dashboard.

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