How much does a YouTuber with 5,000 subscribers earn in 2025? A real earnings analysis

Many content creators ask this question every day: how much do I really earn on YouTube? The answer is not simple — earnings depend on the channel size, chosen niche, engagement quality, geographic location of the audience, and, most importantly, how many revenue sources you can activate.

If you are just starting out or have a small channel, it’s essential to understand that there is no one-size-fits-all formula. But there are real patterns we can analyze.

Earnings vary according to channel size

When talking about income on YouTube, we need to categorize creators. Each has a very different revenue level.

Beginner channels (up to 10,000 subscribers): Usually earn between R$ 100 and R$ 500 per month solely with AdSense. It’s modest, but grows quickly when the creator adds other income streams — such as affiliate sales, small partnerships, and SuperChat during live streams.

Growing channels (50,000 to 500,000 subscribers): Here, earnings change significantly. Most earn between R$ 2,000 and R$ 5,000 per month, combining ads, channel memberships, paid partnerships, and Shorts monetization.

Established channels (1 million+ subscribers): Easily surpass R$ 20,000 monthly. Many go over R$ 100,000 when including corporate sponsorships and videos produced specifically for brands.

Mega creators (tens of millions of followers): Generate between R$ 200,000 and R$ 3 million per month. The niche and the number of advertising campaigns define the ceiling.

The specific case: how much does a YouTuber with 5,000 subscribers earn?

A creator with 5,000 subscribers is in a very specific stage. Usually, they haven’t activated all monetization methods yet but can already generate measurable income.

Expected earnings: R$ 150 to R$ 800 per month, depending on:

• View-to-subscriber ratio: A channel with high engagement (each subscription generates 5-10 views per video) earns more than one with low engagement (1-2 views).
• Content niche: Tech, finance, and education channels have higher CPM (more expensive ads). Comedy or lifestyle channels have lower CPM.
• Audience location: Creators with Brazilian audiences earn less than those with international viewers. A view from the US is worth more than one from Brazil.

AdSense alone will generate little. A channel with 5,000 subscribers generating 50,000 views per month (which is good for this size) can earn R$ 100 to R$ 400 just from ads. Therefore, creators in this range need to activate other revenue sources quickly.

How creators really make money

YouTube offers seven main monetization methods. Most successful channels use at least three of them.

Ads (Google AdSense): The foundation, but generates little on its own. Payment follows three metrics: CPC (cost per click), CPM (cost per thousand impressions), and RPM (net revenue you actually receive per thousand views). The creator keeps 55% of ad revenue, YouTube takes 45%.

Affiliate marketing: Extremely profitable for small and medium channels. You recommend third-party products and earn commissions. In some niches, commissions reach 80% of the sale value. A single product sold can generate more than a week’s worth of ad revenue.

SuperChat and Super Stickers: During live streams, followers pay to highlight their messages. Values range from a few reais to hundreds in popular lives.

Channel Memberships: Recurring subscriptions from fans who want exclusive content. The creator receives 70% of the subscription fee. Typical tiers: R$ 1.99, R$ 9.99, and R$ 2,699.99.

YouTube Store: Direct sales of physical (merch, books), or digital products. Requires 500 subscribers and being in the Partner Program.

“Valeu Demais”: Fans send direct contributions in videos or Shorts, like a voluntary “tip.”

YouTube Premium: A small portion of the premium subscription is distributed among creators whose content was watched.

What you need to have before you start earning

Technically:

• Camera (can be a smartphone at the start)
• Reasonably good microphone
• Basic editing software (CapCut, DaVinci, Premiere)
• Minimal lighting
• Well-made thumbnails and covers

On the platform:

• Active Google account
• Created channel with a custom URL
• Original and consistent content
• A steady editorial calendar

Legal requirements to monetize:

• Be 18 years or older
• 1,000 subscribers
• 4,000 hours of watch time on long videos OR 10 million views on Shorts
• Channel free of policy violations
• An accumulated balance of US$ 100 or more for the first payout

The real numbers: how much do you earn per view?

Global average: Each view is worth approximately US$ 0.018 (when counted in the creator’s final revenue).

Per thousand views (CPM): US$ 0.25 to US$ 4.50. The variation depends on the niche and audience location.

Practical example with 20,000 views: You would earn between US$ 36 and US$ 60 from AdSense (this is gross revenue; you keep 55%).

Example with 5,000 subscribers generating 50,000 views monthly: With an average CPM of R$ 15 to R$ 30, you’d have between R$ 750 and R$ 1,500 in gross AdSense revenue. With well-structured affiliate commissions, this number can triple.

Why do some earn more than others?

Two creators with the same number of subscribers can have completely different earnings. Reasons include:

Engagement: A channel with a 10% engagement rate (comments, likes, shares) generates more views than one with 1%.

Consistency: Channels that post 3 times a week earn more than those posting once a month.

Diversification: Creators combining AdSense + affiliate marketing + sponsorships earn 5 to 10 times more than those relying solely on ads.

Niche: Technology, finance, and education have CPM 3 to 5 times higher than other niches.

Technical quality: Well-edited videos with clear sound and sharp images attract more premium advertisers.

The realistic monetization timeline

Most creators take 6 to 18 months to reach 1,000 subscribers. Then, they accelerate. From 1,000 to 10,000 usually takes 2 to 6 months with consistent content. From 10,000 to 100,000 varies greatly — it can be 6 months or 3 years.

Good news: you start earning as soon as you hit 1,000 subscribers + 4,000 hours. Even if little, it’s validation that your work has value.

Conclusion: is it possible to live off YouTube?

Yes, but it requires strategy, patience, and income diversification. A creator who starts with 5,000 subscribers and progressively expands their revenue sources can turn their channel into a solid, predictable income.

The secret isn’t just posting a lot, but posting well — content that captivates, generates engagement, that algorithms love, and advertisers want.

Beginners should focus on three things: consistent growth, increasing quality, and activating multiple revenue streams as soon as possible. The first year is about building. The second is about real monetization.