ZapKit

YouTube Monetization Checker

Enter a channel to check it against the YouTube Partner Program thresholds: what can be confirmed from public data, a rough watch-hour estimate, and what only the creator can see.

What is a YouTube monetization checker?

A monetization checker compares a channel with the YouTube Partner Program's entry requirements: 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 public watch hours on long videos in the last 12 months, or 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days.

Subscriber counts are public, so that check is exact. Watch hours and Shorts feed views only appear in YouTube Studio, so the tool estimates watch hours from the channel's recent long videos and lets you type in the real figure for a definite answer. Whether a channel is actually monetized isn't public at all. Creators use it to see how close they are, and brands use it to gauge a channel's size. It doesn't cover the policy, 2-Step Verification and AdSense steps.

How to check if a YouTube channel can be monetized

  1. 1.Enter the channel

    Enter the @handle or link of the channel you want to check, whether it's yours or one you're researching.

  2. 2.Check the subscribers

    See the live subscriber count against the 1,000 needed, and the channel's recent uploads.

  3. 3.Estimate watch hours

    Get a rough estimate from recent long videos, or type in the number from YouTube Studio for an exact check.

Example: estimating watch hours

Say a channel's long videos from the last 12 months add up as below, at the default 40% viewed.

Videos longer than 3 minutes
24
Their views × length, added up
36,000 hours of video
Share watched
40%
Estimated watch hours
14,400

watch hours ≈ Σ (views × length) × share watched ÷ 3600

14,400 is well above 4,000, so the watch-hour bar is likely met; YouTube Studio has the exact number.

What public data can and can't show

To join the YouTube Partner Program, a channel needs 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 public watch hours on long videos in the last 12 months, or 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days. It also has to follow YouTube's monetization policies, have no active Community Guidelines strikes, turn on 2-Step Verification and link an AdSense account.

Subscriber counts are public, so that check is exact. Watch hours and Shorts feed views are only visible in YouTube Studio, so this tool estimates watch hours from the channel's recent long videos and lets you enter the real figure instead. Whether a channel is actually monetized isn't public at all.

Frequently asked questions

Can I see if a YouTube channel is monetized?

Not for certain. Monetization status isn't in YouTube's public data. This tool checks whether a channel likely meets the thresholds to apply.

How is the watch-hour estimate worked out?

From the channel's latest uploads published in the last 12 months that are longer than 3 minutes: views × length × the share of each video people watch on average, which you can change. It leaves out watch time on older videos, so treat it as a rough guide.

Do Shorts count toward watch hours?

No. Watch time from Shorts in the Shorts feed doesn't count toward the 4,000 hours. Shorts have their own path: 10 million public Shorts views in 90 days.

How long does YouTube take to review a channel?

YouTube says about a month after you apply, though it can take longer when many channels apply.

Can a monetized channel lose monetization?

Yes. YouTube may turn it off for channels that break its policies, or that haven't uploaded or posted for 6 months or more.

Related tools

More YouTube tools

All YouTube toolsEvery ZapKit tool