Top 10 Platforms Where Content Creators and Streamers Make the Most Money

The creator economy has exploded into a multi-billion dollar ecosystem, transforming ordinary people into millionaires and reshaping how entertainment is produced and consumed. At the forefront of this revolution are creators like IShowSpeed and Kai Cenat, who have turned viral moments and relentless energy into fortunes that rival traditional celebrities.

IShowSpeed, also known as Darren Watkins Jr., has an estimated net worth of $30 million in 2025, while Kai Cenat's net worth ranges between $14 million and $35 million. But their success isn't just about talent, it's about choosing the right platforms and mastering multiple revenue streams.

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A recent 2025 study of 1,500 monetizing creators found that 28.6% named YouTube as their highest income source, with TikTok at 18.3%, Facebook at 16.5%, and Instagram at 11.8%. However, the landscape is more nuanced than these numbers suggest.

Here's a comprehensive breakdown of the top 10 most lucrative platforms for content creators and streamers in 2026, ranked by earning potential.

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YouTube pays $2–$25 per 1,000 views for standard videos and up to $75 CPM in lucrative niches, with creators keeping 55% of ad revenue.

YouTube's official statistics show it paid over $70 billion to creators, artists, and companies from 2021 to 2023, making it the undisputed champion of creator monetization. The platform offers the most comprehensive earning ecosystem with multiple revenue streams: ad revenue sharing, YouTube Premium revenue, channel memberships, Super Chat and Super Stickers during livestreams, YouTube Shopping, and Shorts monetization.

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Real-world example: IShowSpeed's main channel, with over 50 million subscribers and 6.45 billion total views, generates approximately $463,000 to $1,000,000 monthly, with annual revenue roughly $5 million to $12 million. His success demonstrates YouTube's ability to turn consistent content into substantial, sustainable income.

A single 10-minute video with 1M views in a strong niche like personal finance can make $2,000–$7,000, depending on location and engagement. The platform's strength lies in its longevity, videos continue earning money long after upload, creating evergreen income streams.

Best for: Long-form content creators, educators, gamers, and anyone building a sustainable, diversified income.

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Twitch subscriptions usually pay $4.99 per month for perks such as ad-free viewing, with Twitch typically taking a 50% cut of subscriber revenue but reducing its share to between 30% and 40% for its top creators.

Twitch has become the destination for live content, where creators earn through subscriptions, bits (virtual currency), ad revenue, and donations. The platform's interactive nature creates intense viewer loyalty, with fans willingly paying to support their favorite streamers.

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Kai Cenat broke the record for the highest subscriber count on Twitch during his 30-day "Mafiathon 2" livestream in November 2024, reaching nearly 727,700 subscribers by the end of the month. Assuming that each subscriber pays an average of $4.99 per month, that's $3.6 million in monthly revenue and $43 million in annual revenue, at least before Twitch takes its cut.

Kai Cenat sits at the very top of Twitch in 2025, with estimated earnings from subs ranging from $547,814 to $1,437,930 per month. His subathons, marathon streaming sessions that extend based on new subscriptions, have revolutionized how creators engage audiences and maximize earnings.

Best for: Gamers, entertainers, and anyone who can build a loyal community through live interaction.

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TikTok offers $0.40–$1.00 per 1,000 views through its Creator Rewards Program, with live streams earning up to $35,000 per show.

While direct ad revenue from TikTok is lower than YouTube, the platform's true power lies in its viral reach and indirect monetization. TikTok has become the ultimate launchpad for brand deals, product promotions, and building audiences that creators can monetize elsewhere.

Eligible creators can earn between $0.40 to $1.00 per 1,000 views through the Creator Rewards Program, depending on video length, originality, audience engagement, and viewer location. A video garnering 1 million views could yield earnings ranging from $400 to $1,000 from the platform directly.

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However, TikTok's real value comes from TikTok LIVE gifts, where viewers can send virtual gifts to creators during live streams, which are converted into Diamonds that can be exchanged for real currency, and the TikTok Shop integration that allows direct product sales.

Best for: Short-form content creators, dancers, comedians, and those who can capitalize on trends quickly.

Nano-influencers with 500–10,000 followers can earn $10–$100 per post, while mega-influencers with 500,000+ followers can make £10,000+ per post.

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Instagram's monetization isn't primarily about platform payouts, it's about brand partnerships. Instagram Reels bonuses pay $0.50–$2.50 per 1,000 views, while brand deals range from $100 to $20,000+ per post based on followers.

Influencers with 500,000 or more followers can command between $3,000 and $10,000 per sponsored post, depending on engagement and niche. For mega-influencers, one example shows someone reportedly earning $450,000 for a single sponsored Instagram Story.

Instagram's subscription feature allows creators to offer exclusive content for monthly fees ranging from $0.99 to $99.99. If 2% of a creator's 1 million followers subscribe at $4.99/month, it could yield nearly $100,000 monthly before platform fees.

Best for: Lifestyle influencers, fashion creators, fitness experts, and visually-driven content creators.

Kick's 95/5 split yields more per subscriber for many streamers, with creators earning up to $4.75 per sub/month compared to Twitch's approximately $3.50.

Kick has positioned itself as the creator-friendly alternative to Twitch, offering significantly better revenue splits and lower payout thresholds. While the platform is newer and has a smaller audience than Twitch, its generous terms are attracting top talent.

The 95/5 split means creators keep 95% of subscription revenue, compared to Twitch's 50/50 split (or 70/30 for partners). For creators with dedicated fanbases willing to subscribe, this difference can translate to substantially higher earnings.

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Best for: Established streamers looking for better revenue shares and willing to build on a growing platform.

The average cost for 1,000 video views on monetized Facebook content is $10.97, with creators receiving 20% of the revenue generated for long-form content featuring licensed music.

Facebook offers monetization through in-stream ads, subscriptions, Stars (virtual gifts during live streams), the Performance Bonus program, and the Brand Collabs Manager. While it may not be the trendiest platform, its massive user base spanning multiple age groups provides high advertiser interest.

Facebook's Content Monetisation Programme requires creators to have 10,000 followers and comply with Meta's monetisation guidelines. Video content, especially Reels, delivers strong revenue potential, while direct fan support through Stars offers consistent payouts.

Best for: Creators with older demographics, community builders, and those producing longer video content.

Patreon creators keep 88–92% of pledges, with average monthly earnings of $7 per subscriber.

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Patreon isn't a content platform itself, but rather a membership platform that allows creators to receive recurring payments from fans in exchange for exclusive content. Patreon supports over 279,000 active creators.

The beauty of Patreon is its simplicity and control. Creators set their own subscription tiers, typically ranging from $3 to $50+ per month, and keep the vast majority of earnings. For creators with 1,000 dedicated fans paying an average of $10/month, that's $10,000 monthly before fees—and these are often your most engaged supporters.

Best for: Creators with dedicated fanbases, podcasters, artists, writers, and anyone offering premium or exclusive content.

X now pays creators through a share of premium subscription revenue, offering payouts that average $8.50 per 1 million impressions.

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X has introduced several monetization features, though it remains behind major video-focused platforms in terms of creator earnings. The platform offers ad revenue sharing for creators with verified accounts and sufficient engagement, Super Follows for exclusive content, and Ticketed Spaces for premium live audio discussions.

While X's monetization is still evolving, it offers unique opportunities for thought leaders, news creators, and those who build audiences through written content and commentary rather than video.

Best for: News creators, thought leaders, writers, and those building audiences through commentary and discussion.

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Snapchat offers monetization through its Spotlight feature, which pays for viral content, though earnings are highly variable and most creators rely heavily on sponsorships rather than platform payouts.

Spotlight payouts are highly variable, with top entries earning bonuses, but most creators rely on sponsorships. The platform's younger demographic (primarily Gen Z) makes it attractive for brands targeting that audience.

Snapchat's AR filters and lenses also offer unique monetization opportunities for creators with technical skills, as brands pay for custom filters for marketing campaigns.

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Best for: Creators targeting Gen Z audiences, AR developers, and those with strong brand partnership opportunities.

Pinterest operates differently from other social platforms, focusing more on driving traffic and enabling affiliate marketing rather than offering direct creator payments.

The platform excels for creators in niches like fashion, home decor, food, and lifestyle. While Pinterest doesn't offer the same direct monetization as other platforms, it serves as a powerful traffic driver and affiliate marketing tool, making it valuable for creators with external revenue sources like blogs, online stores, or digital products.

Creators can monetize through affiliate links embedded in pins, driving traffic to monetized blogs or websites, and through brand sponsorships for promoted pins. For creators with products to sell or courses to promote, Pinterest can be a goldmine of targeted traffic.

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Best for: Bloggers, online store owners, course creators, and anyone in visual niches like food, fashion, or home decor.

Neither IShowSpeed nor Kai Cenat built their fortunes on a single platform. Both leverage multiple revenue streams across several platforms simultaneously.

IShowSpeed's empire spans YouTube (primary income), livestreaming platforms, brand partnerships, merchandise sales, and music releases. The total estimated annual income of IShowSpeed is approximately $17,586,704 – $24,160,771 across all possible revenue streams, based on a total audience of 135,677,907 users from Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

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Similarly, Kai Cenat's revenue streams include Twitch subscriptions, YouTube ad revenue, brand sponsorships, merchandise sales, and participation in events. In 2024, he reportedly made over $8 million from Twitch alone, but his total earnings extend far beyond any single platform.

Geography matters significantly, as CPMs are generally higher in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Western Europe. Niche is also crucial, finance, business, and tech attract premium advertisers with higher CPMs.

Engagement is critical, watch time, retention, likes, comments, and shares boost revenue share and reach. It's not just about view counts; it's about how deeply your audience engages with your content.

The creator economy shows no signs of slowing. The expansion of TikTok Shop, Instagram Shopping, and YouTube Shopping shows how creators are shifting from views to transactions. Commerce integration is becoming as important as ad revenue.

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While YouTube dominates in terms of overall earnings, platforms like TikTok and Instagram are rapidly improving their creator payouts. The competition for creator talent is driving platforms to offer better terms, more features, and higher revenue shares.

The best social media platform to make money depends on several factors, including content type, niche, audience demographics, and monetization strategy.

For long-form video and sustainable income: YouTube remains unmatched.

For live streaming and community building: Twitch and Kick lead the pack.

For viral growth and brand deals: TikTok and Instagram dominate.

For direct fan support: Patreon offers the best creator-to-fan connection.

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For diversified income: Smart creators use them all.

The stories of IShowSpeed and Kai Cenat prove that the creator economy offers unprecedented opportunities for those willing to work hard, engage authentically with audiences, and strategically diversify across multiple platforms. Their multi-million dollar fortunes aren't accidents, they're the result of understanding where the money flows and building empires accordingly.

The question isn't just "which platform pays the most?" but rather "which combination of platforms will maximize my unique talents and audience?" In 2025, the most successful creators aren't putting all their eggs in one basket, they're building multimedia empires that span the entire digital landscape.