YouTube is doubling the entry requirements for its Partner Program (YPP), meaning new creators will have to build a much larger audience before they can start earning money from adverts and subscriptions. From 1 February 2027, new applicants will need 8,000 qualified watch hours over the previous year, or 20 million qualified Shorts views over the previous 90 days, both double the current thresholds; the 1,000-subscriber requirement stays the same. YouTube said the change, its first significant revision to entry criteria since 2018, reflects the platform's growing scale and is intended to reward active creators, with the company expecting to pay out even more in 2027 than in 2026. Creators already accepted into YPP will not be affected.

Alongside the higher entry bar, YouTube is introducing a minimum performance threshold for Shorts earnings: from February 2027, channels will need 10 million qualified Shorts views over 90 days to earn ad and subscription revenue from that format, though they remain in the programme and keep earning from long-form content if they fall short. The company is also expanding its cheaper Premium Lite subscription tier, priced at $8.99 a month versus $15.99 for full Premium, to every market where Premium is sold, with creators receiving 60% of net Premium Lite revenue compared with 30% for full Premium.